UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

QUARTER 1 – WEEK 2 – MODULE 2 | SEM 1 2022 | Padayon!

LESSON 2 7 COMPONENTS OF NONMATERIAL

CULTURE:
• SOCIETY AND CULTURE AS A COMPLEX
WHOLE • Gestures
• Language
WHAT IS CULTURE? • Values
• Sanctions
• The word “culture” derives from a • Norms
French term, which in turn derives from
the Latin word “colere,” which means to • Folkways
tend to the earth and grow, or cultivation • Mores
and nurture. • Gestures are movements that people
• Culture is the characteristics and make in order to communicate with their
knowledge of a particular group of bodies. All cultures use gestures. Two
people, encompassing language, cultures may use the same gesture, but it
religion, cuisine, social habits, music and may have different meanings in both
arts. cultures.
• Language consists of written and
IDENTIFYING THE CULTURES AROUND spoken words that we use to
YOU… communicate with each other. Each
word can be thought of as a symbol to
which the culture gives a specific
• Hand gestures meaning.
• Body Language • Values refer to a set of standards by
• Eye Contact which people define what is ethical in
“Cultures can be seen everywhere around society and what is not.
you.” • Sanctions are mechanisms of social
control. As opposed to forms of internal
TYPES OF CULTURE control, like cultural norms and values,
sociologists consider sanctions as a form
• Corporate Culture of external control.
• Popular Culture • Norms are set standards for how to
behave in any given situation. All
• Foreign Culture societies have guidelines that govern
moral standards and even the most
MATERIAL AND NON-MATERIAL routine aspects of life. Sociologists call
CULTURE the written and unwritten rules that
specify the behavior appropriate to
• Material Culture (tangible) refers to the specific situations as norms.
physical stuff that human beings • Folkways are informal rules and norms
surround themselves with and which has that, while not offensive to violate, are
meaning forthe members of a cultural expected to be followed.
group. • Mores is a set of moral norms or customs
• Non-material culture (intangible) derived from generally accepted
refers to the abstract ideas and ways of practices rather than written laws.
thinking that make up a culture. Mores (pronounced as more-rays) are
Examples of nonmaterial culture include also informal rules that are not written,
traffic laws, words, and dress codes. but, when violated, result in severe
punishments and social sanction upon
the individuals, such as social and
religious exclusions.
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UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS
QUARTER 1 – WEEK 2 – MODULE 2 | SEM 1 2022 | Padayon!

parents, teachers, and others (most

CULTURE CHANGE likely individuals of older
generation), while other cultural
• Is culture ever changing? How is culture behaviors are handed up to elders.
changing? Cultures change due to: Transmission of culture is made
− Customs/Attitudes possible by language. Language is
the main vehicle of culture.
− Beliefs/Unique Transmission of culture may take
− New philosophical place also through imitation as well
ideas/Technological Advances as through instruction.
“Cultures change because people change.” 6. Culture is continuous and cumulative.
− Culture exists as a continuous
CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE process. In its historical growth, it
tends to become cumulative. Ralph
1. Culture is social because it is the Linton called culture “the social
product of behavior. heritage” of man. No culture ever
− Culture does not exist in isolation. It remains constant or permanent. It is
is a product of society. It develops subject to slow but constant
through social interaction. No man variation. Likewise, culture is
can acquire culture without responsive to the changing
association with others. conditions of the physical world;
2. Culture varies from society to society. hence, it is dynamic.
− Every society has a culture of its 7. Culture is gratifying and idealistic.
own that differs from other − Culture provides proper
societies. The culture of every opportunities for the satisfaction of
society is unique by itself. Cultures our needs and desires. Our needs,
are not uniform. Cultural elements both biological and social, are
like customs, traditions, morals, fulfilled in cultural ways. Culture
values, and beliefs are not constant. consists of the intellectual, artistic,
3. Culture is shared. and social ideals, and institutions
− Culture is not something that an where members of the society
individual alone can possess. profess and strive to confirm.
Culture, in sociological sense, is
shared. For example, people of a
society share all customs,
traditions, beliefs, ideas, values,
morals, etc.
4. Culture is learned.
− Culture is not inborn. It is learned.
Unlearned behavior then, is not
culture. Shaking hands, saying
thanks, etc. are cultural behaviors.
Not all behaviors are learned, but
most of these can be. Combing hair,
standing in line, telling jokes,
criticizing the president, and going
to movies all constitute behaviors
that need to be learned.
5. Culture is transmitted among members
of society.
− Cultural ways are learned by people
from others. Many of these ways
are handed down from elders,

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