1ST QUARTER FLASHCARDS

Question 1

Why are culture, society, and politics important?

Answer 1

Culture, society, and politics are concepts that exist in the realm of ideas and thoughts. They cannot be seen or touched, yet they influence how we see and experience our individual and collective lives as social beings.

Question 2

Social Sciences

Answer 2

It is a group of academic disciplines dedicated to examining human behavior and, specifically, how people interact with each other, behave, develop as a culture, and influence the world.

Question 3

It is a systematic study of man’s biological, cultural, & social aspects

Answer 3

Anthropology

Question 4

It attempts to provide a deeper assessment of individual and group behavior and social phenomena by examining the interplay between economic, political, and social factors.

Answer 4

Sociology

Question 5

It focuses on the fundamental values of equality, freedom, and justice, and its processes are linked to conflict, resolution, and cooperation dynamics.

Answer 5

Political Science

Question 6

Identity

Answer 6

It is the distinctive characteristic that defines an individual and is shaped by one’s membership in a particular group. It is continuously shaped and reshaped through the passage of time as well as the overall context of one’s life cycle, including their activities within society and interaction with other people.

Question 7

It is a group of individuals sharing a common culture, geographical location, and government.

Answer 7

Society

Question 8

Elements of Society

Answer 8

1. Social solidarity
2. Shared identity and culture
3. Common language
4. Large population and the ability to sustain succeeding generations
5. Definite geographical area.
6. Political, economic, and social organizations.

Question 9

What is culture?

Answer 9

It is the set of beliefs, ideas, values, practices, knowledge, history, shared experiences, attitudes, materials, objects, and possessions accumulated over time and shared by the members of the society.

Question 10

Two Primary Categories of Culture

Answer 10

• Material Culture – physical or tangible objects produced, shared, and utilized within society, such as tools or implements, paintings, and other works of art, architectural styles, weaponry, and toys.
• Non-material Culture – intangible properties and elements of society that influence the patterns of action and behavior of its members, such as language, beliefs, values, attitudes, ideas, and norms shared among members of the society.

Question 11

Vital Aspects of Culture

Answer 11

➝ Symbols – things that convey meaning or represent an idea.
➝ Language – a set of symbols that enables members of society to communicate verbally (spoken) and nonverbally (written, gestures).
➝ Values – shared ideas, norms, and principles that provide members of the society the standards that pertain to what is right or wrong, good or bad, desirable or undesirable.
➝ Norms – shared rules of conduct that determine specific behavior among society members.

Question 12

3 Categories of Norms

Answer 12

a. Folkways – norms that may be violated without severe consequences
b. Mores – norms with moral connotations
c. Laws – norms that are legally enacted and enforced.

Question 13

It considers culture as the central focus of its discipline. It studies the different cultures of different societies.

Answer 13

Anthropology

Question 14

Relativistic Approach

Answer 14

There are no “superior” and “inferior” cultures, and each is unique.

Question 15

Ethnocentric Approach

Answer 15

A belief that one’s native culture is superior to others. Ethnocentric societies tend to have a negative view of other countries.

Question 16

Ethnocentrism

Answer 16

It diminishes or invalidates “other” ways of life and creates a distorted view of one’s own. This could affect individual behavior and relationships with other cultures. Extreme forms of ethnocentrism have led to wars or colonization.

Question 17

Xenocentrism

Answer 17

Societies’ tendency to consider their culture as inferior to others.

Question 18

Cultural Relativism

Answer 18

It recognizes and accepts the cultural differences between societies. This view believes that every aspect of culture can be understood within the context in which the culture has been formed.

Question 19

It relates culture with the overall context of social order.

Answer 19

Sociology

Question 20

Structural Functionalism

Answer 20

It operates on the assumption that society is a stable and orderly system. Structural functionalists consider culture a glue that binds society together, leading to social order.

Question 21

Conflict Theory

Answer 21

It assumes a constant power struggle among the various social groups and institutions within society. Conflict theorists study the culture of “dominant classes” and analyze how this culture is imposed on other classes.

Question 22

Symbolic Interactionism

Answer 22

It views individual and group behavior and social interactions as defining features of society. Symbolic interactionists believe that culture provides shared meanings to community members. The more meanings are shared, the more society ensures social order.

Question 23

How is culture and political science related?

Answer 23

Culture is essential in building social capital and could lead to future conflicts and division. Political science also investigates the decline of cultural denominations in Western countries and the subsequent rise of multiculturalism.

Question 24

Multiculturalism

Answer 24

It is an ideology that acknowledges and promotes cultural diversity within society. It also entails the establishment of political groups and institutions for people from diverse cultures.

Question 25

Cultural Sensitivity

Answer 25

It advances awareness and acceptance of cultural differences but encourages a critical stance in dealing with issues regarding diversity. This view believes that not all cultural practices, traditions, and beliefs can be integrated and that distinct cultures can harmoniously coexist in society.

Question 26

It is a lifelong process of social interaction through which people acquire their identities and necessary survival skills in society. It prepares new members of community and trains them to think, feel, and act in appropriate ways.

Answer 26

Socialization

Question 27

John Locke’s “tabula rasa”

Answer 27

The human mind acquires information about the outside world through the senses, and this information molds and defines a person’s awareness and view of the outside world.

Question 28

Anthropologists, view socialization in terms of becoming familiar with one’s own culture and use the term ___________ to describe the process of being socialized into a specific culture.

Answer 28

Enculturation

Question 29

An important part of the socialization and enculturation processes are the social groups that people encounter and interact with throughout their lives.

Answer 29

Agents of Socialization and Enculturation

Question 30

6 Agents of Socialization and Enculturation

Answer 30

1. Family
2. School
3. Peer Groups
4. Mass Media
5. Religion and Slate
6. Major Social and Historical Events

Question 30

For an individual to continue functioning as a member of the group, he or she should conform to the ________ _________ and __________ prevalent within it.

Answer 30

general behaviors and attitudes

Question 31

Conformity

Answer 31

➝ a process of altering one’s thoughts and actions to adapt to the accepted behavior within his or her group or society.
➝ Social psychology considers conformity as a product of pressure exerted by the group on the individual.

Question 32

3 Stages of Conformity

Answer 32

a. Compliance - Refers to outward conformity to social pressure but privately disagreeing with it.
b. Identification - Refers to the individual adopting a certain behavior because it enables him or her to have a satisfying relationship with the members of his or her group.
c. Internalization or Acceptance - Involves both public compliance and internal acceptance of the norms and standards imposed by the group.

Question 33

Deviance

Answer 33

Behavior that elicits strong negative reactions from group members and involves actions that violate commonly held social norms.

Question 34

It any systematic means and practices used to maintain norms, rules, and laws; regulate conflict, and discourage deviant behavior.

Answer 34

Social control

Question 35

These are the most common means of social control and are often employed to address conflicts and violations of social norms.

Answer 35

Sanctions

Question 36

Two types of sanctions

Answer 36

a. Formal sanctions - provided by laws and other regulations in society.
- Laws formally designated certain deviant behaviors as crimes and prescribed sanctions for such acts.
b. Informal sanctions - most imposed by smaller societies, communities, or groups. There are no set laws or regulations that define the nature of these sanctions, and these are often arbitrarily agreed upon by members of the group or society.

Question 37

Human Dignity vs. Human Rights

Answer 37

Human Dignity - refers to the idea that a person has the innate right to be valued, respected, and treated well. * Human Rights - are legal, social, and ethical principles that consider the human person as deserving of liberties and protections by virtue of his or her human dignity.

Question 38

Characteristics of Human Rights

Answer 38

o Universal – because they belong to all human beings regardless of race, religion, gender, and other characteristics.
o Fundamental – they cannot be taken away from any human being.
o Indivisible – as various rights are interrelated and given equal importance.
o Absolute – they cannot be qualified and are considered basic necessities for living a genuine life.

Question 39

What does Plato mean with a “man is a social animal.”

Answer 39

This means humans are naturally equipped with tools such as language and reason to engage others in meaningful interaction.

Question 40

It is a collection of individuals who have relations with one another that make them interdependent to some significant degree.

Answer 40

Social Group

Question 41

It is a necessary condition within social groups because it enables its members to pursue shared goals or promote common values and principles.

Answer 41

Interdependence

Question 42

Primary vs. Secondary Group

Answer 42

PRIMARY GROUP ➥ is a small, intimate, and less specialized group whose members engage in face-to-face and emotion-based interactions over an extended period.
SECONDARY GROUPS ➥ are larger, less intimate, and more specialized groups where members engage in an impersonal and objective-oriented relationship for a limited time. The level of interdependence is not deep and significant.

Question 43

In-group vs. Out-group

Answer 43

• In-groups ➔ to which one belongs, and with which one feels a sense of identity
• Out-groups ➔ is a group to which one does not belong and to which he or she may feel a sense of competitiveness or hostility.

Question 44

Reference Groups

Answer 44

an individual compares himself or herself. It has a strong influence on an individual’s beliefs, values, behavior, and attitudes.

Question 45

Networks

Answer 45

It refers to the structure of relationships between social actors or groups. These are interconnections, ties, and linkages between people, their groups, and the larger social institutions to which they all belong.