Core Subject:
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Quarter I - Module 6
How Society is Organized
Content Standard: How individuals learn culture and become competent members of society
how individuals learn culture and become competent members of society
Learning Competency: Analyze the forms and functions of social organizations
Module 6.1: Human Society
Introduction
As human species, we are social beings who live out our lives in the company of other humans. We
organize ourselves into various kinds of social groupings. Unlike other species, we combine socialization with
deliberate changes in social behavior and organization over time. This module discusses the definition of
human society. It will also describe kinship relations in the family circle.
Objectives
At the end of the lesson you will be able to;
Describe the kinship relations in the family circle and the degree of relationships that exist.
Learning Activity
Humans generally do not live alone, isolated from each other. Instead, individuals tend to live in
communities with other people related by ethnicity, nationality, religion or some other cultural
element. That’s human society!
A human society is a group of people involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social
grouping having the same geographical or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and
dominant cultural expectations.
Kinship in Human Society
Kinship refers to the culturally defined relationships between individuals who are commonly thought
of as having family ties. All societies use kinship as a basis for forming social groups and for classifying people.
In order to understand social interaction, attitudes and motivations in most societies, it is essential to know
how their kinship systems function.
Kinship connections are in turn based on two categories of bonds: those created by MARRIAGE and
those that result from DESCENT.
AFFINITY Bond (by marriage) CONSANGUINITY Bond (by blood)
Husband Wife Mother – in – law Mother Father Children Cousins
Father – in – law Sister – in – law Grandparents Grandchildren Uncles/ Aunts
FICTIVE kinship (social courtesy)
Godparenthood Adoption of children
Practice Task 1 (AGREE OR DISGREE)
Instruction: Write Agree if the statement is correct, Disagree if the statement is wrong.
_______________1. Human society is characterized by social relations.
_______________2. Human society is unique.
_______________3. Kinship does not consider people related by both descents.
_______________4. A relationship may be relative like a father in relation in a child.
_______________5. Kinship is integral part in social structure.
Module 6.2: Primary and Secondary Groups
Introduction
It is just but normal that individuals sometimes idolize someone. It could be our parents or other
celebrities. Or anybody that makes him or her would like to be someday in the future. A personality of an
individual develops because of the influences of some of social organizations. This module will focus on the
role and functions of primary and secondary groups how the relationships affect ones’ personality.
Objectives
At the end of the lesson you will be able to;
1. Give the definition of primary and secondary groups, out-group, in- group and reference group and
the terms related to it;
2. Differentiate primary group and secondary group, in-group and out- group
Learning Activity
Members of society belongs to social groups that vary not only in size but also in the level and depth of
interaction and interdependence among its members. An individual is generally closest to his or her
immediate family (parents, siblings, first cousins, etc.) but not to his distant relatives. He or she may have deep
bonds with his or her close friends bit could have cordial or casual relations with other acquaintances. As one
enters adulthood, he or she will discover that there are some social groups that will exert more profound
impact on his or her life than others.
Primary Groups
A primary group is typically a small social group (small- scale society) whose members share close,
personal enduring relationships. These groups are mark members’ concern for another, in shared activities
and culture. Example includes family, childhood friends and highly influential social groups.
Primary Groups play an important role in the development of personal identity.
1. A primary group is group in which one exchanges implicit item, such as, love, caring, concern,
animosity, support, etc. example, of these would be family groups, love relationships, crisis support groups,
church groups, etc.
2. Relationships formed in primary groups are often long lasting and goals in themselves. They are also
often psychologically comforting to the individuals involved and provide a source of support.
The pressure to form a primary relationship within secondary groups is quite high in modern societies.
This is also the reason why the notion of a family and the barkada as the two major primary groups in a
person’s life may no longer be as relevant as before.
Secondary Groups
People in a secondary group interact on a less personal level than long lasting. Since secondary groups
are established to perform functions, people’s roles are interchangeable. A secondary is one you have chosen
to be a part of it. They are based on interest activities. They are where many people can meet close friends or
people they would just called acquaintances. Secondary groups are groups in which one exchanges explicit
commodities, such as labor for wages, services for payments, etc. Examples of these would be employment,
vendor-to-client
In- groups and Out- groups
In- group is a social group to which a person psychologically identifies as being a member. A group to
which one belongs and with which ones feels a sense of identity. By contrast an out- group is a social group
with which an individual does not identify. A group to which one does not belong and to which he or she may
feel a sense of competitiveness or hostility.
One usually treats members of his or her in- group more favourably than those of his or her out-group.
However, people’s shifting group membership throughout their lives means that their notions of in-groups and
out-groups are likely to change.
Reference Group
A is a group to which an individual or another group is compared. Reference groups are used in order to
evaluate and determine the nature of a given individual or other group’s characteristics and sociological
attributes. It is the group to which the individual relates or aspires to relate himself or herself of
psychologically. It becomes the individual’s frame of reference and source for ordering his or her experiences,
perception, cognition, and ideas of self. It is important for determining a person’s self – identity, attributes, and
social ties. It becomes the basis of reference in making comparisons or contrast and in evaluating one’s
appearance and performance.
Practice Task 2 In- Group and Out-Group
Give at least three (3)
a. Examples of in – group b. Examples out- group
1. ______________________________________________ 1. ______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________
POST- TEST
IDENTIFICATION. Direction: Identification the terms being referred to in the following statements. Use the
terms found inside the box as your answer guide.
*affinity *kinship *human society
*consanguinity *family relations
*primary group *in- group *reference group
*secondary group *out- group
___________ 1. A large social grouping sharing the same geographical or social territory.
___________ 2. It is a society consisting of like-minded people governed by their norms and values.
___________ 3. Kinship relationships through marriage.
___________ 4. It can be represented concretely by blood like a mother, brother, grandfather, etc.
___________ 5. Refers to the culturally defined relationships between individuals who are commonly thought of
as having family ties
____________ 6. Members share close, personal and enduring relationships.
____________ 7. Interact on a less personal level than a primary group.
___________ 8. It is used as a point of comparison for the in- group.
___________ 9. It is a social group to which a person psychologically identifies himself as being a member.
___________ 10. It is a social group with which an individual does not identify himself.
