1 = Individual

• Society is composed of interacting individuals. Members of society connect in different associations.

1.1 = Theory of Sociability by Simmel

• The society represents a web of interacting individuals. Society exists where individuals enter into interactions. Interaction arises based on drives or purposes.
• Interactions cause the individual to organize into a unit called society.
• Sociation is the form in which individuals grow together into units that satisfy their interests.
• Social phenomenon is an amalgamation of two factors: content and form.
  • Content is the interest, purpose, or motive for a phenomenon or interaction.
  • Form is the mode of interaction through which content is achieved.
• Sociability is the act of ordering phenomenon (content) into patterns (forms)

1.2 = Theory of Self Development by G.H. Mead

• H Mead is known as the father of social behaviorism.
• He describes that the Self is a product of social experience. The Self is the part of personality composed of self-awareness and self-image. The Self cannot develop in isolation and requires social experience, which involves exchanging symbols.
• Symbols are anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture. Understanding a symbol requires interpreting the meaning behind the symbol. This Interpretation requires understanding the intention of someone involved in an interaction. This requires understanding the situation or process by placing ourselves in a particular situation.
• Social interaction involves seeing ourselves as others see us through the process of role taking.
• H.Cooley describes the concept of the looking glass self, which states that society is a mirror by which we see ourselves. He describes two parts of the self: Me and I.
  • “I” being the active part that initiates action.
  • “Me” being the passive part influenced by society.
  • The “I” part may initiate action, but society’s perception and response influence it.
• Development of self takes place in four stages, which involve social learning
  • Stage 1 – Imitation – Children imitate the behaviors of those around them.
  • Stage 2 – Play – children play roles of others to help understand the viewpoint of others.
  • Stage 3 – Game – helps understand the role of a few people in a specific situation.
  • Stage 4 – Multiple Roles in Multiple Situations acquired through “Generalized Others” (widespread cultural norms and values used as a reference for self-evaluation)

2 = CULTURE

• Humans are born with instincts but cannot rely on them solely. Humans depend on culture to make their surroundings more meaningful and familiar

CULTURE CAN BE DEFINED AS:

• The complex whole including knowledge, belief, art, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society – E. Taylor
• Set of values, beliefs, behaviors, and material objects which constitute a people way of life – Macionis
• Set of shared ideas or customs, beliefs, and Knowledge that characterize a society in their way of life – L.A. Coser
• A totality of learned, socially transmitted behavior – R.T. Schaefer

2.1 = Characterizes of Culture

a) Culture is Learnt

• Humans acquire behavior through culture. Culture is learned through many agents. This process is called ENCULTURATION. Human instincts are influenced by culture, such as language. Society teaches its norms and practices through culture.

b) Culture is variable

• Cultures differ but may share traits, while the organization of these traits may vary. Groups within a society and different societies may have different cultures because it is a group of beliefs and practices agreed upon by a set of individuals. This is called Cultural Relativism

c) Culture is Social

• It cannot develop in seclusion and is developed and maintained through social interaction as Interaction is necessary to acquire culture.

d) Culture is Shared

• It must be developed through association and shared experiences to make surroundings and actions more predictable.

e) Culture is Transmissive

• It is transmitted from one generation to another, which may be intergenerational or intragenerational, where the language is a dominant channel for cultural transmission.

f) Culture is Dynamic

• Culture continues to evolve and change more rapidly in modern society due to technology which brings material change that influences non-material aspects such as behavior. Increased interaction also leads to cultural exchange, which leads to cultural evolution.

g) Culture is Adaptive

• Culture Possesses a stable set of patterns but is adaptive to changing physical and social interactions.