Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Region I
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF PANGASINAN II
Canarvacanan, Binalonan, Pangasinan

Understanding Culture, Society

& Politics
Quarter 1 - Week 1
Module 1
The Nature and Goals of
Anthropology, Sociology and Political
Science

Most Essential Learning Competency:

Discuss the nature, goals and perspective in/of
anthropology, sociology and political science.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Overview 1
Content 1
Competencies 1
Pretest 1
Lesson 1 2
Activity 1 2
Lesson 1 (Continuation) 3
Activity 2 4
Lesson 1 (Continuation) 5
Activity 3 6
Activity 4 7
Activity 5 8
Post Test 9
Answer Key 10
References 11
 OVERVIEW

For the Learners

Welcome to the journey of Understanding Culture, Society and Politics!
Prepare yourself to discover how far you have gone in developing your
essential life skills in Understanding Culture, Society and Politics particularly
in The Nature and Goals of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science and
the Perspectives of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science. As a
Senior High School learner, you have to deal with a variety of learning skills in
your daily life.
This module will help you face the rigors of the curriculum aligned with
the K to 12 features. The primary goal of this module is not only to further
enhance your skills, but more importantly to ensure that you are able to use
these skills to develop your capacity to think critically and logically.

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW?

This module will help you understand the Nature and
Goals of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science.
Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s
subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from the family to the state. While
anthropology is a branch of sociology, it always describes human, human behavior and human
societies around the world. Political science, by nature, is a social science that deals with
humans and their interactions.
The learning competency of this module is:
1. Discuss the nature, goals and perspective in/of anthropology, sociology and political
science.

WHAT I KNOW? (PRETEST)

This activity will enable you to assess your prior knowledge from the
topic that will be discussed in this lesson.

Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer and write your answer in your
activity notebook.

1. It defines how people relate to nature and their physical environment.

A. Politics B. Anthropology C. Culture D. Sociology
2. It always describes human, human behaviour and human societies around the world.
A. Sociology B. Anthropology C. Political Science D. Culture
3. It is a social science that deals with humans and their interactions.
A. Sociology B. Anthropology C. Political Science D. Culture
4. It is the study of human social relationships and institutions.
A. Politics B. Anthropology C. Culture D. Sociology
5. It is a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or
thing.
 A. Beliefs B. Customs C. Traditions D. Norms
6. This term means scientific study of man or human beings.
A. Politics B. Anthropology C. Culture D. Sociology
7. It refers to a theoretical foundation of contemporary anthropology.
A. Nature of politics C. Nature of culture
B. Nature of anthropology D. Nature of sociology
8. It attempts to explain how the social world operates.
A. Political theory C. Anthropological theory
B. Sociological theory D. Cultural theory
9. It is used to analyse and explain objects of social study, and facilitate organizing
sociological knowledge.
A. Theoretical perspective C. Cultural perspective
B. Conflict perspective D. Functionalist perspective
10. It sees social life as a competition, and focuses on the distribution of resources,
power, and inequality.
A. Theoretical perspective C. Cultural perspective
B. Conflict perspective D. Functionalist perspective

THE NATURE, GOALS AND PERSPECTIVE OF

Lesson
ANTHROPOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY AND POLITICAL
1 SCIENCE

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW?

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. Identify the nature of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science;
2. Know the goals of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science.

WHAT’S NEW?
Activity 1. What you do
Directions: List down activities that exemplify the nature and goals
of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science.
 Questions:
1. How do you find the activity?
2. What are the nature of anthropology, sociology and political science?
3. How do you relate this nature to your daily life?

WHAT’S NEW?
Why do you write those words? Here are things to learn about the nature
and goals of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science.

NATURE OF ANTHROPOLOGY
The nature of culture refers to a theoretical foundation of contemporary anthropology.
 It has been observed that the terms "nature" and "culture" that can not necessarily be
translated into non-western languages. Anthropology relates to sociology, it always
describes human, human behaviour and human societies around the world. It is a
comparative science that examines all societies.
 The term anthropology means scientific study of man or human beings. The purpose of
sociology is to understand how human action and consciousness both shape and are
shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures. Political Science is a social
science that deals with humans and their interactions. It is a branch of sociology; it
essentially deals with the large-scale actions of humans, and group mentality.
 The word "anthropology" has been derived from two Greek words, anthropos (man) and
logus (study or science).
 A discipline of infinite curiosity about human beings. They seek to discover when, where,
and why humans appeared on earth. They look at how humans have changed since
then.
 It is the study of humankind in all times and all places.
 It is the study of humanity including our prehistoric origins and contemporary human
diversity.
ANTHROPOLOGY AS A SCIENCE
 The proper sphere of anthropology as a science is to strive to secure historical,
sociological and psychological laws that describe the overall trends of processes
among the people of all prehistoric and historic periods.
FIELDS OF ANTHROPOLOGY
1. Cultural Anthropology - Refers to the study of living people and their cultures including
variation and change. Cultural anthropologists also study art, religion, migration,
marriage, and family.
2. Linguistic Anthropology - Refers to the study of communication, mainly (but not
exclusively) among humans. It includes the study of communication’s origins, history,
and contemporary variation.
3. Archeology - Refers to the study of past human cultures through their material remains.
It is the study of past human cultures through the recovery and analysis of artifacts.
 4. Biological Anthropology - Also known as “physical anthropology”, this refers to the
study of humans as biological organisms including their evolution and contemporary
variation. It seeks to describe the distribution of hereditary variations among
contemporary populations and to sort out and measure the relative contributions made
by heredity, environment, and culture to human biology.

Activity 2: PICK ME!

Direction: Pick your answer from the box and write it on the space provided.

Linguistic Anthropology Anthropology Social Psychology

Archeology Sociology Applied Psychology
Biological Anthropology Political Science Population Studies
Social Organization Cultural Anthropology Human Ecology

__________________________1. It is the study of humanity including our prehistoric origins

and contemporary human diversity.
__________________________2. It is a systematic study of groups and societies that people
build and how these affect their behavior.
__________________________3. It is the systematic study of political and government
institutions and processes.
__________________________4. Refers to the study of living people and their cultures
including variation and change.
___________________________5. It includes the study of communication’s origins, history,
and contemporary variation.
__________________________6. It is the study of past human cultures through the recovery
and analysis of artifacts.
__________________________7. It seeks to describe the distribution of hereditary variations
among contemporary populations and to sort out and measure the relative contributions made
by heredity, environment, and culture to human biology.
___________________________8. This includes the study of social institutions, social
inequality, social mobility, religious groups, and bureaucracy.
___________________________9. This area focuses on the study of human nature and its
emphasis on social processes as they affect individual or responses which are called “social
stimuli”.
__________________________10. This is concerned with the specific intent of yielding
practical applications for human behavior and organizations.
GOALS OF ANTHROPOLOGY
1. Discover what all people have in common – By studying commonalities (folklores,
traditions, language, etc.) in all humanity, we could understand more about the human’s
nature.
2. Produce new knowledge and new theories about humankind and human behavior – This
new knowledge is then applied in an attempt to alleviate human challenges.
3. Discover what makes people different from one another in order to understand and
preserve diversity – Anthropology attempts to answer questions like, “What does it mean
to be a Filipino and a citizen of the world?
4. Look at one’s own culture more objectively like an outsider – It aims to make “the
strange familiar and the familiar strange.” Anthropology also challenges individuals to
evaluate and criticize their own culture.

NATURE OF SOCIOLOGY
 The word “sociology”, based on etymology, comes from the word socius which
means “group of partners” and logos which mean “science or study of.”
 It is a systematic study of groups and societies that people build and how these
affect their behavior.
 Sociology deals with the study of groups.
 It focuses on various social connections, institutions, organizations, structures, and
processes.
 Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s
subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from the family to the state,
from the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture,
and from social stability to radical change in whole societies.

AREAS OF SOCIOLOGY
1. Social Organization - This includes the study of social institutions, social inequality,
social mobility, religious groups, and bureaucracy.
2. Social Psychology - This area focuses on the study of human nature and its emphasis
on social processes as they affect individual or responses which are called “social
stimuli”.
3. Applied Sociology - This is concerned with the specific intent of yielding practical
applications for human behavior and organizations.
4. Population Studies - This area includes size, growth, demographic characteristics,
composition, migration, changes, and quality vis-à-vis economic, political, and social
systems.
5. Human Ecology - It pertains to the study of the effects of various social organizations
(religious organizations, political institutions and etc.) to the population’s behavior.
THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF SOCIOLOGY ENABLES US TO;
1. Obtain possible theories and principles about society as well as various aspects of social
life;
2. Critically study the nature of humanity, which also leads to examining our roles within the
society;
3. Appreciate that all things (in society) are interdependent with each other. An individual’s
personal history is connected to his/her environment’s history, which is also tied into the
nation’s history;
4. Broaden our familiarity on sociological facts, which are acquired through empirical
process. Incidentally, it makes us realize our prejudices on various social issues; and
5. Expose our minds to the different perspectives on attaining the truth. For instance, some
theorists (especially social philosophers)5argue that the truth is relative. This sociological
viewpoint diminishes the theory that there is an absolute truth. Furthermore, the
determination whether an action/behavior is good or bad depends on one’s social
norms.
NATURE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
 Political science is defined as the study of the state and government.
 It comes from the Greek word polis, which means city-state, and ciencia, which
means knowledge or study.
 Focuses on the theory and practice of government and politics at the local, state,
national and international levels.
 It is a study of the complex behavior of various political actors such as the
government administration, opposition, and subjects.
 It is the systematic study of political and government institutions and processes.
POLITICS
 It originated from the Greek word ‘polis’, which means ‘city’ or ‘state’.
 It is the art and science of governing city/state.
 It is the social process or strategy in any position of control which people gain, use, or
lose power.
GOVERNMENT
 It is the agency to which the will of the state is formulated, expressed, and carried out.
 It is the organized agency in a state tasked to impose social control.

WHAT’S MORE
Activity 3: Fact or Bluff
Direction: Write FACT if the statement is correct and BLUFF if the statement is
incorrect on the box provided.

STATEMENT FACT or BLUFF

 1. Examining the roles of humanity within the society
is one of the goals of sociology.

2. The nation’s history can be based on the individual

personal history.

3. The determination whether an action/behavior is

good or bad depends on one’s social norms.

4. The politics that takes shape in a country is a

reflection of the country’s political philosophy.

5. It is important to study politics to understand

society and to help change it for the better.

6 Government is an idea while politics is the6concrete

realization of that idea.

7. Using sociological research can resolve social

problem.

8. Sociology enables us to expose our minds to the

different perspectives on attaining the truth.

9. In order to preserve diversity people must discover

and understand their individual differences.

10. Sociology challenges individuals to evaluate and

criticize their own culture.

WHAT I CAN DO
Activity 4: Let get Critical
Direction: Answer the following questions, be guided by the rubrics provided.
A.) What is the relationship between Sociology and Anthropology?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

B.) The term politics is now applied to many different social situations. Give example or
scenario on the positive or negative connotations of politics.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Activity 5: PIC TO GRAPH

Direction: Identify the concept that you can associate with culture, society and politics base on
the picture below. Write your answer in the graphic organizer.

CULTURE

SOCIETY
 POLITICS

Post Test
Directions: True or False. Analyze each statement. Write T If the statement is
true and write F if the statement is false. Write your answer on the space
provided.

_____1. Culture is defined as how people relate to nature and their physical environment.
_____2. The term “Politics” means scientific study of man or human beings.
_____3. Theoretical perspective is used to analyse and explain objects of social study, and
facilitate organizing sociological knowledge.
_____4. Anthropology always describes human, human behaviour and human societies around
the world.
_____5. Beliefs refer to the state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some
person or thing.
_____6. Cultural perspective sees social life as a competition, and focuses on the distribution of
resources, power, and inequality.
_____7. Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions.
_____8. Sociological theory attempts to explain how the social world operates
_____9. Political Science, social science that deals with humans and their interactions.
_____10. Nature of politics refers to a theoretical foundation of contemporary anthropology.
 ANSWER KEY
Post Test:

1. C 6. B
2. B 7. C
3. C 8. B
4. D 9. A
5. A 10. B

Pretest:

1. T 6. F
2. F 7. T
3. T 8. T
4. T 9. T
5. T 10. F

Activity 1: (Answer May Vary)

Activity 2: Identification

1. ) Anthropology 7.) Archeology

2.) Sociology 8.) Social Organization
3.) Political Science 9.) Social Psychology
4.) Cultural Anthropology 10.) Applied Sociology
5.) Linguistic Anthropology 11.) Population Studies
6.) Biological Anthropology 12.) Human Ecology

Activity 3: FACT OR BLUFF

1.) Fact 6.) Bluff

2.) Fact 7.) Fact
3.) Fact 8.) Fact
4.) Bluff 9.) Fact
5.) Fact 10.) Fact

Activity 4: LET’S GET CRITICAL (RUBRICS)

Criteria Very Good (4) Good (3) Satisfactory (2) Poor (1)
Ideas are
Relevance of Insightful and Ideas are Ideas are somewhat
unclear
the Ideas well considered considered; more on topic; makes
ideas making than one some connections few connections
multiple thoughtful
connections connection is
made
Content/Topi Thorough and Complete Shows some Shows
c insightful understanding of understanding of incomplete
understanding of content/topic content/topic understanding of
content/topic content/topic

Activity 5: PIC TO GRAPH (RUBRICS)

Criteria Very Good (4) Good (3) Satisfactory (2) Poor (1)
Extremely well Organize.
Organizatio organized. Somewhat organized Poorly organized.
n Order & structure Structure allows
of information is reader to move Structure allows A clear sense of
compelling and through content reader to move direction is not
flows smoothly. without confusion. through some of the evident. Flow is
Flows smoothly content without frequently
confusion. Flow is interrupted.
sometimes
interrupted.
Ideas are unclear
Ideas Insightful and well Ideas are Ideas are somewhat
considered ideas considered; more on topic; makes some few connections
making multiple than one thoughtful connections
connections connection is
made

Content Thorough and Complete Shows some Shows  incomplete

insightful understanding of understanding of understanding of
understanding of content content Content
content

References:
A. Book

Government of the Philippines, Department of Education, Understanding Culture,

Society, and Politics, Teacher’s Guide-First Edition 2016

B. Online Resources

https://www.slideshare.net/kellykhel/understanding-the-concepts-of-anthropology-
sociology
https://www.slideshare.net/LexterIvanCortez/anthropology-sociology-and-political-
science
http://www.asanet.org/about-asa/asa-story/whatsociology
http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-politicalscience.html