Social Constructionism: Society and Culture

Social Constructionism

• Social constructionism is the theory of how people develop knowledge of the world in a social context.
• Much of what is perceived as reality relies on shared assumptions.
• Social constructionism studies the interactions individuals have with their society and the surrounding world.
• These interactions give meaning to otherwise worthless things.
• These interactions create the reality of the society.

Examples of Social Constructs

• Race: Historically, humans have separated and grouped each other by differing skin colors and features.
• Money: There is mutual agreement on what paper and coins represent.
• Countries: Recognition and acknowledgement of existence are mutually agreed upon.
• Gender: Men and woman act differently based on dictated gender roles.

Culture vs Society

• Culture is the way in which people live in a particular area.
• Society is a group of people who share a common form of lifestyle.
• Culture includes particular sets of values, traditions, and beliefs.
• Society includes people who share common beliefs.

Types of Society

• Hunting and gathering societies survive by hunting animals and gathering edible plants.
• Pastoral societies are societies in which food is obtained by raising and taking care of animals.
• Horticultural societies survive by growing plants.
• Agricultural societies use plows and draft animals in growing food.
• Industrial societies depend on science and technology to produce their basic goods and services.
• Post-industrial societies emphasize economics by providing services and information.
• A society is a group of people living within defined territorial borders and sharing a common culture.

Summary - Types of Society

• Societies are classified based on development and technology usage.
• For most of human history, people lived in preindustrial societies characterized by limited technology and low production of goods.
• After the Industrial Revolution, economies were based around mechanized labor, leading to increased profits and a trend towards greater social mobility.
• At the turn of the new millennium, a new type of postindustrial/information society emerged.
• This is built on digital technology and nonmaterial goods.

Summary - Culture

• Culture refers to a shared way of life.
• Society refers to people who interact in a defined territory and share a culture.
• Culture includes language, customs, habits, beliefs, food, and arts.
• Cultural patterns differ from one country to another.
• Behaviors and ways are often considered normal within one's own culture, but strange/wrong in others.

Relationship Between Culture and Society

• Culture shapes how people work and play.
• It affects the way we view ourselves and others.
• It impacts our values and judgements of right and wrong.
• The society we live in influences the choices we make.

How Gender Relates to Culture

• Gender identities and gender relations are critical aspects of culture.
• They shape daily life in the family, wider community and the workplace.
• Gender functions as an organizing principle because of the cultural meaning given to being male or female.
• These meanings are evident in the division of labor according to gender.
• There are clear patterns of "women's work" and "men's work" in the household and the wider community.
• Cultural explanations describe reasoning behind the patterns of work.
• Patterns and explanations differ among societies and change over time.
• The specific nature of gender relations differs among societies.
• Women have less personal autonomy and fewer resources.
• Women have limited influence over decision-making.
• Disparity based on gender is a human rights and a development issue.