Society and Community Overview

Society & Community

• Society is a group of people sharing a territory, interacting, and having a shared culture.
• The word "society" comes from the Latin "socius" meaning "companion" or "being with others".
• A community is a group of people in a geographic area sharing values, interacting, and belonging to a social system.
• Community nutrition aims to prevent disease, improve health, nutrition, and well-being.

Characteristics of Society

• Groups of people, interactions, and awareness of each other
• Shared similarities and differences
• Cooperation and division of labor, leading to interdependence
• Dynamics are constantly changing
• Control of member behavior through social means
• Culture

Characteristics of a Community

• Locality or geographic area
• Sense of belonging and shared interests
• Groups of people in the location
• Shared ways of life and work
• Natural or planned creation
• Relative stability of life in a community

Differences between Society and Community

• Society is a web of social relations but doesn't require a specific geographic area and is abstract.
• Communities require a specific geographic area and are concrete.
• "We feeling" may or may not be present within a society, but it is essential for a community.
• Society is wider, and one society can consist of many communities.
• Societal interests are more diverse and extensive than communal interests.
• Likeness is more important in communities than in societies.

Importance of Socialization

• Socialization transforms a biological being into a social member.
• Contributes to personality development.
• Encourages discipline and the ability to enact different roles.
• Provides knowledge and skills.
• Helps develop aspirations.
• Contributes to social stability.
• Reduces social distances.
• Transmits culture.
• Contributes to a brighter future.

Stages of Socialization

• Oral Stage (0-1 year): The child establishes oral dependency and identifies its mother and family members through crying.
• Anal Stage (1-3 years): Child learns to take care of itself by performing tasks related to toileting and hygiene.
• Oedipal Stage (3-12 years): Child identifies with a particular sex and develops feelings of love towards the parent of the opposite gender and jealousy toward the parent of the same gender.
• Adolescence (Puberty to adulthood): Physical and psychological changes occur with more independence from parental control, learning of new social roles, and less social control.

Elements of Socialization

• Physical and psychological aspects of the individual.
• The environment in which the individual is born.
• Culture, including norms, attitudes, and roles within social activities.

Agencies of Socialization

• Family and parents
• Peers and agemates
• Teachers
• Religion
• Literature and mass media

Merits of Socialization

• Transformation of a biological being into a social one.
• Discipline and personality development.
• Ability to enact various roles.
• Transmission of culture.
• Social order stability.

Demerits of Socialization

• Personality disorders
• Unsatisfactory self-image
• Antisocial and delinquent behaviors
• Mental illness and suicide

Advantages of Socialization

• Individual's integration into group life and connection to society.
• Promotes social responsibility and avoidance of harmful actions.
• Fosters productive behavior.
• Enhances understanding of society's significance.
• Minimizes social distance between individuals.

Individualization

• Process of becoming distinct from others.
• Involves self-discovery and developing a sense of internal responsibility.
• Social process that increases an individual's independence and self-awareness

Community Nutrition

• Focuses on people, policy, and programs.
• People are the ones who benefit from community nutrition programs.
• Policy guides government and organization action to address issues through laws, regulations, and programs.
• Programs are the tools used to achieve changes in nutritional status that improve health.

Importance of Public Health Nutrition

• Adequate nutrition for all is a primary goal, impacting health throughout the lifespan.
• Dietary factors are associated with five of the top ten leading causes of death.
• Maternal and child nutrition sets the foundation for life.
• Vulnerable subgroups are at high risk for nutritional problems, making addressing their needs a priority.
• Behavior change is challenging because of factors like culture, economics, food availability, and health status, all impacting nutritional decisions.

Nutrient

• A nutrient is a component in food that an organism utilizes for survival and growth.