Anthropological

Foundations
of Education

Reporter:
Aivy L. Careso
MAEd 201
Anthropological Foundations

1 Anthropology
Anthropology

2 Divisions of Anthropology

3 Culture

4 Language and Writing

5 Religion
Religion
What is Anthropology?

• Anthropology was derived from the Greek

word anthrope meaning man and logy
meaning science.
• Literal meaning of anthropology then is
science of man.
• It is the study of mankind.
• Dictionary defines anthropology as the
science that treats the origin, development,
and especially the cultural development,
customs, beliefs, etc. of man
What is Anthropology?

• Herskovitz defines anthropology

as “the science of man and his works.”
• According to Jacobs and Stern,
anthropology is the scientific study of
physical, social and cultural
development and behavior of human
beings since their appearance on earth.
Man is a unique animal kingdom because:

He has more
He uses his complex
He walks erect
hands for brain
handling
Man is a unique animal kingdom because:

• He is also unique in the field of behavior for

the following reasons:
 He is rational
 He makes tools and other material artifacts.
 He has complex techniques for getting and
preparing food.
 He has social and political organization
 He has a system of religious beliefs and rituals
 He communicates by means of language.
 Divisions of Anthropology
Anthropology may be classified as
physical and cultural.
PHYSICAL- deals with the study of man
as product of the evolutionary
process. It is concerned with man’s
bodily structures.
CULTURAL- deals with man’s behavior
and with the ways human beings carry
out the activities of daily living.
 Sub-divisions of Cultural Anthropology

1. ARCHEOLOGY
• Deals with ancient cultures and past phases of modern
civilization based on documents, paintings, stone carvings,
etc.
Eras Established by Archeology:
• Archezoic-when primitive forms of life appeared.
• Protozoic-when early life forms increased.
• Paleozoic-when fish, amphibians and other amphibians appeared.
• Mesozoic-when huge reptiles predominated.
• Cenozoic-when more advanced forms of animals appeared
 Sub-divisions of Cultural Anthropology

Cenozoic Era:
• Tertiary or age of Mammals
 Paleocene epoch, 11 million years ago
 Eocene epoch, 16 million years ago
 Oligocene epoch, 12 million years ago
 Miocene epoch, 14 million years ago
 Pliocene epoch, 9 million years ago

• Quartenary Period
 Pleistocene period
 Holocene period
 Sub-divisions of Cultural Anthropology

2. ETHNOLOGY
• Deals with the sub-divisions of mankind,
their origins, practices, relations,
speech, institutions, etc.
 Sub-divisions of Cultural Anthropology

3. LINGUISTICS
• this concerns man’s language and his manner
of communication.

Two Sub-divisions of Linguistics

a. Descriptive linguistics
b. Comparative or Historical Linguistics
 Culture

• The sum total of what man has learned in

living together
• Shared products of human learning
• A social heritage, transmitted and shared
from generation to another
• A complex whole which includes knowledge,
beliefs, art, law, morals, customs and any
other capabilities and habits acquired by man
as a member of society.
 Classification of Culture

A. According to Dynamism
1. Static
2. Dynamic
B. According to Stability
3. Stable Culture
4. Unstable Culture
C. According to Form or Component
5. Material Culture
6. Non-material Culture
 Characteristics of Culture

• More complex than those of animals

• May be considered as a “regional
phenomenon”
• Persistent in being transmitted from
generation to generation
• May be imposed or voluntarily barrowed
• Manifested by action
• Continuously changes because of innovation
• “symbolic”
• May be considered as a “historical
phenomenon”
• Have a function
• Behaviors are patterned
• Patterns tend to be integrated
• Well-defined, homogeneous and stable
 Functions of Culture

1. Means of social control.

2. Means of communication.
3. Establishments of ethical standards.
4. Anticipation of reactions.
5. Provision of education.
6. Development of personality.
7. Development of character.
 Language and Writing

Language
• A vocal symbolism of speech with its related
bodily gestures and mechanical signals which
give precision and finesse to communication.
• A way of speaking, distinct every culture.
• A system of arbitrary vocal symbols by which
members of a social group cooperate and
interact.
 Characteristics of Language

1. Age
2. How language came to be
3. A part of culture
4. Growth and development
5. Symbolism
6. Elements
 Elements of Language

1. Phonology (phonemic or phonetic)

2. Grammar (morphology)
3. Vocabulary (lexicon)
 Functions of Language

1. Communication
2. Enculturation
3. Promotion of Nationalism
4. Promotion of Cooperation
5. Promotion of Peace
6. Accumulation of Knowledge
 Mechanical Aids in Oral Communication

1. Telephone
2. Radio
3. Television
4. Video Tape Recording
5. Motion Picture
6. Sound System
 Writing

• A set of techniques for the graphic

representation of speech
• Round-about speech or mechanical gestures;
a series of graphic symbols which hold on
and store information more or less
permanently according to the medium, apart
from the individuals who are in the
communication.
 Stages in the Development of Writing

1. Picture Writing
 Stages in the Development of Writing

2. Hieroglyphics
 Stages in the Development of Writing

3. Cuneiform
 Stages in the Development of Writing

4. Logographic Writing

Logograms Chinese Writing

 Stages in the Development of Writing

5. Ideographic Writing
 Stages in the Development of Writing

6. Phonetic Writing
 Stages in the Development of Writing

7. Alphabetic Writing
 Mechanical Aids to Writing

1. Typewriter
2. Telegraph
3. Printing Press
4. Photocopying Machine
5. Computer
 Functions and Importance of Writing

1. Long distance communication

2. Recording and preservation of information
materials
3. Mass production of information materials
4. Facilitation of learning
 Relation Between Language and Writing

• They are related but not identical

• Writing is a tool or instrument of language
• Language can exist without writing but
writing can’t exist without language
 Religion

• Is the relationship between a human being

and a Supreme Being
• A kind of human behavior which can be
classified as belief and ritual concerned with
supernatural beings, powers and forces
 Characteristics of Religion

1. Belief in the supernatural

2. An influence on human behavior
3. An explanation for what is unexpected
 Instruments of Religion

1. Ritual
2. Ceremony
3. Taboos
 Religious Leaders or Officials

• Catholic – Pope, cardinals, archbishops,

bishops and priests.
• Protestants – bishops, superintendents,
ministers or pastors.
• Tibet – Dalai Lama
• Buddhism - monks
Classification of Religions According to the
Number of Gods Worship

1. Monotheistic
2. Polytheistic
3. Animistic
 Varieties of Religion

• Islam-Mohammedan
• Buddhism
• Confucianism
• Hinduism
• Zoroastrianism
• Jewish
• Shintoism
• Animism
 Functions, Uses, and Roles of Religion

1. Religion serves as a means of social control

2. Religion exerts a great influence upon
personality development
3. Religion allays fear of the unknown
4. Religion supplies the explanation to events
or situations which are beyond the
comprehension of man
5. Religion gives man comfort, strength and
hope in times of crisis and despair.
6. Religion preserves and transmits knowledge,
skills, spiritual, and cultural values and
practices
7. Religion serves as an instrument of change
8. Religion promotes closeness, love,
cooperation, friendliness and helpfulness
9. Religion alleviates sufferings from major
calamities
10. Religion provides hope for a blissful life
after death.
Thank You For
Listening !!!