Theories of Sociocultural Anthropology

This theory believes that social order was considered a given, rather than something to be explained.

• Diffusionism

• Functionalism

• Neo-Functionalism

• Historical Particularism

This theory sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.

• Neo-Functionalism

• Functionalism

• Culture and Functionality

• Cultural Ecology

“The history of humanity and its socio-cultural systems have developed following unilineal path, from simple to complex.”

• Structuralism

• Functionalism

• Diffusionism

• Evolutionism

This theory is basically materialistic. It assumes that the systems of producing material goods influences and shapes society.

• Historical Particularism

• Cultural Materialism

• Marxist Anthropology

• Symbolic Anthropology

“The key factors in and determinants of socio-cultural evolution are the infrastructures that include technology, environment and material conditions.”

• Cultural Materialism

• Cultural Ecology

• Culture and Functionality

• Symbolic Anthropology

It is the study of culture through the interpretation of the meaning of symbols, values and beliefs in society.

• Ethnoscience

• Structuralism

• Cultural Ecology

• Symbolic Anthropology

This theory maintained that societal change occurs when societies borrow cultural traits from one another.

• Diffusionism

• Functionalism

• Evolutionism

• Structuralism

“The dynamic interrelationship between man and the material and cultural components of his environment”.

• Cultural Ecology

• Cultural Materialism

• Historical Particularism

• Ethnoscience

“The Various patterned aspects of culture shape the personality of individuals within a given society, and also personality once developed could in turn affect the further development of culture.”

• Cultural Ecology

• Culture and Functionality

• Neo-Functionalism

• Functionalism

This theory believes that each society has its own particular historical development.

• Historical Particularism

• Symbolic Anthropology

• Marxist Anthropology

• Cultural Materialism