Module In Culture 2

Introduction:

Specific Objectives

1. Gain understanding of the meaning of culture, its characteristics and component.

2. Explain the function of culture, and the process of cultural transmission.

3. Develop the value of cultural toleration, respect, and acceptance of other people’s culture

through understanding of cultural relativism and multiculturalism.

Duration:

Lesson Proper:

Topic 1. What is Culture?

Culture is a very complicated and intricate term. It is Edward taylor, an anthropologist defined it
as a “complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other
capabilities and habits acquired by human person as a member of society. In short, everything acquired
by a person through interaction. But culture is not only acquired. People have their own beliefs and
practices and share or influence other people to acquire it. For examples, the Koreans are very famous
now because of their K-drama and fashion. Because of this, they were able to influence other people as
the Filipinos to practice parts of their culture. Some Filipinos are using chopsticks when they eat in
Korean or Japanese restaurants.

Look at the pictures below. These are examples of Filipino culture. In the left side is the
traditional “bayanihan”. It is an example of how Filipinos help each other in times of need. In the right
side is one of Filipino festivals. Festivals are held in connection to our religious belief.

In both pictures, the physical aspects of culture called material culture and the non-phyical
aspect called non-material culture are shown.
Material culture refers to the physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their
culture. Examples of material culture are homes, schools, churches, and other buildings, tools like plow
and arrow, or the modern technologies in planting as tractors, harvesters, means of production like
factories, stores, warehouses, storage facilities, means of transportation as trains, ships, airplanes,
bridges, and many more. Other examples of material culture are clothing, jewelries, and appliances.

The picture shown above illustrates Filipino non-material culture. The boy is shown kissing the hand of
his mother or grandmother. Kissing the hand of an elder is a sign of respect, one of the Filipino values.
The picture also illustrates closeness of Filipino families. They are shown here enjoying each other’s
company.

Non-material culture refers to the non-physical ideas that people have about their culture. It
includes beliefs, values, norms, morals, languages, organizations and institutions. Religion is consists of a
set of ideas and beliefs about God, worship, morals and ethics. These beliefs determine how they
respond to religious topics, issues and situations.

There are five important processes considered by sociologists important in non-material culture.
These are:

1. Symbols are anything that represent, express, and stand for an event, situation or ideas. Some
symbols are material culture like flag which symbolizes freedom or independence or the country it
represents. Other examples are jewelries, throne, cars and others. Some symbols are types of non-
verbal communication. Examples of these are shaking of hands with other person, smiling, bowing,
thumbs up and others. The thumbs up mean something good or victory, while shaking hands, smiling,
and bowing are gestures of friendship. Glaring or making faces convey disapproval or negative emotions.

2. Language is another element present in every culture. Language is a system of words and
symbols used to communicate with other people. It includes body language, slang and common phrases.
Slang is not used in formal communication because it is a “street word”. Eye contact mean different
things to different cultures. In Filipino culture, eye contact is preferred because it conveys that the
person is paying attention. In other cultures, eye contact is rude.

3. Values are defined by culture for its standards for good or bad, correct or wrong, appropriate
or inappropriate. Values are shared by members of the society. Values are therefore general beliefs in
what we deem to be right or wrong in our society. There are universal values as peace, justice and
equality. Examples of Filipino values are respect to the elders, hospitality, closeness of family members,

4. Norms are culturally defined expectations of behavior. Norms are guidelines people use to
determine how people behave in any given situation and what are considered as inappropriate
behavior. Sociologists describe norms as informal understandings that govern individuals. Norms are
classified as folkways and mores. Mores refers to ”what ought to be or what ought not to be”. Violation
of mores is threat to social order, hence, it entails punishment. Punishment may be both formal or
informal. Some mores become laws as traffic laws, criminal laws and others.

4. 1. Folkways and customs are the simple customary laws of the people. It is the normal and
habitual action of the people within a culture. Folkways and custom are the recognized or accepted
ways of behavior. These are behavior pattern which a person uses generally in his/her daily life.
Folkways and customs are considered less important but still influence how we behave. An example of
this is the table manner.

4.2. Rituals are significant portions of norms. Different cultures also have different rituals , or
established procedures and ceremonies that often mark transitions in the life course .Rituals reflect and
transmit a culture’s norms and other elements from one generation to the next. Examples of ritual are
initiation and commencement ceremonies. In rural Philippines, circumcision is a pre-adolescent rite of
passage performed on small groups,

5. Artifacts is another element of culture or material objects,that constitute a society’s material

culture. In the simplest societies, artifacts are largely limited to a few tools. In an industrial society that
we have now, wireless technology is a way of life.

Basic Characteristics of Culture

1. Culture is learned. People learn it from socialization with their family, classmates, peer group,
institutions like schools, church, media and other people in society. The process of learning culture is
called enculturation. The way we eat, sleep or do things are learned from our family. Values are also
learned from our parents which they taught us directly or indirectly. When the goes to school, he/she is
influenced by teachers and playmates. Later on, by the church, media and other people in his/her
society.

2. Culture is shared. Culture is shared by members of a particular society. We expect people

from the same culture to share their culture with one another. For example, we expect Ilocanos to
prefer Ilocanos dishes as pinakbet, the Bisayan to . Due to interaction with other culture, these
are also appreciated by other cultures like the Tagalogs. Today, the K-pop culture of the Koreans are well
loved by other cultures including the Filipinos. This is due to internet connectivity which is responsible
for fast diffusion of culture.
 3. Culture is integrated or holistic. All aspects of culture are related to one another. To
understand a culture is to understand the whole culture. This is the reason why social scientists
specifically the anthropologists live with the people for a longer time. For example, respect to elders ,
the value of utang na loob are interrelated. There is a saying in Filipino, “ Ang hindi marunong lumingon
sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan”. The saying or “kasabihan” reinforces the
values of “utang” na loob and closeness to family members.

4. Culture is dynamic. Culture changes due to social interaction of people. The fast pace of
change is brought by globalization and internet connection. Migration and tourism policies are now
relaxed that made more social interaction possible. Global Pinoy is a new term coined to describe
Filipinos who are in abroad who adopted some cultural practices of other culture.

Topic 3: Cultural relativism and Ethnocentricism behavior based

Culturalism relativism, all cultures must be understood in terms of their own values and beliefs,
not by the standards of another. No culture is better than any other and cultures can only be judged on
whether they are meeting the needs of their own people.

Ethnocentricism, is when one views their own culture as the best and only proper way to
behave and adapt. This leads to meaning incorrect assumptions about other’s behavior based on our
norms, values, and beliefs. Laughing or making negative remarks about other people’s culture is a sign of
ethnocentricism. People have biases against other people’s culture based on their own culture.

Reference:

Ebia, Erlito Vegerano & Nigel Lobos Cornelio. Society and Culture. Mla: Mindshapers Co. Inc., 2016.