Module 3- CULTURE as Anthropological and Sociological Concept

CULTURE
Have you ever seen a stereotype drama series or a Filipino movie wherein a rich kontrabida or
the antagonist describes the poor protagonist as uncultured or lacking in breeding or due to the
latter’s way of behaving or speaking? Most often, knowledge in the classical arts, music,
painting, and proper etiquette is the only yardstick of some people in defining what being
cultured is. Unfortunately, it is a misconception and shallow understanding of the word “culture.”
Sociologist and anthropologists view culture in a different light. For them, every person is
cultured. Culture is considered as a “blueprint for living, a pattern to follow” (Brinkerhoff and
White, 1988, in Javier et al., 2002, p.85). In order to better understand the concept of culture
from sociological and anthropological standpoint, this lesson aims to:

 Describe culture as a complex whole;

 Identify aspects of culture; and
 Raise questions towards a holistic appreciation of cultures.

“Culture makes people understand each other better. And if they understand each other better
in their soul, it is easier to overcome economic and political barriers. But first they must
understand that their neighbor is, in the end, just like them, with the same problems, the same
questions.”- Paulo Coelho

Formative Assessment:
PARADE of CULTURES
Divide the class per region/ province

As you go through with this unit, concepts related to society and culture will be explained

further. So, happy reading and learning😊

In this Unit, these are the topics to be discussed:

- The Concept of Culture- Anthropological and Sociological Perspective
- Characteristics of Culture
- Component of Culture
- Perspectives of Culture

Notes are included in this section for your perusal😊

THE CONCEPT of CULTURE
Anthropological Perspective Sociological Perspective
-According to English - Culture provides meaning and
anthropologist Edward B. Taylor, order using symbols, whereby
culture is a “complex whole which certain things designated as
includes knowledge, beliefs, law, cultural objects are endowed with
art, morals customs, and other significance over and above their
capabilities and habits acquired material utility.
by man as a member of the - Similarly, Allan Johnson (1996)
society” refers to culture as the sum of
- “Culture is the expression of our symbols, ideas, forms of
nature in our modes of living and expressions and material products
our thinking; intercourse in our associated with a social system. It
literature, in religion, in recreation, is a “dynamic medium through
and enjoyment (Maclver, 1931) which societies create a collective
- According to E.A. Hoebel, “Culture way of life reflected in such things
is the sum total of integrated as beliefs, values, music,
learned behavior patterns which literature, art, dance, science,
are characteristics of the members religious ritual and technology.”
of biological inheritance.” (1958). - Culture is a collective heritage
- Malinowski (1944) defines culture learned by individuals and passed
as the handiwork of man and the from one generation to another.
medium through which he The individual receives culture as
achieves his ends. part of social heritage and in turn,
- According to H.T. Mazumadar may reshape the culture and
(1966), “culture is the sum total of introduce changes, which then
human achievements, material as become part of the heritage of
well as non-material, capable of succeeding generations.
transmission, sociologically, i.e., - According to Joseph H. Fichter, “a
by tradition and communication as person may escape society for a
well as horizontally.” In these while but he can never escape
excerpts, we can surmise that culture.”
anthropologists see culture as
historically transmitted practices or
material objects that determine
how people should live.
TYPES OF CULTURE:
A.) Material culture
- Includes physical objects or artifacts, things that human beings create by altering the -natural
environment.
- Important part or product of any behavior system of man
- Refers to the concrete and tangible things that man creates and uses
- Anthropologists are interested / deal with this kind of culture

B.) Non-material culture

- Consists of words people use, the habits they follow, the ideas, customs, behavior, of any
society profess and to which they strive to conform
- It is the meaning and substance inherent in culture
- Sociologists deal with this kind of culture

CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE:
1. Culture is social because it is the product of behavior
- No man can acquire culture without association with others. Culture learnings are the
products of behavior. As people behave, there occur changes in them. They acquire
the ability to swim, to feel hatred towards someone, or to sympathize with someone.
The experiences of other people are impressed on a person as he or she grows up.
Also, many of people’s traits and abilities have grown out their own past behaviors.
2. Culture varies from society to society
- The culture of every society is unique to itself. Cultures are not uniform. Cultural
elements like customs, traditions, morals, values, and beliefs are not uniform. Culture
varies from time to time as well. These variations in cultural manifestations are
explained by the fact that culture is a human product. Culture is a creation of society
in interaction and depends for its existence upon the continuance of society. In a
strict sense, therefore, culture does not ‘do’ anything on its own. It does not cause
the individual to act in a particular way, nor does ‘make’ the normal individual into a
maladjusted one.
3. Culture is shared
- Culture is not something that an individual alone can possess. Culture, is a
sociological sense, is shared. For example, customs, traditions, beliefs, values,
morals, etc. are all shared by people of a group of society. The patterns of learned
behavior and the results of behavior are possessed not by one or a few persons, but
usually by a large group.
4. Culture is learned
- Culture is not inborn. It is learned. Culture is often called “learned ways of behavior.”
Unlearned behavior is not culture. But shaking hands, saying thanks, etc. are cultural
behavior. The definition of culture indicates that the learned behavior of people is
patterned. Each person’s behavior often depends upon some behavior of someone
else. The point is that, as a rule, behavior is somewhat integrated or organized with
the related behavior of other persons.
5. Culture is transmitted among members of society
- The cultural ways are learned by persons from persons. Many of them are “handed
down” by elders, parents, teachers, and others (of a somewhat older generation),
while other cultural behaviors are “handed up” to elders. Some of the transmission of
culture is among contemporaries, for example, the styles of dressing, political views,
and the use of recent labor- saving devices. Transmission of culture is made
possible by language. Language is the main vehicle of culture. Language in different
forms makes it possible for the present generation to understand the achievement of
earlier generations. Transmission of culture may take place by imitation as well as by
instruction.
6. Culture is continuous and cumulative
- Culture exists as a continuous process. In its historical growth it tends to become
cumulative. Sociologist Linton called culture ‘the social heritage of man’. It becomes
 difficult for us to imagine what society would be like without culture. There is one
fundamental and inescapable attribute (special quality0 of culture: the fact of
unending change. Some societies sometimes change slowly, and hence in
comparison to other societies seem not to be changing at all. But they are changing,
even though not obviously so. No culture ever remains constant or changeless. It is
subject to slow but constant change. Culture is responsive to the changing conditions
of the physical world hence it is dynamic.
7. Culture is gratifying and realistic
- Culture provides proper opportunities for the satisfaction of our needs and desires.
Our needs both biological and social are fulfilled in cultural ways. Culture determines
and guides various activities of man. Thus, culture is defined as the process through
which human satisfy their wants.

 COMPONENTS OF CULTURE
-Culture affords a kind of map. It provides a pattern of dos and don’ts. If we know a people’s
culture, we can understand and predict their behavior.

1. NORMS
-To live with others in a group, we must share understandings that tell us which actions are
permissible and which are not.
- These shared understandings give our life order and allow us to determine what we can do
and what we cannot do
- Social rules that specify appropriate from inappropriate behavior
- Shared rules that specify which is right or wrong
- Indicate standards or propriety, morality, legality and ethics of a society that are covered by
sanctions when violations are made
 Sanctions
- A system of reward and punishment
- Rewards- positive sanctions for those who behave properly
- Punishments- negative sanctions for those who behave improperly

1.a Folkways
- General customary or habitual ways and patterns of doing things which do not have moral and
ethical significance
- Commonly known as the customs, traditions of a society. Expected behavior within the society
- People who violate folkways are often called “eccentric” “weird” but as a rule, they are being
tolerated

1.b Mores
- Norm people consider vital to their well-being
- Special customs with moral and ethical significance
- These are coercive or compulsory due to their strong moral and legal sanctions
- People who violate mores are labeled “deviants” and may also be ostracized, punished or
imprisoned
- Positive- behavior which must and ought to be done because they are morally good
- Negative/ Taboos- social prohibitions on certain acts which must not be done because they
are illegal and immoral (cannibalism, incest, witchcraft)
1.c Laws
- Formalized norms enacted by people vested with legitimate authority
- People who violated laws are called “criminals”

2. VALUES
- Values are the expressions of the ultimate ends, goals, or purposes of social action
- General in nature. They are standards for determining whether something is good, correct and
desirable

 Theories on the Origin of Values

1. Inner Man or Mentalistic Theory of Values
- All of what we call good or bad do not exist as good or bad per se. They are our own
constructions and a product of everyone’s wants, needs and desires
2. Outer Man or Behavioral Theory of Values
- Values come from personal experience
- You are punished or rewarded for things you did
3. Labeling Theory
- Things, ideas, events are neither good nor bad. It is society which labels them as either good
or bad. If society comes to an agreement that something is good, then it becomes good

 According to Panopio
1. Rationalism vs. Non-Rationalism
- Rationalism- involves a belief that by systematic planning, studying and training, one can
actively control and manipulate his or her own destiny; One is thus responsible for his or her
own success or failure.
- Non-Rationalism- revolves around the idea that man has to adapt himself to nature; involves
acceptance, reverence and protection of traditions
- Philippine Setting- Filipinos are still fundamentally non-rational. They still view the world as
one over which they have little or no control which is revealed in the expression “Bahala Na.”
This fatalistic outlook rests on the strong dependence on the “spirits” or “divine being” or “fate”
as these will take care of everything for everybody

2. Personalism vs. Impersonalism

- Personalism- attaches major importance to personal factor which guarantees intimacy,
warmth and security of kinship and friendship in getting things done
- Impersonalism- refers to the tendency to eliminate the influence of kinship or friendship in
working situations
- Philippine Setting- Filipinos are personalistic due to “utang na loob.” This is evident in the
frequent charges of nepotism, favoritism, “backer.”

3. Particularism vs. Universalism

- Particularism- where a person’s concern is centered on sub-groups made up of relatives,
friends, associates, or members of his or her own ethnic group to which she belongs
- Universalism- where one’s concern is the advancement of the collective or national good
- Philippine Setting- Filipinos are particular and regionalist and generally think of themselves
first and above all as Bicolano, Tagalog and only secondarily as Filipino
 Jaime Bulatao identified four basic Filipino values namely: (1) emotional closeness and
security in a family, (2) approval from authority and of society, (3) economic and social
betterment, (4) patience, endurance, and suffering. Filipino values are, for the most part,
centered at maintaining social harmony, motivated primarily by the desire to be accepted
within a group. The main section against diverging from these values are the concepts of
hiya, roughly translated as “a sense of shame”, and amor propio or “self- esteem”. Social
approval, acceptance by a group, and belonging to a group are major concerns. Caring
about what others think, say, or do are strong influences on social behavior among
Filipinos.
3. GESTURES
- Movement of the body that expresses or emphasizes an idea, sentiment, or attitude
- Movements of the body to communicate with others
- Are there Universal Gestures?
: Some anthropologists claim that there are no universal gestures
: But cultural anthropologists believe that there are universal gestures such as the expression of
fear, sadness, and anger

4. SYMBOLS and LANGUAGE

- Symbols- object, gestures, sound, color or design that represent something
- Language- most important symbol of all are found in language
- Socially- structured system of sound patterns with specific and arbitrary meanings
- Chief vehicle by which people communicate ideas, information, attitudes, and emotions to one
another
- Principal means by which human beings transmit culture

 Effects of Language
1. Language allows human experience to be cumulative
2. Language provides a social or shared past
3. Language provides a social or shared future
4. Language allows shared perspectives- we are exchanging ideas about events
5. Language allows shared, goal-directed behavior

 SUBCULTURES
- As the society become more complex and industrialized, there arises smaller groups which
develop norms, values, beliefs and special languages which make them distinct from the
dominant culture. While these subcultures have distinct cultural specialties unique to them, they
still follow the dominant values and norms of the society.
- Also known as a small culture within a culture
- Grouping of people having similar traits or characteristics

 COUNTERCULTURES
- These are subcultures which adhere to standards that come in conflict with the norms within a
society. Many of their norms and values contradict those of the dominant culture
- Their behavior is called deviant. What they do and what they believed in are not shared by the
majority members of the society
- Rejects many of the norms, values of the dominant culture
- E.g: Drug addicts, gangsters, prostitutes

Read this Interesting Article:

“2-D: A new subculture and a different kind of love”

“I’ve experienced so many amazing things because of her. She has really changed my life” –
Nisan
Nisan, a 37-year-old man who lives in Tokyo, has strong feeling for his girlfriend, Nemu,
and loves dating her. Nemu is on the shy side, though, and in restaurants, she sits quietly on
the chair next to Nisan. When they ride in his Toyota, she sits silently in the passenger’s seat.
Never once has Nemu uttered even a single word.
The silence hasn’t stopped Nisan from spending his vacations with Nemu. They have traveled
hundreds of miles to Kyoto and Osaka. This has been a little hard on Nisan’s budget, but Nemu
seems to enjoy the travel. To save money while vacationing, they sleep together in the car.
Sometimes they crash on friend’s couches. (Katayama, 2009)
Nisan isn’t joking. He is serious about his feelings that he has for Nemu, a videogame character.
And so are the other Japanese men who belong to the 2-D subculture. Some of these men have
never been able to attract real women. Others have been disappointed in real-life love. For
them, cartoon and video characters take on a lifelike reality. To Westerners, the 2-D subculture
stimulates haunting thoughts. But the Japanese seem to see matters differently. A Japanese
author who has written widely on the 2-D subculture- and is himself a member of it- stresses
that his subculture exists because romance has become a commodity. The mass media glorify
good looks and money, he says, which denies romance to many men. Some of these men train
their minds to experience romantic love when they look at a cartoon. As one man put it, the
pillow covers represent “cute girls who live in my imagination.”
Sociologically, we might point out that in Japan, the sexes don’t mix easily as they don in the
West. About half of Japanese adults, both men and women, have no friends of the opposite sex.
The 2-D subculture is growing. Tokyo has shops that feature 2-D products such as body pillows
and dolls form men. In some Tokyo restaurant, the waitresses dress up like video game
characters. There is even an island that specializes in honeymoon for men who have fallen in
love with their cartoon cuties. The men check into the hotel, pay for a room for two, and
immerse themselves in their virtual relationships, controlled through their hand-held devices.
The local businesses, which sell special meals with heart-shaped dishes and cakes that the
lovers give their cartoon characters, are pleased with their visitors- the flesh-and-blood ones
who pay the bills.
(Why do you think this subculture exist? Do you think that 2-D will thrive as a subculture here?
Why or why not?)
**Take note, all of what was discussed formed part of “Non-material Culture.” We also
have Material Culture to talk about**

Central to a society’s material culture is “Technology”

 TECHNOLOGY
- In its simplest sense, it refers to tools; in its broadest sense, it includes the skills or procedures
to make and use these tools
- “New Technologies” refer to the emerging technologies that have a major impact on human life
during a particular era.
- People however develop “Minor Technologies” every time, or the slight modifications of
existing technologies
- Technology sets a framework for a group’s nonmaterial culture

 Cultural Lag
- William Ogburn first used this term to refer to situations in which not all parts of a culture
change at the same pace. When some parts of culture changes, other parts lag behind
- A group’s material culture usually changes first, with the nonmaterial culture lagging behind.

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON CULTURE:

PERSPECTIVE - a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view
1. Culture Shock
- The feeling of disbelief, disorganization, and frustration one experiences when he
encounters cultural patterns or practices which is different from which he/she is
accustomed to.
- It is brought about by unfamiliarity, lack of understanding and inability to
communicate.
2. Ethnocentrism
- coined by William Graham Sumner
- The tendency to regard one’s culture as the best and better than those of others.
- The belief that one’s group is at the center of everything and all others are scaled
and rated with reference to it
- It is produced by training and socialization.
3. Noble savage mentality
- It refers to the evaluation of one’s culture and that of others based on the romantic
notion that the culture and way of life of the primitives is better, more acceptable, and
more orderly.
4. Xenocentrism
- This happens when people reject their own group or some part of their culture
- Reverse of ethnocentrism- It is the belief that one's ethnic group is superior to
another.
- Centered on a product, idea, or lifestyle
5. Cultural Relativism
- Culture is relative and no cultural practice is good or bad in itself
- An alternative perspective to ethnocentrism
- There is no single standard to evaluate a particular cultural trait. It should be judged
within its cultural context.
 6. Culture Universals
- Features and elements common to all culture
- Are accounted for by people’s biological similarities, psychic unity, dependence on
group life, individuality, and the limited possibilities within one’s physical and social
environment
- Necessary for the existence of a given society
- Ex. Language, norms, laws in family relationships, government, educational
institutions
7. Subculture
- this refers to smaller groups which develops norms, values, beliefs, and special
languages which makes them distinct from the broader society.
8. Counterculture or contra culture
- it refers to subgroups whose standards come in conflict with and oppose the
conventional standards of dominant culture.

CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS
- It is the ability to learn from and relate respectfully with people of your own culture as
well as those from other cultures.
- It includes adjusting your own and your organization’s behaviors based on what you
learn.
- It is not something you master once and then forget…
- It is not about trying to change others to be more like you. It is about cultivating an
open attitude and new skills in yourself.
- It involves exploring and honoring your own culture, while at the same time learning
about and honoring other people’s cultures.

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
- The ability to be open to learning about and accepting of different cultural groups.

Provided here my dear students are some notes that may help you understand more deeper
and clearer our topic for this unit.
The first note talks further about the Three Perspectives explaining a deeper understanding of
our society
The Sociological Perspectives
Sociologists analyze social phenomena at different levels and from different perspectives. From
concrete interpretations to sweeping generalizations of society and social behavior, sociologists’
study everything from specific events (the micro level of analysis of small social patterns) to the
“big picture” (the macro level of analysis of large social patterns). The pioneering European
sociologists, however, also offered a broad conceptualization of the fundamentals of society and
its workings. Their views form the basis for today's theoretical perspectives, or paradigms, which
provide sociologists with an orienting framework—a philosophical position—for asking certain
kinds of questions about society and its people. Sociologists today employ three primary
theoretical perspectives: the symbolic interactionist perspective, the functionalist perspective,
and the conflict perspective. These perspectives offer sociologists theoretical paradigms for
explaining how society influences people, and vice versa. Each perspective uniquely
conceptualizes society, social forces, and human behavior (see Table 1).

The symbolic interactionist perspective

The symbolic interactionist perspective, also known as symbolic interactionism, directs
sociologists to consider the symbols and details of everyday life, what these symbols mean, and
how people interact with each other. Although symbolic interactionism traces its origins to Max
Weber's assertion that individuals act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their
world, the American philosopher George H. Mead (1863–1931) introduced this perspective to
American sociology in the 1920s.
According to the symbolic interactionist perspective, people attach meanings to symbols, and
then they act according to their subjective interpretation of these symbols. Verbal conversations,
in which spoken words serve as the predominant symbols, make this subjective interpretation
especially evident. The words have a certain meaning for the “sender,” and, during effective
communication, they hopefully have the same meaning for the “receiver.” In other terms, words
are not static “things”; they require intention and interpretation. Conversation is an interaction of
symbols between individuals who constantly interpret the world around them. Of course,
anything can serve as a symbol as long as it refers to something beyond itself. Written music
serves as an example. The black dots and lines become more than mere marks on the page;
they refer to notes organized in such a way as to make musical sense. Thus, symbolic
interactionists give serious thought to how people act, and then seek to determine what
meanings individuals assign to their own actions and symbols, as well as to those of others.
Consider applying symbolic interactionism to the American institution of marriage. Symbols may
include wedding bands, vows of life‐long commitment, a white bridal dress, a wedding cake, a
Church ceremony, and flowers and music. American society attaches general meanings to
these symbols, but individuals also maintain their own perceptions of what these and other
symbols mean. For example, one of the spouses may see their circular wedding rings as
symbolizing “never ending love,” while the other may see them as a mere financial expense.
Much faulty communication can result from differences in the perception of the same events and
symbols.
Critics claim that symbolic interactionism neglects the macro level of social interpretation—the
“big picture.” In other words, symbolic interactionists may miss the larger issues of society by
focusing too closely on the “trees” (for example, the size of the diamond in the wedding ring)
rather than the “forest” (for example, the quality of the marriage). The perspective also receives
criticism for slighting the influence of social forces and institutions on individual interactions.
The functionalist perspective
According to the functionalist perspective, also called functionalism, each aspect of society is
interdependent and contributes to society's functioning as a whole. The government, or state,
provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state
depends to keep itself running. That is, the family is dependent upon the school to help children
grow up to have good jobs so that they can raise and support their own families. In the process,
the children become law‐abiding, taxpaying citizens, who in turn support the state. If all goes
well, the parts of society produce order, stability, and productivity. If all does not go well, the
parts of society then must adapt to recapture a new order, stability, and productivity. For
example, during a financial recession with its high rates of unemployment and inflation, social
programs are trimmed or cut. Schools offer fewer programs. Families tighten their budgets. And
a new social order, stability, and productivity occur.
Functionalists believe that society is held together by social consensus, or cohesion, in which
members of the society agree upon, and work together to achieve, what is best for society as a
whole. Emile Durkheim suggested that social consensus takes one of two forms:
Mechanical solidarity is a form of social cohesion that arises when people in a society maintain
similar values and beliefs and engage in similar types of work. Mechanical solidarity most
commonly occurs in traditional, simple societies such as those in which everyone herds cattle or
farms. Amish society exemplifies mechanical solidarity.
In contrast, organic solidarity is a form of social cohesion that arises when the people in a
society are interdependent, but hold to varying values and beliefs and engage in varying types
of work. Organic solidarity most commonly occurs in industrialized, complex societies such
those in large American cities like New York in the 2000s.
The functionalist perspective achieved its greatest popularity among American sociologists in
the 1940s and 1950s. While European functionalists originally focused on explaining the inner
workings of social order, American functionalists focused on discovering the functions of human
behavior. Among these American functionalist sociologists is Robert Merton (b. 1910), who
divides human functions into two types: manifest functions are intentional and obvious, while
latent functions are unintentional and not obvious. The manifest function of attending a church
or synagogue, for instance, is to worship as part of a religious community, but its latent function
may be to help members learn to discern personal from institutional values. With common
sense, manifest functions become easily apparent. Yet this is not necessarily the case for latent
functions, which often demand a sociological approach to be revealed. A sociological approach
in functionalism is the consideration of the relationship between the functions of smaller parts
and the functions of the whole.
Functionalism has received criticism for neglecting the negative functions of an event such as
divorce. Critics also claim that the perspective justifies the status quo and complacency on the
part of society's members. Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in
changing their social environment, even when such change may benefit them. Instead,
functionalism sees active social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will
compensate naturally for any problems that may arise.
The conflict perspective
The conflict perspective, which originated primarily out of Karl Marx's writings on class
struggles, presents society in a different light than do the functionalist and symbolic
interactionist perspectives. While these latter perspectives focus on the positive aspects of
society that contribute to its stability, the conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted,
and ever‐changing nature of society. Unlike functionalists who defend the status quo, avoid
social change, and believe people cooperate to effect social order, conflict theorists challenge
the status quo, encourage social change (even when this means social revolution), and believe
rich and powerful people force social order on the poor and the weak. Conflict theorists, for
example, may interpret an “elite” board of regents raising tuition to pay for esoteric new
programs that raise the prestige of a local college as self‐serving rather than as beneficial for
students.
Whereas American sociologists in the 1940s and 1950s generally ignored the conflict
perspective in favor of the functionalist, the tumultuous 1960s saw American sociologists gain
considerable interest in conflict theory. They also expanded Marx's idea that the key conflict in
society was strictly economic. Today, conflict theorists find social conflict between any groups in
which the potential for inequality exists: racial, gender, religious, political, economic, and so on.
Conflict theorists note that unequal groups usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing
them to compete against one another. This constant competition between groups forms the
basis for the ever‐changing nature of society.
Critics of the conflict perspective point to its overly negative view of society. The theory
ultimately attributes humanitarian efforts, altruism, democracy, civil rights, and other positive
aspects of society to capitalistic designs to control the masses, not to inherent interests in
preserving society and social order.

Amazing Cultural Facts and Traditions Around the World

✓ In a country like GERMANY, you will see people knocking on their table rather than clapping
to applaud at the end of a master class or a really good meeting. In Beer-land clapping is
reserved for theater and concerts! And talking about beer, if you want to respect German
customs, don’t forget to clink glasses and say Prost! every single time you start a new
beverage. And make eye contact to your fellow toasters, otherwise it is said that you will suffer
bad sex relations for the next 7 years! Germans are quite organized people but there are times
when the reality really doesn’t match the expectation. Join a queue in a German supermarket
and see what happens when a new checkout opens. They rush to the new queue! If you are not
fast enough maybe you can spend more time than expected waiting in line

✓ Have you never noticed how people introduce themselves in SPAIN? Spaniards are well-
known for being loud and friendly. If you happen to visit Spain, don’t be surprised if a girl kisses
you twice - once on one cheek and once on the other cheek- to introduce herself. It’s the
Spanish way of saying “Hello!”

✓ Do you like cheese? If so, when you stay with a French host family make sure to spare some
space in your stomach for the dessert. In FRANCE people tend to enjoy a cheese tasting plate
accompanied by a good red wine after meals. Oh! And remember: if you are drinking a red wine
and want to change to white wine, please don’t pour it in the same glass without cleaning it
beforehand, if you don’t want to be the laughingstock of the party.

✓ Italians are very superstitious and for them, nuns and ambulances are associated with death.
So, if you plan to spend your holidays in ITALY and you bump into one of them, don’t hesitate
and bless yourself with the sign of the Cross… Just in case!

✓ Now a little further afield, in RUSSIA you will discover that you receive a light stamp if you
accidentally step on someone’s foot. Why? The first thought that will come to your mind is that
it’s due to revenge. Far from this, Russians do that to avoid future conflict with this person.

✓ In some ASIAN COUNTRIES such as China, Korea or Japan, a sign of approval and
appreciation of someone’s cooking is to slurp the soup loudly - what is considered rude in most
western countries. However, in JAPAN don’t blow your nose loudly! It is considered very rude.
So, if you need to clean your nose while you are in the Land of the Rising Sun, do it in privately
or turn your back to your companions before doing it. And remember, do it quietly if you want to
avoid offending anyone.

✓ If you are looking for a job in IRELAND, the UK or the US, remember not to add personal data
in you CV (date of birth, sex, marital status or even a profile picture!). Equal opportunity
legislation in these countries requires employers to recruit based on merit alone, and emitting
these data enables organizations to choose candidates fairly!
 These are some amazing cultural facts driven by external factors such as religion,
idiosyncrasy or even geography, which determine the way people behave. Because…to
sum up: we are all human beings, but our lifestyles are exceptionally diverse!
 How about you, can you share some of the cultures you have experienced or your own
culture that you find odd, bizarre, amazing or wonderful? Write down you story…
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Formative Assessment Complete the charts by providing what is being asked and by making
use of YOUR OWN WORDS.
A. Characteristics and Functions of Culture
Characteristics of Culture Why? And/ or How? Give example to illustrate the
explanation
Culture is social and product
of behavior.

Culture varies from society to

society.
Culture is shared.

Culture is learned.

Culture is transmitted among

members of society.

Culture is continuous and

cumulative

Culture is gratifying and

realistic

B. Perspectives of Culture
Different Perspective Give examples/ sharing or experiences to
illustrate the perspective
1. Culture Shock

2. Ethnocentrism

3. Noble Savage Mentality

4. Xenocentrism
5. Cultural Relativism

6. Cultural Universals

7. Subculture

8. Counter culture/ Contra culture