SHS_11

Module in

Understanding
Culture, Society and
Politics
Quarter 1 _WEEK 3-4
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you understand
culture, society, and politics. The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different
learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of the
students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course. But the
order in which you read them can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are now
using.

The module is intended for one lesson, namely:

• Lesson 1 – Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

The Most Essential Learning Competency is:

1. explain the importance of cultural relativism in attaining cultural understanding.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. explain the meaning of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism;
2. appreciate and recognize one’s own cultural identity;
3. reconcile the perspectives of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism;
4. analyze situations in the Philippines where cultural relativism must be practiced
through a Case Study; and;
5. observe manifestations of ethnocentrism in different societies by constructing a data
retrieval chart.

1
What I Know
Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on a separate sheet of paper.
1. It assumes that each society has a unique and different form of culture that
cannot be judged into one’s own culture.
A. Ethnocentric View C. Historical Particularism
B. Cultural Relativism D. Participant Observation
2. James Rachel made a critical position about accepting cultural relativism.
Which among the following is NOT part of his claims about this perspective?
A. Moral progress is always questionable.
B. Objective criticism of one’s own culture is shallow.
C. Moral progress is slow because of acceptance of other’s culture.
D. Rightfulness of an action within a society is primarily determined by the moral
standards of that society.
3. American President Donald Trump made a “Pocahontas” joke at a ceremony honoring
Navajo native veterans. If were a cultural relativist, what advice would you give to Donald
Trump? Tell him that
A. different societies have different moral codes.
B. there are no moral truths that always holds for all people.
C. the moral code of a society determines what is right or wrong within the
society.
D. All of the above.
4. What strategy are you using when you take into account another person’s thoughts, values,
background, and perspectives while you interact with him/her?
A. Common Courtesy
B. Empathy

5. According to Rachels, if cultural relativism is true, moral knowledge is

A. very easy to acquire
B. an incoherent notion.
C. impossible to acquire.
D. very difficult to acquire
6. The dominant belief that one's culture is superior to others is called
A. Assuming Similarity C. Ethnocentrism
B. Enculturation D. Stereotyping
7. Believing that eating balut is a disgusting and gross behavior is an example of
A. Agency C. Ethnocentrism
B. Cultural Relativism D. Xenocentrism
8. Which of the following explanations is one of the major reasons why people engage in acts
of ethnocentrism?
A. People participate in ethnocentric behavior to fit into a particular group.
B. Ethnocentric behavior comes out of a lack of understanding of other
cultures or a genuine fear of outsiders.
C. Workers participate in ethnocentric behavior because of a poor economy
and the need for a scapegoat.
D. Young people participate in ethnocentric behavior because they see
their friends participating in ethnocentric behavior and they want to be accepted.
2
C. Paraphrasing
D. Social Decentering
9. The concept of ethnocentrism poses critical issues and concerns until today.
How can you mitigate an ethnocentric behavior through cultural relativism?
A. Read articles authored by non-sociologists with narrow perspectives.
B. Participate in community programs recognizing only your community’s
culture.
C. Be understanding with other people even if their origin and culture are different
from yours.
D. Refuse invitations to participate in community outreach programs
catering to indigenous group of people.
10.Which of the following is FALSE regarding cultural relativism?
A. It is difficult or even impossible to force your own culture's rituals onto
another group.
B. When studying another culture, you must convert to its religious beliefs
to understand its customs.
C. Something that might be taboo in your own society might be perfectly
acceptable in another society.
D. People tend to be more tolerant of another culture's customs when they
learn the meaning behind them.

3
 Lesson
Ethnocentrism and Cultural
1 Relativism
You learned the concepts and theories in Sociology, Anthropology, and
Political Science in the previous module. These new understandings will
equip you to have a better perspective on our society especially in dealing
with cultural and societal issues.
The idea of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism challenges the
pillars of anthropology and sociology in terms of universality and common
awareness. In this module, you will learn that reconciling ethnocentrism and
cultural relativism requires rigorous analysis in decision-making and critical
thinking.

What’s In

Loop-A-Term!
To prove your understanding from the past lesson, you should be ready to accomplish
this task. You may do the following.
Directions:
1. The 10 words listed below are hidden inside the grid. These words can run on all
possible directions – horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
2. Locate the words and circle them as you find them.

SOCIETY MORES POWER LANGUAGE BELIEFS

MAN CULTURE LAWS POLITICS NORM

S N S C I T I L O P M S

E O D F C U L T U R E F

R R C D Q H A P A C H E

O M X I R E W O P C H I

M A N G E R S E S C J L

D R B N M T H O E G K E
S A G C M O Y R W J L B

K O L O E G A U G N A L

4
What’s New

Analyze the words and phrases listed inside the box as they will enable you to gain an
easier understanding and deeper appreciation of this lesson.

Cultural Relativism Ethnocentrism Filipino Identity

Ethnocentrism
Luis Jorge De Barbuda published a map in 1584 showing China as the center of the world.
Analyze the map and answer the guide questions in another sheet of paper.

Figure 1. A new description of China, once called the region of Sina, by Ludovicus
Georgius (Courtesy of Wikimedia. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CEM-
11-Chinae-nova-descriptio-2521.jpg

Think about this!

1. What can you say about the picture?
2. What does the map tell you about how the Chinese see themselves in relation to the
world?

5
What is It
The concept of Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism has
been a critical issue of morality in our society for a long period of
time. With the complexities of these topics, it is helpful to analyze
the points of view of experts regarding this concern.

Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is the view that one’s own cultural elements
such as norms, values, ideology, customs, and traditions are
dominant and superior to others (Brown, 2007).
William Graham Sumner (1906) coined the term ethnocentrism in his work Folkways
that served as the foundation in social analysis of every culture. According to his definition,
ethnocentrism is a technical name to see things in which one’s own cultural identity is the
center of everything over which all must be scaled, rated, and referred to. This perspective led
to conceited behavior and the belief of the superiority of one’s own group with great
prejudice to outsiders. While ethnocentrism takes universal stage, which propels cohesion
and continuity at all levels of social structure, it provides a rational explanation for attack
made on other culture or subculture in its extreme forms.
Sumner mentioned some characteristics of an individual with an ethnocentric view.
Ethnocentric persons -have a dominant cultural element which they see as superior
to other cultures;
view rigidly their own socio-economic, political, and cultural elements;
see their cultural elements as normal and acceptable to all;
consider in-group norms can be universalized;
discard out-group ethnicities and cultures;
believe that other cultures are inferior; and
look at other culture’s elements as inferior and unacceptable

It can be seen in Philippine society that ethnocentrism is still emerging. The sense of
identity seems to be a contributing reason for this. It goes deeper in our history that the
mixture of different cultures has created several identity marks
resulting in our diverse cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. Also, our indigenous
culture can be categorized as old, non-advanced technology with no sense of modernity. After
the primitive age, we begin to be the melting pot of Western and Oriental cultures resulting in
a shaky and complex identity attributed to us today. With this characteristic, it is very
difficult to blend this type of indigenous culture to the fast-changing society.

6
 Chin of (2016) made some observations on how to address this growing
concern on Filipino ethnocentrism.
1. Identify indigenous culture that truly reflects Filipino identity.
2. Eliminate foreign influences and stick to “home-grown" practices.
3. If we want to settle our identity, we must accept the good part of the foreign
influences that come to us.

Although colonization by the Spaniards, Americans, and Japanese has caused a shift
in several of our cultural, social, political, and economic policies, it made the Philippines a
single nation. Thus, the Philippines today stands strongly behind our acceptance of our
Filipino identity marked by our appreciation of foreign influences. Truly, it is difficult to do
away with these influences, because if we will totally disregard them, we will run the risk of
being left with nothing but purely our own native culture and tradition that may alienate us
from the globalized world. We need to acknowledge their part in the richness of the tapestry
that is the Filipino culture.

Cultural Relativism
Culture, just like a story, conveys different meanings and it can vary among the
people who created it. It poses a challenge to the idea that culture is the same for everyone.
Also, culture like a story has a life of its own. This notion rejects the concept of cultural
universality.
Cultural relativism refers to an
objective analysis of one’s own culture –
seeing and understanding of one’s beliefs and
traditions from his/her own point of view. It
also entails not to judge the practices of
others based on your own culture; hence,
respecting it in their own cultural context. For
example, you may find eating insects as an
unacceptable and a disgusting practice.
However, in Thailand, as well as parts of
Central
America like Mexico, it is considered a
delicacy. Instead of being prejudiced, one
can pose an interesting question like “Why do
some cultures eat fried insects?”

Figure 2. Roasted insects sold at open

9 market in Thailand (Courtesy of Wikimedia.

.
 According to James Rachels (2003), the following claims have all been
made by cultural relativists:
1. Each society has a diverse set of moral conducts.
2. The rightfulness of an action within a society is primarily determined
by the moral standards of that society.
3. There is no objective standard that can be used as a basis of
comparison among societies.
4. The moral code of our own society is just part of a larger body of
morality and ethical standards.
5. High tolerance among all culture must be exercised always.

However, in his critical analysis, he also posited some observations

and consequences of accepting cultural relativism.
1. It is difficult to determine if the custom of other societies is morally
inferior to others.
2. The decision whether actions are right or wrong can be done just by
consulting the standards of our society.
3. The idea of moral progress is always questionable.
4. The objective criticism of one’s own culture is shallow.
5. There will be no idea of moral progress because of acceptance of
other’s culture.

The aspect of mutual respect and

understanding must be observed.
T his is the first step towards a
deeper appreciation of one’s
c ulture. Tolerance and acceptance of
c ultural diversities within the
b ounds of our own moral and ethical
standard can be a way to
understand individual differences.

10
 What’s More

Activity 3.1 Article Analysis

We are exposed to several societies and cultures making us aware that their thinking
and valuing may be different from our own; therefore, cultural relativism makes it possible
for us to understand these concerns deeply.
Directions:
1. Read and analyze the article.
2. Answer the following guide questions on a separate sheet of paper.

CA affirms disciplinary proceedings vs students linked to UP hazing case

Published October 14, 2016 1:07am
The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed its decision allowing the
University of the Philippines (UP) to continue the administrative proceedings
against students suspected to have been involved in the fatal hazing of Cris
Anthony Mendez in 2007. Penned by Associate Justice Zenaida Galapate-
Laguilles, the CA 10th Division stood pat on its October 6, 2015 decision
reversing the ruling of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court that nullified the
proceedings of the UP Student Disciplinary Tribunal (UP SDT). The petitioners
include Ariel Paolo Ante, Marcelino Veloso III, Keefee de la Cruz, and Armand
Lorenze Sapital, who are part of the 13 members of the Sigma Rho Fraternity
accused of participating in the violent initiation rites that took the life of
Mendez, a senior public administration student. In their appeal, the petitioners
reiterated that Section 1, Rule II, of the Rules Governing Fraternities relating to
the filing of charges is similar to existing rules on preliminary investigation in
criminal cases. They said deviating from the provision is a violation of due
process.
The petitioners also criticized the preliminary inquiries since it was
allegedly conducted by the University Prosecutor instead of a member of the
UP-SDT as stated in the Rules Governing Fraternities. The CA said the case
was administrative in nature, thus "it is not subject to the rigorous
requirements of criminal due process." “The preliminary inquiry and the formal
charges herein are but components of the investigative and disciplinary action
an academic university is mandated to take against its students suspected of
being engaged in hazing activities,” the appellate court said. "What is at stake
here is not the petitioners-appellees' liberty from criminal incarceration, but
their continued admission to an institution of higher learning, which is
discretionary upon a school, the same being a privilege on the part of the
student rather than a right," it added. Investigators said Mendez was seen in a
compound at Bonifacio Village, Quezon City along with other young men before
he was brought to the Veteran's Memorial Medical Center on August 27, 2007.
Mendez, 20, was pronounced dead on arrival by doctors noting several
hematomas on his wrists, thighs and feet. His death sparked calls for justice
and condemnation from various groups including the UP Diliman
administration on the use of violence as a prerequisite for admission into any
organization. — BAP, GMA News
Retrieved from https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/584950/ca-affirms-disciplinary-proceedings-vs-students-
linked-to-up-hazing-case/story
11
Think About This!
1. What is the article about?
2. Can one justify that the “culture” of fraternities deserves respect? What are the
advantages and disadvantages of this claim?
3. What are the ill effects of hazing?
4. ABC Fraternity is the most prestigious fraternity in your school. Its members are high
ranking government officials and rich business owners. Your teacher recruits you on the
promise that you will be spared from hazing. Would you join the fraternity? Why or
why not?

Activity 3.2 Case Study

The notion of cultural relativism allows us to see the variations among cultures
and learn how to give utmost respect to it. In the Philippines where the foundational identity
of a Filipino is a mixture of different cultures, cultural relativism is a helpful perspective to
understand our society.
In this task, you will see different situations where discrimination arises because of
our attitude in promoting our own culture.
Directions:
1. Choose any ONE article from the two topics

a. Coping with the Visayan Accent.

b. Several Reasons Why Filipino Cuisine is Among Least Preferred

Worldwide

2. Use these guidelines and format in doing your Case Study.

I. Introduction – In this part, you will give a short background of the
case with a minimum of 10 sentences and a maximum of 15
sentences.
II. Objectives of the Case Study – In this part, you will give a short
explanation why there is a need to resolve the issue presented in the
case with a minimum of three objectives and a maximum of five
objectives.
III. Presentation of the Case – In this part, you have to explain the nature
of the case, the situations experienced by the people, and the
problem/s they encountered. You can write a minimum of 20
sentences or two paragraphs and a maximum of 30 sentences or
three paragraphs.
IV. Proposed Solutions and Recommendations – In this part, you will give
possible solutions and recommendations to resolve the problem in the
case. You can give a minimum of three and a maximum of five
solutions and recommendations.
V. References – In this part, you write the references or sources that you
use in your Case Study.

3. Whichever is available, you can print or write your answers in a short

bond paper.
12
Article 1:

Coping with the Bisaya Accent

by Ethnic Groups Philippines

18 September 2013

Quezon City – Koya… Ati… are a couple of dead giveaways that the speaker is
Bisaya (Visayan). Those from "down south," be it the Visayas or Mindanao group of islands,
who are living in Metropolitan Manila, take pains to hide their regional accent, lest they
become the butt of jokes. The famous Bisaya pronunciation is basically the switching of
vowel sounds: "e" to "I," "o" to "u," and vice versa — a very merry mix-up.

And since there are quite a lot of Visayans in greater Metro Manila, the accent is
heard almost everywhere every day. Tricycle drivers being interviewed by roving news
teams, senior executives chairing meetings, lawmakers at their filibustering best, salespeople
at the malls. In many a city scene, someone rolls the Visayan accent, and someone else
mimics it. Or giggles, at the least. The Bisaya sound is standard fare in radio, television, and
the movies — the stereotypical way of portraying housemaids or "hillbillies" who are new to
city life.

For Lisa, a housewife who has lived in the Land of Promise for more than 30 years,
moving to Manila in 1997 was one of the hardest adjustments she had ever made. Learning
the Tagalog language was tough for someone like her who was born and raised in Samal
Island province of Davao del Norte. She and her husband decided to move to the big city for
good to give their two daughters the good education they deserved. The moment they arrived
in Manila; her Mindanao twang suddenly needed a drastic makeover.

"Being a Bisaya in Manila was very challenging, especially during the first six
months. The traffic, pollution, and need to adjust to a new language that I wasn’t familiar with
were major difficulties. Every day I would get a headache from trying to converse in Tagalog
with my neighbors and people at the market. Honestly, I would have left the city the day after
we arrived were it not for my family," the Davao native explains.

Tagalog, on which Filipino, the national language, is based, is widely used on the
island of Luzon, particularly in the Metropolitan Manila area. Lisa's experience made her feel
that Bisaya was inferior to Tagalog. She was often misunderstood when buying an item at a
store, and she would often hear mocking comments about her quirky pronunciation. The most
disparaging remark she has ever heard is that Bisaya is “low-class” compared to Tagalog.
Perhaps this is because of the way TV portrays speakers of the language. But despite all the
discrimination she has endured, Lisa has maintained her equanimity among those who
ridiculed her language.

13
 To learn Tagalog quickly, she tuned in to local radio stations and imitated the way
Tagalog was spoken. She read books and mingled with people to beef up her vocabulary. She
gained new friends who not only helped her adjust to the new language, but also assisted her
in coping with the stressful life in the city. In just six months, Lisa, who had spoken nothing
but Bisaya for more than 30 years before migrating to Manila, had managed to absorb the
new language and ditch her Visayan accent. She confesses, though, that the “funny” Visayan
accent still slips out from time to time. Nevertheless, she feels lucky and confident now about
her ability to communicate and switch back and forth between the two languages.

The truth is, no language is inferior or superior to another. Diversity is, after all, what
makes our country unique and attractive to many people around the world. Many Filipinos
are bilingual or even multilingual because the country boasts more than 100 languages or
dialects. We should all be proud of all of our languages.

Article 2:
Several Reasons Why Filipino Cuisine Is Among Least
Preferred Worldwide
By Jeline Malasig - March 20, 2019 -
6:03 PM

Despite the international attention it has been getting, Filipino food

was ranked among the least popular cuisines in a recent survey conducted
by a London-based global market research firm. YouGov surveyed over
24,000 participants from 24 countries on their most preferred cuisine and
Filipino dishes came in among the least favored meals. It received the lowest
mark among the Japanese, whose preference for the Filipino cuisine was
only 21 percent.

Australians, on the other hand, had the highest preference of the

cuisine at 56 percent, second to the Filipinos themselves. We asked 25,000
people in 24 countries how much they liked 34 national cuisines. Here are
the top 5: 1. Italian cuisine - average of 84% in each country who have tried
it say they like it, 2. Chinese - 78%, 3. Japanese - 71%, 4. Thai - 70%, and
5. French - 70%

“We asked people which of 34 national cuisines they had tried and whether
they liked or disliked them, with Italian food being the most well-liked. The
cuisine received an average popularity score of 84% across the 24 nations
we studied,” Matthew Smith, a lead data journalist, reported. Other least favored
cuisines in the world are Saudia Arabian, Finnish and Peruvian.

14
 Filipino cuisine is heavily influenced by different countries such as Spain, the United
States, China, India and other Southeast Asian nations. It is considered the original “Asian
fusion” before the concept existed, as stated by Smithsonian Magazine.

A food-oriented blog in July 2016 revealed various reasons as to why Filipino dishes
do not seem to appeal to foreigners despite international features about it. JP Anglo, a chef
and patron at Sara Kitchen, noted that “Pinoy ingredients are hard to come by outside of the
Philippines.” “You can’t get tuba, Batwan etc. overseas. Even the lemon grass tastes
different,” he shared. Myke Sarthou, a chef and cookbook author, attributed it to the
complexity of the cuisine as a whole.

According to him, Filipino cuisine does not merely mix and match ingredients and
different cooking methods of foreign dishes. One must also understand how the “perspectives
and philosophies” of various cultures blend as well. This makes the Filipino cuisine difficult
to describe in just a line or two, he said. Sarthou also claimed that the country lacks the
“marketing and business acumen” required to make local dishes popular in a global sense, as
well as the Philippines’ lack of support in the agricultural sector. “To make a cuisine shine
globally, it should be backed by a strong agricultural sector which is evidently weak in the
country,” the chef said.

A restaurant owner based in New York City attributed it to the Filipinos’ supposed
lack of entrepreneurial skills necessary to make the cuisine recognized in the international
market. “We were not raised to be entrepreneurs. We were raised to be doctors, lawyers —
risk-averse careers,” Nicole Ponseca said. She speculated that it might be due to the Filipinos’
sense of shame towards their own cuisine brought about by being heavily colonized for so
many centuries. “That’s why [some restaurants] give the ‘white-man menu’ [to customers]
because they think they’re not going to like dinuguan, which is a pork blood stew,” Ponseca
said. “It is because when you’re colonized over so many years, you don’t value your own
culture, even though we have so much pride,” she continued.

What I Have Learned

Activity 3.3
Directions: Read and analyze each question. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Cultural relativism tends to promote one’s own culture. Which of your ancestral
culture and traditions are you most proud of?
2. In our divided world of perspectives and points of view, how can we maintain respect
despite cultural differences?
3. James Rachel made some critical observations regarding cultural relativism.
In the Philippines where we highly respect cultural differences, suggest some good
points that contradict Rachel’s assertions.
4. In our present society where some leaders use their ethnocentric ego to establish
rules and authority, as a youth, how can you uplift laws and democratic principles
which should be applied equally to all, regardless of one’s religion, political beliefs,
gender, economic, and social status?
5. What do you think are the root causes of ethnocentric view? What can you
suggest to prevent people from having this characteristic?

14
 What I Can Do
Activity 3.4 World Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is a worldview that can be observed in several countries. To see this,
do the following activity using the given guide questions.

1. Research on how the concept of ethnocentrism is being observed or done in the

following countries.
You may follow this format to make your research organized. Please use
another sheet of paper to answer this activity.

Ethnocentric Views
Countries
Culture Society Politics

United States of America

Japan

China

United Kingdom

Think About This!

1. What did you discover after your research?

2. Can you see some observations similar to our own culture?

Alternative Q: Which countries have similar ethnocentric views with us?
Which countries have different ethnocentric views with us?

3. Why do you think they have these ethnocentric practices? What benefit can
they get from doing these?
4. As a Filipino, what practices or values you are proud of that are worth sharing
with others?
5. How will you promote these values and practices?
15
Assessment
Activity 3.5 World Ethnocentrism
Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate
sheet of paper.
1. What is an attempt to judge behavior according to its own cultural context?
A. Cultural Identity C. Culture Shock
B. Culture Indoctrination D. Culture Relativism
2. Which among the choices is true about the statements on Cultural Relativism?

A. Cultural Relativism contends that judging a culture should be based on our

own standards of what is right or wrong, strange or normal.
B. It understands cultural practices of other groups in its own cultural context.

A. Sentence A is correct while Sentence B is incorrect. B.

Sentence A is incorrect while sentence B is correct. C. Both
sentences are correct.
D. Both Sentences are incorrect

3. Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar are said to be illegal immigrants and described as the
“world’s most persecuted people”. What kind of inequality is BEST described in this
situation?
A. Gender inequality, because it is characterized by having some people
deprived of privileges.
B. Social inequality, because they experience unequal access to various
resources and privileges.
C. Global inequality, because a discriminatory practice in the community can
cause a significant alarm in a global scale.
D. Ethnic minority inequality, because their civil, political, economic, social, and
cultural rights are violated due to discrimination based on their ethnicity.
4. Which among the following is NOT an original Filipino culture?
A. Eating pork adobo
B. Bayanihan practice
C. Dancing to K-POP songs
D. Watching Ramon Obusan’s shows.
5. Karen used to tease her newly transferred Mangyan classmate because of his kinky
hair and tanned skin. What kind of cultural view did Karen have?
A. Culture B. Cultural Relativism C. Ethnocentrism D. Society
6. In New Zealand, broadcasters refuse to stop using Maori language despite
complaints from English speakers. Respecting the language of others is MOST
significant because
A. it is used to understand each other.
B. it relates to a person’s interaction with others and the world.
C. it is the basic tool of communication and transmission of culture and is known
as the storehouse of culture.
D. it is attached to the people’s historical and cultural roots which served as their
identity as members of society.
16
 7. Understanding female circumcision as a significant rite of passage for women as
opposed to a kind of mutilation is an example of _.
A. Agency C. Enlightenment
B. Cultural relativism D. Ethnocentrism
8. Learning to take the role of the other person gives one the ability to see the
perspective of the other before articulating or giving judgement. To do this, it is
MOST important to
A. study the cultural context where the action occurs. B.
look into the reasoning behind any cultural element.
C. determine the circumstances of place, time, and condition surrounding
it.
D. all of the above.
9. The feeling of stress and anxiety that most people experience when encountering a
culture different from their own is referred to as
.
A. Acculturation C. Ethnocentrism
B. Culture Shock D. Enculturation
10.Who coined the term ethnocentrism which served as the foundation in social analysis
of every culture?
A. Edward Tylor B. Emile Durkheim C. Max Weber D. William Sumner

Additional Activities
Activity 3.6 PINOY AKO! Pinoy Tayo! The Ethnocentric Encounters
We cannot avoid ethnocentric views and practices because of our diverse cultural
backgrounds and limited knowledge of the culture of others. You can clearly see some of
these common manifestations of ethnocentrism in your own community. To have a clear
grasp of this concept, you perform this task.
You may do the following:
1. Think of Filipino ethnocentric practices you have encountered in your
community or in your life.
2. You can present these observations through a semantic web.
3. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

Filipino ethnocentrism

17
Activity 3.7 PINOY AKO! Pinoy Tayo! The Ethnocentric Encounters
Think About This!

You may answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What did you discover when you did your task?

2. Did you share what you personally encountered in your community?
3. What did you feel when you encountered these situations? How do you think
these ethnocentric practices can be eliminated from our Filipino values
system?
4. As a student, what plan can you suggest to prevent the spread of these
observable practices in your community?

References
Online Sources

Brown, S. (2007). Ethnocentrism. Retrieved from

https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405165518.wbeose069

Copez, S. (2013, Oct.5). Discrimination of Igorots. Retrieved from

https://musicsimon.weebly.com/blog/discrimination-of-igorots

Coping with the Bisaya Accent. (2013, Sept. 18). Retrieved from
http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/2013/09/18/coping-with-the- bisaya-accent/

Chinof. (2016). What Problem with Filipino Identity? Retrieved from

https://www.getrealphilippines.com/2016/02/filipino-identity/

Malasig, J. (2019, Mar 20). Several Reasons Why Filipino Cuisine is Among Least
Preferred Worldwide. Retrieved from
https://www.interaksyon.com/trends- spotlights/2019/03/20/146043/several-reasons-why-
filipino-cuisine-is- among-least-preferred-worldwide/
18
Becoming a member of society

1. Enculturation/Socialization

a. Identity formation (identities, disciplines, and aspirations)

b. Norms and values

c. Statuses and roles (e.g. age, gender)

2. Conformity and deviance

a. Social control (gossip, socialostracism, laws and punishments)

b. Forms of deviance (ritualism, retreatism, rebellion, and innovation)

3. Human dignity, rights, and the common good

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“THE HUMAN MIND AT BIRTH IS NOTHING BUT A BLANK STATE, OR TABULA RASA” - JOHN
LOCKE

SOCIALIZATION 

• Lifelong process of social interaction through which people acquire their identities and necessary survival
skills in society.
 • It is considered as the central process of social life and is also a process of member recruitment and
replacement.

 • Enables the person to gradually become a self – aware and knowledgeable human being, and learn the ways,
values, rules, and culture of his / her society.

 • Greatly influenced by the context of his /her respective society, and the social groups that he/she interact
Three Goals of Socialization 

It teaches impulse control and helps individuals develop a conscience.

It teaches individuals how to prepare for and perform certain social roles
It cultivates shared sources of meaning and value

ENCULTURATION

 • Process of being socialized into a specific culture. Individuals learn cultural symbols, norms, values, and
language by observing and interacting with family, friends, and the rest of society.

The ‘self’ is a sociological concept.

FERAL CHILD 

George Herbert Mead 

He is regarded as one of the founders of social psychology and of what has come to be referred to as the
Chicago sociological tradition.

This process is characterized by Mead as the "I" and the "me. " The "me" is the social self and the "I" is the
response to the "me. " In other words, the "I" is the response of an individual to the attitudes of others, while
the "me" is the organized set of attitudes of others which an individual assumes.

Four-stage process of self-development

Imitation 
the action of using someone or something as a model.

Play 

• The child takes different roles he/she observes in “adult” society and plays them out to gain an understanding
of the different social roles.

 • The child learns to become both subject and object and begins to become able to build a self

Game 

• The child must take the role of everyone else involved in the game. 
• Organizations begin and definite personalities start to emerge
“The Generalized Other” 

• The individual understands what kind of behavior is expected or appropriate in different social settings

 The development of an individual’s distinct personality, which is regarded as a persisting entity in a particular
stage of life by which a person is recognized or known Identity FormationIdentity FormationIdentity
Formation

SELF CONCEPT
• The sum of a being’s knowledge and understanding of his/herself.
 • Components: – Physical – Psychological – Social attributes

Cultural Identity 

• It is one’s feeling of identity or affiliation with a group or culture.

Ethnic Identity 

• The Identification with a certain ethnicity, usually on the basis of a presumed common genealogy or ancestry
National Identity 

Is an ethical and philosophical concept whereby all humans divided into groups called nation.

Religious Identity 

• Is the set of beliefs and practices generally held by an individual involving adherence to codified beliefs and
rituals

Norms and Values

Norms 
• Is a rule that guides the behavior of members of a society or group.
Things that exist in society independent of individuals and that shape our thoughts and behavior.

 • Refers to that which conforms to norms

 • The act of abiding rules.
Normative 

• Refers to what we perceive as normal, or what we think should be normal, regardless of whether it actually
is 

• Refers to beliefs that are expressed as directives or value of the judgment

• The process of socialization is guided by norms and taught to us by those around us.
Social Sanction “We will face sanctions if we break them”
Proscriptive Prescriptive

Values 

• Culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good, and beautiful and that serve as
broad guidelines for social living.

Aspects of the sociological concept of value 

• Values exist at different levels of generality of abstraction 

• Values tend to be hierarchically arranged 
• Values are explicit and implicit in varying degrees 
• Values often are in conflict with one another
Filipino Values
Status and Roles 
• Are important concepts in socialization because the behavior of young members of society is controlled by
assigning them a certain status which they will enact. 

• “We can deal with anyone, we need to know who the person is”
Status 

• Position in a social system 

• Refers to a social position that a person holds. 

• Can be ascribed or achieved, given or accomplished, respectively

Ascribed status 

• A social position receives at birth or takes on involuntarily later in life.

Achieved Status 

• Social position a person takes on voluntarily that reflects personal identity and effort.
Role 

• Refers to the behavior expected of someone who holds a particular status 

• A person who holds status and perform a role

Role Strain 

• Conflict among the roles connected to two or more statuses. 

• Results from the competing demands of two or more roles that vie for our time and energy.

Role Manipulation 

• Through impression, management has to bear on the formation of a person’s self-identity.

Impression Management 
• It is a concept to be taken very seriously. It has the power and influence to create a favorable public opinion
of a particular person. 

• It can break or repair a damaged persona

 Relation between Conformity, Deviance and Social Control!

Robert K. Merton - structural strain theory

Conformity involves the acceptance of the cultural goals and means of attaining those goals.

Deviance is a behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations or social norms of a group or
society. Alcoholics, gamblers, sex deviants, drug addicts or latecomers in the class are all classified as
deviants or deviant acts.

 FORMS OF DEVIANCE
 Ritualism is a concept developed by American sociologist Robert K. Merton as a part of his
structural strain theory. It refers to the common practice of going through the motions of daily life
even though one does not accept the goals or values that align with those practices.
  Retreatism is the attitude of being resigned to the abandonment of an original goal or the means of
attaining it (as in political or cultural matters)
 Rebellion is a special case wherein the individual rejects both the cultural goals and traditional means
of achieving them but actively attempts to replace both elements of the society with different goals
and means.
 Innovation involves the acceptance of the goals of a culture but the rejection of the traditional and/or
legitimate means of attaining those goals. For example, a member of the Mafia values wealth but
employs alternative means of attaining his wealth; in this example, the Mafia member’s means would
be deviant.
Social Control involves teaching, persuading, and or forcing members and non-members of a group to
comply with and not deviate from its norms and expectations.

The idea of criminal behaviors are learned; criminals are considered conformists when they tend to conform to
the groups in which they associate themselves.

In other words, one may learn deviant behavior based on their association.

 Gossip for social control in natural and artificial societies. In this work, we propose a theory of
gossip as a means for social control. Exercising social control roughly means to isolate and to punish
cheaters.

 Social Ostracism increases social susceptibility. Ostracism, the act of ignoring and excluding, is a
universally applied tactic of social control. Individuals who detect ostracism often change their
 behaviors to be readmitted into the group, even if it means becoming excessively socially susceptible
to influence

 Law. Social control entails rules of behavior that should be followed by the members of society.
Some of the rules of conduct fall into the realm of good manners as the culture defines them. Other
rules of conduct are not optional and are enforced by-laws

 Reward and Punishment, Informal controls reward or punish acceptable or unacceptable behavior

(i.e., deviance) and are varied from individual to individual, group to group, and society to society.
For example, at a Women's Institute meeting, a disapproving look might convey the message that it is
inappropriate to flirt with the minister. In a criminal gang, on the other hand, a stronger sanction
applies in the case of someone threatening to inform the police of illegal activity.

Social control by the use of reward is known as positive reinforcement. In society and the laws and
regulations implemented by the government tend to focus on punishment or enforcing negative
sanctions to act as a deterrent as a means of social control.

Human Dignity refers to an individual or group's sense of self-respect and self-worth, physical and
psychological integrity and empowerment.

Bill of Rights
natural rights, civil rights, political rights, economic rights as well as rights of the accused before, during and
after trial.

Human rights
Are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic
origin, color, religion, language, or any other status.
Common good, which benefits society as a whole, in contrast to the private good of individuals and sections
of society. In effect, the notion of the common good is a denial that society is and should be composed of
atomized individuals living in isolation from one another

Share: