Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

Quarter 1 – Module 3: Cultural Relativism in Attaining

Cultural Understanding
Name: Pamis, Julianne Daphne Francine L.
Grade & Section: 12-ABM

What I Know:
1. Counterculture
2. Ideal Culture
3. Subculture
4. Acculturation
5. Real Culture
6. Culture
7. Ethnocentrism
8. Cultural Relativism
9. Xenocentrism
10. Society
11. Cultural Integration
12. Direct Change
13. Cultural Universal
14. Culture Shock
15. Assimilation

Lesson 1: What’s In
1. G
2. F
3-4-5. E
6.A
7.D
Lesson 1: What’s New
ESSAY:
COVID-19’s significant impact on economic and social life has rightfully
garnered the attention of citizens and policymakers alike. A lesser-known effect of
the pandemic though has been the heavy strain it has placed on efforts to preserve
and protect cultural heritage. In response to the pandemic, governments have
issued strict guidelines and restrictions to shut down theaters, museums, cultural
heritage sites, libraries, airports, malls, schools, and restaurants. With no cure or
vaccine on the horizon, governments are working to mitigate the damage of the
lockdowns on cultural heritage sites.
Over the past two decades, cultural heritage—especially in conflict zones—
has been negatively impacted by terrorism, illicit trafficking, climate change, lack of
funding, and even neglect. COVID-19 has had similar effects, but in an incredibly
short period of time. COVID-19 has had a massive impact on the travel and tourism
industry, both of which are vital for the cultural sector. In April 2020, world heritage
sites in Southeast Asia saw a decline of visitors of up to 99 percent.
These sites represent vital sources of employment not only to the local
population, but also to cultural organizations, institutions, associations,
archaeologists, and artisans.

Lesson 1: Independent Activity 1

Ethnocentrism Culture Relativism

 Is often accompanied by
stereotyping, a strong tendency to
characterize people of other
cultures unfairly, collectively, and
often negatively. This generalization
is applied to every individual in a
cultural group.
 Is the act of judging other cultures
based on the preconceptions
originating in the standards and
customs of one’s own culture. In
 Is the notion that cultural norms
and values derive their meaning
within a specific social context.
According to this postulate, values,
beliefs, practices and behaviours of
people should be understood within
their own cultural context, and they
should not be judged against the
criteria of another culture. This is
based on the concept that no culture
is better or superior to another.
 other words, an ethnocentric
assesses another culture from the
standards of his own culture. He is
concerned with the similarities
between his culture and others. If
the beliefs and customs of another
culture are different from his
culture, he’ll feel that culture is
barbaric or savage. This happens
because an ethnocentric person
feels that his or her culture is the
‘correct’ or ‘normal’ way of living.
 Furthermore, cultural relativism is
one of the most fundamental
concepts of sociology. Moreover,
this concept was introduced by
Franz Boas and popularized by his
students although they did not use
the term cultural relativism.
Cultural relativism is actually a
popular notion in modern society.

Lesson 1: Independent Assessment 1

1. Culture Shock
2. Counter Culture
3. True
4. True
5. Society

Lesson 1: Independent Activity 2

Lesson 1: Independent Assessment 2

1. E
2. L
3. G
4. D
5. I
6. C
7. A
8. F
9. B
10. J

Lesson 1: Independent Activity 3

ETHNOCENTRISM

CULTURE
RALATIVISM
Lesson 1: What I Have Learned:
K W L
Cultural What do you What do you What have you
Variations know about want to know learned about this
this topic? about this topic? topic?
I know that I want to know I learned that
ethnocentrism why this thing is ethnocentrism is about
Is the act of not stopping basically pertains
ETHNOCENTRIS judging other because it only to the belief that one’s
M cultures based promotes native culture is
in the standards superiority on superior to or the most
of one’s own others. natural among
culture. other cultures.

I learned that culture

I know that I want to know relativism is to avoid
CULTURE culture how culture highlighting personal
REALTAVISM relativism relativism became biases and assumptions
attempts to a big part of every in studying culture,
judge behavior people, especially sociologists have
according to its when it comes to endeavored to review
cultural context. religion. other cultures as
neither inferior nor
superior.

Lesson 1: What I Can Do

ESSAY:
1. The opposite of ethnocentrism is cultural relativism: the judging of
cultural elements relative to their cultural context. Groups of
people develop distinct patterns of thoughts, emotions, and
behaviours as they respond to the survival challenges of their
shared environment. Culture is flexible and has helped human
beings adapt and survive in nearly every socioecological
environment on the planet. Recognising the adaptive nature of
culture supports cultural relativism. Every culture has succeeded
 as a system for human survival. No culture can be judged
as evolutionary superior to another and cultural features can only
be understood in terms of their role in the complete system.
Cultural relativism encourages respect for different cultural values,
beliefs, and practices. We are less likely to interpret differences as
bizarre, offensive, or deficient if we consider them in terms
of their own cultural context.
2. Values and behavior go hand in hand — while ideals often move us
to action, observing the actions and expectations of others can in
turn inform our ideals. Values can vary widely across cultures,
however, and the question of how those values translate into
behavior remains.

3. Ethnocentrism is judging other cultures based on the

preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one’s
own culture. In contrast, cultural relativism is the notion that a
culture should be understood on its own terms, not using
standards of another culture. The main difference between
ethnocentrism and cultural relativism is the way in which you
evaluate or assess foreign culture. Ethnocentrism involves looking
at another culture from the perspective of one’s own culture while
cultural relativism involves looking at a foreign culture by its own
perspective instead of one’s own culture.

4. We are ethnocentric when we use norms from our culture to make

generalizations about other peoples' cultures and customs. Such
generalizations &mdas; often made without a conscious awareness
that we've used our culture as a universal yardstick — can be way
off base and cause us to misjudge other peoples. In the end,
thinking ethnocentrically reduces another culture's way of life to a
version of our own culture. Ethnocentrism leads to cultural
misinterpretation and distorts communication between human
beings of different cultures.
Assessment:
1. William Sumner
2. Culture Relativism
3. Acculturation
4. Real Culture
5. Cultural Diversity
6. George Morduck
7. Cultural Integration
8. Incorporation
9. Assimilation
10. Geographical Environment
11. Ethnocentrism
12. Xenocentrism
13. Ideal Culture
14. Cultural Imperialism
15. Real Culture

Additional Activities:
Speech:
We are ethnocentric when we use norms from our culture to make
generalizations about other peoples' cultures and customs. Such generalizations
&mdas; often made without a conscious awareness that we've used our culture as a
universal yardstick — can be way off base and cause us to misjudge other peoples.
In the end, thinking ethnocentrically reduces another culture's way of life to a
version of our own culture. Ethnocentrism leads to cultural misinterpretation and
distorts communication between human beings of different cultures.
When you interact with diverse others, there will be times when your own
values conflict with the cultural ideals of your partner. Cultural Intelligence does not
require you to abandon your own cultural values or to support the practices or
beliefs of other cultures. Cultural Intelligence encourages a nonjudgmental respect
for difference.
 This improves your interactions—when people feel respected, they are more
likely to reciprocate the favourable sentiment with pro-social behavior and you are
more likely to achieve your goals.