LA CONSOLACION COLLEGE BACOLOD

Galo Corner Gatuslao Streets, Bacolod City 6100, Philippines

Tel No. +63 (34) 434 9661 to 64 | Fax No. +63 (34) 433 5190
lccbpresoffice@gmail.com | www.lcc.edu.ph

Distance Education
Instructional Module

LEARNING MATERIALS (Week 5)

Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

The changing and the very subjective nature of culture and society has created differences across
the world. Throughout history, ideologies and behavioral patterns resulting to disagreements and
even wars are associated with cultural differences. Strong adherence and association to one’s
cultural perspective may create a tendency to view that of others as the lesser truth. In this sense, it
leads people to believe the inherent superiority of one’s culture over the other. This is known to be a
phenomenon known as ethnocentrism. According to Barger (2014), ethnocentrism can be defined as
making false assumptions about the ways of others based on our own limited experience. People
tend to judge other people based on the standards set by their own cultural associations. For
example, some people may consider it rude to make sounds while eating such as slurping soup.
However, in some cultures slurping the soup and making loud noises is giving compliment to the
person who cooked the meal. Therefore, eating quietly would actually be rude.

To address the differences arising from cultural tendencies, the view that culture is relative has
been widely accepted and promoted. Cultural relativism promotes the idea that no culture is superior
over any other. It views all cultures as worthy in their own right and are therefore of equal value.
Cultural relativism is commonly defined as a concept that widely accepts that cultural values and
norms derive their meaning from a specific social context. From an anthropological standpoint, all
cultural patterns are equally valid expressions of human existence, to be viewed from an entirely
neutral perspective. Cultural relativism tries to understand why people act the way they do and why
institutions function as such based on the societies that they are in.

Culture Relativism

This concept was first formulated by William Graham Summer in his book Folkways. He said that
there are no universal moral standards of right and wrong and good and bad for evaluating cultural
phenomena. This means that what is right in one place may be wrong in another place or Vice versa.
Standards are relative to the culture in which they appear. Customs can only be judged by how well or
how poorly they fit in with the standards of a certain society. For example, having several wives
(polygyny) or several husband (polyandry) functions in a society where women are needed to work in
the fields.

Ethnocentrism
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LA CONSOLACION COLLEGE BACOLOD

Galo Corner Gatuslao Streets, Bacolod City 6100, Philippines
Tel No. +63 (34) 434 9661 to 64 | Fax No. +63 (34) 433 5190
lccbpresoffice@gmail.com | www.lcc.edu.ph

Distance Education
Instructional Module

Ethnocentrism is judging another culture solely by the values and standards of one’ s own
culture. Ethnocentric individuals judge other groups relative to their own ethnic group or culture,
especially with concern for language, behavior, customs and these ethnic distinctions and
subdivisions serve to define each ethnicity’s unique cultural identity. Ethnocentrism may be overt or
subtle, and while it is considered a natural proclivity of human psychology, it has developed a
generally negative connotation.

‘Ethnocentrism' is a major reason for divisions amongst members of different ethnicities,races,

and religious groups in society. Ethnocentrism is the belief of superiority in one's personal ethnic
group, but it can also develop from racial or religious differences.

Ethnocentric individuals believe that they are better than other individuals for reasons based
solely on their heritage. Clearly, this Practice is related to problems of both racism and prejudice.

While many people may recognize the problems, they may not realize that ethnocentrism occurs
everywhere and everyday at both the local and political levels. '

Cultural Relativism Mitigates Ethnocentrism

Sociologists use generalizations to explain tendencies, shed light on values and compare cultures.
Cultural relativism based on moral relativism (which says there is no right and wrong) argues that all
cultures are valuable and none is better than another.

An example of cultural relativism might include slang words from specific languages (and even
from particular dialects within a language). For instance, the word “tranquilo” in Spanish translates
directly to “calm" in English. However it can be used in many more ways than just as an adjective
(e.g., the seas are calm). Tranquilo can be a command or suggestion encouraging another to calm
down. It can also be used to ease tensions in an argument (e.g., everyone relax) to indicate a degree
of self composure (e.g., I’m calm). There is not a clear English translation of the word, and in order to
fully comprehend its many possible uses, a culture relativist would argue that it would be necessary
to fully immerse oneself in cultures where the word is used.

GLOSSARY
Ethnocentrism
Defined as making false assumptions about the ways of others based on our own
limited experience. Ethnocentrism is judging another culture solely by the values and
standards of one’ s own culture.

Culture Relativism
He said that there are no universal moral standards of right and wrong and good and bad for
evaluating cultural phenomena. This means that what is right in one place may be wrong in
another place or Vice versa.Standards are relative to the culture in which they appear.
 This instructional material is exclusively for LCCB only | Page 2

LA CONSOLACION COLLEGE BACOLOD

Galo Corner Gatuslao Streets, Bacolod City 6100, Philippines
Tel No. +63 (34) 434 9661 to 64 | Fax No. +63 (34) 433 5190
lccbpresoffice@gmail.com | www.lcc.edu.ph

Distance Education
Instructional Module

REFERENCES
Ariola, M. (2016). Understanding Culture,Society, and Politics.Intamuros Manila,PH:
Unlimited Books Library Services & Publishing Inc.

Nuncio, Rhoderick V., et al. Understanding Culture , Society and Politics. Books Atpb.
Publishing Corp.,2016.
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