The whole point is that despite these impediments, we have to look at culture

objectively and not to romanticize it. We should emphasize that the environment
we live in should not be compared with others. But does that mean that whatever
actions people do should not be observed or judged? The answer is no,
researchers (anthropologists and sociologist) still observe and make judgments
but their goal is to make an accurate profile/description in order to minimize the
possibility that their own expectations or personal judgments will affect their
observations and explanations.

To understand better the main difference between ethnocentrism and

cultural relativism, read the conversation below:
Hello I am Lisa. I am a cultural relativist. I
Hello, I am Ben. I am an ethnocentric. I always
believe that culture of people must be
believe that may culture is superior from others. I
looked at in terms of the world of these
often use my own culture to judge others. I
people inhabit. I try to look at their culture
consider their beliefs and practices as savage or
based on what their practices bring in to
corrupt. Most of the time I tend to discriminate
them. If Eskimos kill their infants sometimes,
others, bully them for their practices, and get into
I believe that there is a practical reason why
conflict with them.
they do that. That is why for me culture is
relative. There is no right or wrong, I don’t
have the right to say if it is good or bad.

Activity 3: Venn Diagram

Directions: Compare and contrast Cultural relativism and Ethnocentrism using a Venn Diagram. Use
the space below for your answer.
REVISED KNOWLEDGE: Actual answer to the process questions/ focus
questions
1. What is cultural relativism and ethnocentrism?
 Cultural relativism is the idea that all norms, beliefs, and values are dependent
on their cultural context and should be treated as such.
 Cultural Relativism means that the function and meaning of a trait are relative
to its cultural setting.
 It is the ability to understand a culture on its own terms and not to make
judgments using the standards of one's own culture
Ethnocentrism is:
 It is a belief that one’s own culture is better than others.
 They tend to compare, evaluate and even judge other people’s ways based on
the values and standards set in one’s own culture.
 When a society thinks that they are superior over the others based on their
own standards, they exercise ethnocentrism.
 It is a tendency to apply one’s own cultural values in judging the behavior
and beliefs of people raised in other cultures.
 They regard different behavior as savage or strange.

2. What is the importance of cultural relativism?

- Cultural relativism is very important in studying the culture of other people.
- As an attitude, cultural relativism promotes greater appreciation of the
cultures one encountered along the way.
- As behaviour, cultural relativism is a good way to rehearse the norms and
values of society-a requirement that one must subscribe to regardless of
his/her cultural origin.
- It is important to anthropology and one of the things that makes
anthropology unique because it is a tool, a method for attempting to see
things from a multiplicity of viewpoints so as to better understand them.
- The goal of this is to promote understanding of cultural practices that are not
typically part of one's own culture.
3. Why is ethnocentrism, xenocentrism, and noble savage mentality
considered as deterrents to achieving cultural relativism?
- Ethnocentrism, xenocentrism and noble savage mentality are considered as
deterrents to achieving cultural relativism because all these three shows
negative impacts regarding every culture in the world. They all promote
inequality in terms of observation and preservation of culture. Because of
these three, individuals or societies who /which is practicing/exercising these
concepts compare themselves to others and they feel far better or worse than
the other and the result would either be a feeling of arrogance or self-pity
and disrespecting the culture of others
 FINAL KNOWLEDGE: Generalization/ Synthesis/ Summary

Cultural relativism is the idea that all norms, beliefs, and values are dependent on their cultural context
and should be treated as such. However, ethnocentrism, xenocentrism, and noble savage mentality were
among the impediments towards the achievement of cultural relativism.
The way to deal with our own assumptionsis not to pretend that they don’t exist but rather to
aknowledge them and then use the awareness that we are not neutral to inform our conclusion. Through
cultural relativism,
What one can gain a meaningful view of the values and beliefs that underlie the behaviors snd
I have learned?
institutions of other
Directions: people
Create and societies.
a table chart that shows a summary of what you have learned from
the discussion above.
What is Cultural The Importance of The deterrents in
Relativism Cultural relativism attaining cultural
relativism