6. How is individualism viewed differently in the Philippines and in nations such as China and Japan?

Why? What are the behavioral consequences of these varying notions of individualism?

The Philippines, China and Japan are nations/countries which are known to be more collectivistic rather
than individualistic in nature. This has been manifested in different facets of the Filipino, Chinese and
Japanese culture. Though these nations are more collectivistic in nature, individualism is also evident in
some of the people but not in general.

Filipinos are known to have strong personalities amidst difficult situations as compared to other races. In
the Philippines, individualism is also manifested in the Filipinos in work and other facets but they tend to
be more collectivistic. One example is that they are family-oriented people which values family the most
and always motivated by group efforts, that is why Bayanihan or unity is one of the highlights of their
culture. Individualism is evident when it comes to competition in work which sometimes tends to
become a negative behavior to them as they are more on the collectivistic side which supports unity and
teamwork. With regard to Japan and China, individualism is viewed differently by the Japanese and
Chinese people. From what is evident to their culture, they are more on the collectivistic side also. But
the notions of the people regarding individualism varies base on their personal preferences and
experiences. Thus, these differences on personal opinions may have negative or positive impact on their
behaviors depending on how they perceive individualism based on their own standards.

9. Answer:

Social construction of categories or social constructionism is a theoretical knowledge or idea that has
been created and accepted by the people in a society. These are the characteristics which are ought to
be permanent such as gender, race, class, ability and sexuality—in which are by products of human
specification molded by culture and history. People tend to construct categories based on one’s bodily
features and so on.

Gender is socially categorized based on the socially accepted definition of a man or a woman. For
example women are categorized based on their appearance or body features that are accepted in the
society as ideal features of a woman. Race is categorized based on the color of your skin or your
nationality or even your ancestors which are generally accepted by the society based on their standard
of race. Meanwhile, social class is being categorized in reference with the society’s definition of rich,
poor or middle class and likewise in standards acceptable by the society you are in. Lastly, exceptionality
is categorized based on the socially accepted standards based on your capabilities.