MODULE 3.

PERSPECTIVE ON CULTURE
OVERVIEW
In this module, the students will be able to find the different ways in which
people belonging to a particular culture view or respond to their culture, relative to
other cultures. If one is exposed to a culture different from one’s own, he/she may
feel a sense of ethnocentrism, xenocentrism, cultural relativism, culture shock,
multiculturalism
LEARNING OUTCOME
At the end of this module, the student should be able to:
1. Explain what is ethnocentrism
2. Differentiate ethnocentrism from xenocentrism
3. Explain what is cultural relativity
4. Determine what culture shock is
5. Describe why the Filipinos are multicultural

DISCUSSION

PERSPECTIVE ON CULTURE- Reference – Society and Culture by

Abesamis and Franco
A. ETHNOCENTRISM – is a belief that the elements or the whole identity of
one’s culture is beautiful, strong, and powerful in comparison to other
culture. An ethnocentric person will assume that all that is situated within
one culture background is far more superior to others and that the notion of
beauty, intelligence, sense of normality and achievement, should be
measured using the parameters that are used to judge his/her culture. It is
the belief that man is the center of the universe and that time and space
emerge in order to emphasize one’s existence.

Ethnocentric person can be patriotic and nationalistic. The view that

one’s culture is superior to others can lead one person to patronize
locally made products and shun imported goods. However, it can also
go to extreme as the holocaust perpetrated by the Nazi among the
Jews in World War II.
B. XENOCENTRISM – is the exact opposite of ethnocentrism. One believes
that the culture one possesses is inferior to others or that part of it is less
satisfying – that there is something inadequate in the culture to which one
belongs. This may be manifested in suspicion and mistrust toward ideas,
beliefs, and objects that are indigenous or local.

C. CULTURAL RELATIVITY – Cultural relativism believes that no culture

is superior or inferior, no culture is better than the other and that all culture
should be judge based on the measures given and defined from the culture
alone. Culture has no rank and cultures are different from one another.

D. CULTURE SHOCK – is the feeling of being lost, confused or disoriented

that one person feels when exposed or confronted by a foreign culture or
elements of it. This can be defined as an initial reaction or response by an
individual to everything that is alien.

E. MULTICULTURALISM – This is the global trend – the absorption of

some cultural aspects from other culture and incorporates this to the local
community. Through this way, the culture becomes richer and far more
complex. The Philippines is a multicultural society considering the
languages, religion, and foreign cuisine that have been adopted in the local
community.