CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This research focuses on determining such impacts of modern world trends and cultures

to the youth of this generation, specifically, their respective behaviors and reactions to the stated

trends. In this chapter, related literatures and researches were gathered to serve as credible

support and evidence of this paper. As the continuous development of the world enriches, its

different cultures from different societies emerge from various factors and causes. Popular

culture is “the accumulation of cultural products which include track, art, literature, style, dance,

movie, cyber tradition, tv, and radio which might be consumed the majority of a society’s

population” according to an online article by Crossman (2017). Meaning, it influences the

society, specifically teenagers, in a variety of ways and impacts.

Firstly, popular culture generally affects the society in a way that it often causes rapid

change, as stated in Tim Deloney’s (2007) article. In this post-industrial era wherein people are

technologically dependent in most activities that they do, it affects them as a person and they are

influenced from different aspects within the technical world. But teenagers nowadays show one

distinctive one important characteristic and that is self-definition which refers to an individual’s

perception of his self. This characteristic is often influenced by their own choices based on

popular culture. On Audrey Tramel’s article (2017), researchers agreed that pop culture indeed

has an effect to teenagers’ self-definition, which could be related to behavior. Also stated in the

article, self-definition could be associated with self-esteem and confidence, which are healthy

characteristics as a teenager ages and matures.

 Mentioned in an essay from UK essays (2013), music, as a part of pop culture, has its

ways on triggering moods. So, in a study conducted by Anderson, Carnagey, and Eubanks (2003)

about the exposure to violent media, seeing as this is also under pop culture, showed negative

effects of songs with violent lyrics to students. The results of the said study showed that those

students who heard violent songs had more “aggressive and hostile thoughts” than those who

didn’t listen to those songs.

Still looking into musical preferences, a study conducted by Juul Mulder, Tom Bogt,

Quinten Raaijmakers, Saoirse Gabhainn, Karin Monshouwer and Wilma Vollebergh (2009) on

the connection of music to drinking and smoking showed that most adolescents aged 12-16 years

old preferred to music as their main source of knowledge and foundation of alcohol use. Alcohol

use commonly reacts negatively to behavior, especially to the younger ones, as it causes

rebellion and further use of more and different substances which may be considered as illegal.

Although, this negative reaction was based from hardcore and punk music. On the other hand,

pop and classical music resulted to a more positive behavior. The study by Mulder, Bogt,

Raaijmakers, Gabhainn, Monshouwer and Vollebergh overall marked music as a source of

misinterpreted and different behavioral attitudes. But these types of reactions depend on the type

of music listened to. In connection, negative work behavior are consequences of negative attitude

and poor values. In relation to this study, if popular culture displays negative things, then it could

be inferred that people will also react negatively to it (Tomas Andres, 1991, p.105).

As pop culture usually spreads faster and more widely through the internet and social

media, the influence of this reaches almost all people of different ages, genders, classes, etc. In

effect, pop culture also creates major impacts to change, both globally and personally. From an

essay from Uni Assignments Centre (2013), another aspect of pop culture is given attention
which is beauty and fashion. This aspect made teenagers and other people want to undergo a

certain change or “development” just to suit the society’s needs and expectations. As for

multimedia, different fashion styles could be seen anywhere and this serves as inspirations for

the youth. In a way, they copy and adjust into what they usually see. Hence, it affects identity,

which is a procedure - that's why the rituals that define it are known as rites of passage. The

concept expressed in all that is that a person ought to keep developing and that the technique in

irreversible (Joaquin, 2004, pp.397-398). This is in connection with change so it deals with

difference in behavioral patterns.

Despite further advancements of technology and social media, it is still known that

reading materials such as books and comics are widespread up to this generation. An event

associated with this aspect is Comic-con. Seeing as this came from both the influences of social

media and comics/books, it gave opportunities to further influence and create negotiations from

having social interactions (Ratha, 2017). Pop culture affects a person in a way that he/she

behaves accordingly and considerably around people. Another instance from this article presents

that students give more focus to certain school subjects, such as Chemistry, because of some

reading materials. Also, from well-known people teenagers idolize and look up to who are

usually integrated within pop culture gives major influences to teenagers’ behaviors. From the

same article, mentioned is the improvement of confidence of people because of those they

idolize. From Anastasia Powell’s (2017) article, it also shows the powerful influence of media in

expressing celebrity styles which is often served as an inspiration to the youth. In this case, it is a

positive feedback and reaction from pop culture.

Pop Culture heavily affects a society’s culture, mainly the norms and beliefs of the people

included. This may even affect teenagers’ morality, both negatively and positively. Famous
popular culture mediums explicitly show and deliver content not suitable for younger ones,

which is also very much famous nowadays. From this situation, teenagers “emulate what they

see and hear” (Campbell, 2017). This in return results to the distress and disappointment of

parents from this inappropriate behavior. Sometimes this sort of behavior may even lead to body

or health complications, injuries, or even death (Teenagers imitating stunts they see on Youtube,

2012). Another article by Courtney Key (2016) displayed the risks of such trends seen online.

In regards to that, teenagers felt the need to recreate these sorts of dangers.

In relevance to trends, as pop culture is a part of it, conformity relates greatly to this as a

behavioral impact. Teenagers or high school students have the feeling of wanting to fit in so they

follow blindly and go with the “trends” so they wouldn’t be left out. In contrast to conformity, it

affects them in a way that they feel pressure, specifically, peer pressure, because it serves more

as a need in the society rather than just a part of media and popular culture. They tend to

overspend on these things and this is another aspect affected, their spending behaviors. As

mentioned also in this recent research by Isabella Dela Cruz (2017), “In order to stay relevant to

the group, students purchase ‘trendy’ items even though they don’t need them”. If there’s an

instance that they don’t follow, it results to low self-esteem and confidence. But if they do, they

suffer financial problems which then follows a negative behavior and reaction.

In terms of behavior, Concepcion Martines (1992), has given five (5) Fundamentals of

human behavior:

1. Every person is different since the very beginning.

2. Every person seeks their own goals.

3. Every person is dynamic.

4. Organizations influence the behavior of the entire organization and the individuals.
 5. Behavior can’t be predicted.

These fundamentals show the activeness and dynamic characteristic of behavior. This

relates to pop culture as it influences human behavior in a way that it exhibits change because

behavior is “dynamic”. Dynamic where in it refers to constant change. (pp. 1-4)

In addition, Chiqui Escareal-Go and Josiah Go (2017) stated in their article thatt here are

other factors that affects behavior of people such as cultural (culture, sub-culture, social class),

Social (reference groups, roles, and status, family), personal (age, and life cycle, concept) and

psychological (motivation, perception, learning, belief and attitudes.). Within these factors are

associations to popular culture. Also, theories in an article by Jake Morris, Mariella Marzano,

and Norman Dandy (2012) clarifies that external factors such as the society and its culture may

have greater or lesser impact to behavior. Although, this exhibits a competition between people

in the society as an effect.

All of these form part of a culture. As David Vognar (2012) stated, “Culture shapes us”.

It is believed by scientists that culture may be adaptive, meaning, people could adjust and change

behavior to fit in certain situations. Certain social situations include development wherein it

consists of competitive stress and this affects the brain functions of people in the society

(Donald, 2001).

Synthesis

In this study, “The Effects of the Influences of Local Trends, specifically Pop

Culture, to the Behavior of the Senior High School Students of Our Lady of Perpetual

Succor College”, the researchers had gathered related literatures and studies as connections and

relations to serve as evidences and support of this study. The first one is of an overview of pop
culture in an article by Deloney where it is stated that Pop culture heavily affects people’s lives

in so many different ways. In connection to this, pop culture can affect the society both

negatively and positively as Campbell wrote in an article. Another is of Crossman which focuses

on sociological pop culture and of Go & Go’s article on cultural trends. This is in relation to the

Law of Effect from the book of Weeks in which it is defined as the behavior that produces a

good outcome. In here, the effect is seen positively, which could also be related to Ratha’s article

on the positive effect of pop culture to the society. Also, theories written by Morris, Marzano &

Dandy showcases that behavior is heavily influenced by external factors such as the society.

These factors can also include the general media including music, songs, and the social media or

technological world, which is considered part of pop culture and local trends. Effects of such

aspects include both the negative and positive notes to the teenagers as seen from the studies of

Craig, Carnagey, & Eubanks, & Mulder, Bogt, & Raajimakers where both studies focused on

music and songs. In addition, effects could also be seen from the articles of Catholic Online, UK

Essays, Powell, Key, and a study by Dela Cruz where their works focuses on social media and

current trends. All of these affects an individual’s behavior and identity which is further

discussed by Joaquin, Uni Assignments, and Tramel. This is also in connection to the articles of

Andres and Martines where they both explained aspects of behavior regarding external

influences. These related studies and literatures connect greatly to this study because it pertains

to most of its aspects and provides well-discussed and possible answers for its main problem.