Module 2: Lesson 1

CULTURE IN MORAL
BEHAVIOR
Culture

It is derived from the Latin word cultura or

cultus which means care or cultivation.
Culture is analogous to caring for an infant.
Because an infant has prolonged dependency,
he/she has to be taken care by people around
him/her.
 Culture has been defined as all modes of
thought, behavior, and production that are
handed down from one generation to the next
by means of communicative interaction rather
than by genetic transmission.
 Culture as cultivation implies that every
human being is a potential member of hi/her
own social group. He/She is endowed with
certain innately useful qualities.
 However, he/she cannot develop these
inborn talents without the help of other
people.
Origin of Culture

Anthropologists believe that culture is a

product of human evolution. Humans
devised a common way of classifying
experiences and transmitting them
symbolically.
 Since these experiences were learned and
transmitted, developed distinctly, independent
from biological evolutions. Hence, a person
may transmit beliefs, values, norms or way of
life to another person even if they are not
related by blood.
 This view of culture argues that people
from different places develop distinct
cultures. However, elements of a culture can
be transmitted from one society to another.
 Elements of Culture 

 Material Culture
 Non-material Culture
Material Culture

It includes the physical objects a society

produces. These are tools, pieces of
furniture, clothing, automobiles, and
computer systems, to name a few.
 Awareness of these kinds of objects
created and how people use them brings
about greater understanding of culture of
society.
Non-material Culture

It consist of elements termed norms,

values, belief, and language shared by the
members of a society. Non-material culture
is considered as the carriers of culture.
 Elements of Non-material Culture 

 Language
 Beliefs
 Values
 Norms
Language

The most defining characteristics of the

human being is the ability to develop and a
use complex system of symbols like
language.
 A symbol, as sociologist says, is the very
foundation of culture. The essence of culture
is the sharing of meaning among members of
the society.
 Unless one shares the language of culture,
one cannot participate in it. Language
influences people’s way of perceiving,
behaving and feeling, thus, tends to define
and shape the world around them.
 It is through language that ideas, values,
beliefs and knowledge are transmitted,
expressed and shared.
Belief

These are ideas that people hold about any

part of the total reality surrounding them. It
shows how people see reality.
 The subject of human beliefs may be
infinite and may include ideas concerning the
individual, other people, and any aspects of
the biological, physical, social, and
supernatural world, be it primitive or
scientific.
Values

These are the shared ideas about desirable

goals. These are person’s ideas about worth
and desirability or an abstract of what is
important and worthwhile.
 Values makes up human judgments of
what is moral and immoral, good and bad,
right or wrong, beautiful and ugly, and so on.
Norms

These are shared rules of conduct that

specify how people should ought to think
and act. Norms is simply defined as specific
rules of behavior.
 Characteristics of Culture

 Culture is learned
 Culture is shared
 Culture is cumulative
 Culture is dynamic
 Culture is diverse
 Functions of Culture

The importance of culture cannot be

overemphasized. Although human beings
possess instinct, they generally rely on their
culture in order to survive. Next to this, are
some functions of culture.
 Culture helps people adapt to the demand
of the surrounding physical environment.

 Culture compensates for many human

physical limitations.

 Culture provides ways and means to

regulate human collective existence.
Cultural Relativism

The concept refers to the notion that each

culture should be evaluated according to its
own merits and standards rather than from the
standpoint or bases of a different culture.
 In other words, norms, values, and beliefs
should be judged only from the viewpoint of
the culture where they belong.
 The goal of cultural relativism is to
promote understanding of cultural practices
that are not typically part of one’s own
culture.
 Using the perspective of cultural relativism,
it leads to the view that no particular culture is
superior than another culture when compared
to systems of morality, law, politics, and so
on.
Filipino Values
Root of Filipino Values

There are three known origin of the

Filipino values. These are lifestyles, human
nature, and cultural inclination.
 The Patterns of Filipino Values

 Exogenous Pattern
 Indigenous Pattern
Exogenous Pattern

It is also identified as legal or formal. The

word itself would help us deduce its root to
the time when Filipinos began to form a link
with cultures.
Indigenous Pattern

It is considered traditional or non-formal

pattern of Filipino values. Indigenous values
are acquired in the subconscious mind.
 Filipino Values

 Bayanihan
 Family Closeness
 Hospitality
 Compassion
 Regionalism
 Friendliness
 Politeness
Bayanihan

The Filipino community spirit of

cooperation in which a group of individuals
extends a helping hand without expecting any
remuneration.
Family Closeness

The Filipino trait of prioritizing the family

above other things and maintaining the close
connections and cooperations among its
members.
Hospitality

The Filipino trait of being receptive and

generous to guests and to anybody that enters
into their homes.
Compassion

The Filipino trait of being kind and

emphatic to others even if the person is a not
known to them or a stranger.
Regionalism

The Filipino trait of giving his province

mates preferential treatment as well as
priority over natives of other provinces.
Friendliness

The Filipino quality of being friendly and

can easily get together with others in a
sincere, loyal, and kind ways.
Politeness

The Filipino quality of being courteous to

anybody, most especially to the eldars, and it
is usually associated with the used of Po and
Opo.
Filipino Values and Non-Filipino Culture

While it is true that Filipinos have their own

sense of values and valuing system, it is also
an accepted fact that these distinct values
came from the universal human needs and
wants.
 For instance everyone in the world has a
want to own a car. However, how serious the
Filipinos are on this want may be different
from that of the Americans.
 Bipolar Filipino Values

 Hiya or Shame
 Ningas Cogon or Procrastination
 Bahala Na or Resignation
 Mañana Habit
 Utang na loob or Indebtedness
Hiya or Shame

It gives the Filipinos a picture of

refinement, culture and education. It avoids
harshness or crudeness. This value limits the
Filipinos to desire so much and it gives them
peace of mind.
Bahala Na or Resignation

It has a positive effect because it is a

demonstration of dependence to God. Bahala
na is an expression of humility; it is the
opposite of arrogance. However, it also have
a negative effect because it legitimizes
laziness.
Mañana Habit

It allow things to move on their pattern.

They assure peace of mind in the person.
They are like allowing wound to heal on its
own. However, they also have a negative part.
It keeps problems to a heap until solving
them becomes impossible.
Utang na Loob or Indebtedness

It is a recognition of a favor. It is a way of

paying back something or a way of
repayment. It is also negative; the success of
one is like a debt to someone. This is one
weakness of the Filipinos that many times it
results to prejudices during elections.