Changes in Culture

and Society
 Culture and
Cultural Change
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students are
expected to:
• identify the characteristics and functions of
culture;
• explain the idea of ethnocentrism; and
• become aware of the sources of cultural
change.
What is culture?
Culture is…
• shared patterns of behaviors and interactions,
cognitive constructs and understanding that
are learned by socialization

• "culture" derives from a French term, derived

from the Latin "colere," which means to tend to
the earth and grow, or cultivation and nurture
• consists of the values, beliefs, systems of
language, communication, and practices
that people share and that can be used to
define them as a collective
 It is social It is gratifying
because it is and idealistic. It is continuous
the product of and cumulative.
behavior

It is
It varies from Characteristics
transmitted
society to of Culture among members
society. of society.

It is shared. It is learned.
 Culture defines myths,
Culture defines situations. legends, and the
supernatural

Functions of
Culture

Culture defines Culture provides

attitudes, values, and behavior patterns.
goals.
Enculturation and Culture Shock
• Enculturation refers to the gradual
acquisition of the characteristics and norms
of a culture or group by a person, another
culture, etc.
• Culture shock, individuals who have stayed
for quite a good portion of their lives in a
foreign culture may be shocked by their
birth culture once exposed to it again.
Ethnocentrism
• ethno comes from the Greek, refers to a
people, nation, or cultural grouping
• centric comes from Latin and refers to the
center
• refers to the tendency of each other society
to place its own culture patterns at the
center of things
Ethnocentrism
• It is the practice of comparing other cultural
practices with those of one’s own and
automatically finding those cultural
practices to be inferior.
• It is the belief that your native culture is the
most natural or superior way of
understanding the world.
Functions of Ethnocentrism
1. It encourages the solidarity of a
group.
2. It hinders the understanding or the
cooperation between groups.
3. It becomes a vehicle for the promotion
of social change.
What is cultural
change?
• Horton & Hunt: “changes in the culture of society is
called cultural change.”
• Kingsley Davis: “cultural changes embarrasses
occurring in any branch of culture including, art,
science, technology, philosophy etc. as well as changes
in the forms and rules of social organization.”
• David Dressler and Donald Caens: “It is the
modification or discontinuance of existing ‘tried’ and
‘tested’ procedures transmitted to us from the culture of
the past, as well as the introduction of new procedures.”
How does culture change?
• Culture changes through developments in
technology, political belief and religious ideas.
• Cultural change occurs due to the diffusion of
ideas from one society to another.
• Cultural change also occurs through syncretism,
or when ideas from different cultures mix.
Sources of Cultural Change
• Discovery- It is a new perception of an aspect of
reality that already exists.

Example
People used to think that girls weren’t athletic. As girls
began to compete in sports, relationship between men
and women changed
Sources of Culture
• Invention- It is the combination or new use of existing
knowledge to produce something that did not exist
before.

Example
The invention of steam engine change our world.
Sources of Culture
• Diffusion- It is the spreading of cultural traits from
group to another group.

Example
-American food in the Philippines.
-Chinese traditions and beliefs in the Philippines.
Sources of Cultural Change
• Acculturation. It is cultural modification of an
individual, group, or people by adapting to or
borrowing traits from another culture.
Example
-Learning new language
-Modifying behavior to conform new social norms
Sources of Cultural Change
• Assimilation. It is the process of combination of
two cultures in to one culture with comprising
cultural traits.
Example
Discarding traditional fashion choices and
clothing in preference for the fashion of the
dominant culture.
Why is culture important to
society?
• It is constructed by our society.
• It reflects the inner workings of an individual society.
• It defines values, influences personality development and
influences career choices.
• Society could not function without cultural norms that
assist in governing behavior and values, and culture
could not exist without societal influences to create it.
Assignment
Bring the following next meeting for our poster
making activity.
1/8 illustration board
drawing and coloring materials
Acetate or plastic cover (optional only)
Activity—Draw Me a Culture (PT)
What is your idea about CULTURE and SOCIETY?
Draw a picture or make a poster that demonstrate
your culture.
Rubric in Poster Making
Category Descriptions Score Points

It shows the different

Content aspects/changes of culture 15

Clear and precise message of the

Creativity illustration with the concept of 15
society and culture.
Over-All Clean, organize, attractive, and
5
Presentation vibrant appearance.

Total 35