UNDERSTANDING CULTURE,
SOCIETY, AND POLITICS
Subject Teacher
MELC
•Explain the importance of cultural
relativism in attaining cultural
understanding.
Learning Objectives
Sessions 3 and 4
•Become aware of why and how
cultural relativism mitigates
ethnocentrism.
•Identify forms of tangible and
intangible heritage and the threats to
these.
Cultural Relativism in
Attaining Cultural
Understanding
VIEWING OTHER
CULTURE PART 2
TOPICS
1. Cultural Universals
2. Ethnocentrism vs.
Xenocentrism
3. Cultural Relativism
Topic 1
Cultural Universals
What does cultural universal say?
•All cultures share patterns or
traits that are quite common
to all societies across the
globe.
Example of cultural universal
• Language as medium of communication is
absolute among societies.
• Food is basic human survival.
• Having personal names
• Celebration of births and weddings
• Sense of humor
Topic 2
Ethnocentrism vs.
Xenocentrism
ETHNOCENTRISM XENOCENTRISM
Belief: Belief:
• My culture is • I have higher
natural, correct, or appreciation for
superior while other other cultures than
people’s cultures are my own culture.
incorrect, unnatural,
or inferior.
ETHNOCENTRISM XENOCENTRISM
Belief: • Belief:
• Judging another • Having the desire to
culture solely by the engage with other
values and standard culture than his own
of one’s own culture culture
ETHNOCENTRISM EXAMPLE
Judging other countries’ way of calling their parents
OTHER CULTURE FILIPINO CULTURE
• Western countries call • This is rude. We use
their parents by their Nanay, Tatay, Mama or
first name. Papa, po and opo when
talking to our parents.
The display of respect in two cultures are different.
Many Filipinos tend to be ethnocentric toward the
Western culture.
OTHER EXAMPLES OF
ETHNOCENTRISM
• Judging other countries’ diets (dog meat in
Philippines versus shark meat in Japan, China)
• Expecting others to speak English (wherever
we are in the world)
• The use of chopsticks and spoon and fork
• Thinking you don’t have an accent.
• Judging women’s cultural outfits
THEREFORE,
•ETHNOCENTRISM
is a bias or a violent reaction where
you are illogically inclined to believe
that YOUR WAY OF DOING THINGS
IS BEST.
In Ethnocentrism
•CULTURAL IMPERIALISM
is the deliberate imposition of one’s
cultural belief on another culture.
However, a highly ethnocentric person can
experience…
•CULTURAL SHOCK
when exposed to new cultures. A
person may find it difficult to accept
other culture (like an OFW)
XENOCENTRISM EXAMPLE
•Many Filipinos prefer imported
products rather than locally-made
ones, thinking that the quality is
better if the product is made
abroad.
OTHER EXAMPLES OF
XENOCENTRISM
•Japan’s way of teaching discipline to
children is better than Filipinos’.
•America is the land of opportunity.
Philippines cannot give competitive
income.
THEREFORE,
•XENOCENTRISM
is a type of deviant behavior that
devalues one’s own culture and
overvalues other culture.
Topic 3
Cultural Relativism
Cultural Relativism
• No culture is inferior or superior.
• Requires an open mind and enthusiasm to
adapt to new cultures
• The practice of viewing another culture by its
own context rather than assessing it based on
the standards of one’s own culture.
(Abulencia & Parernal, 2016)
Objectives of Cultural Relativism
1. Avoid personal biases and assumptions
towards other culture.
2. Adapt to new cultures with open mind and
enthusiasm.
3. Understand a person’s beliefs and activities.
4. Apply cultural tolerance for interaction.
5. Respect the culture of others.
Example:
•An American traveler who
encountered balut for the first time
•Instead of being grossed out or
terrified, he tasted the delicacy to
get acquainted with its flavor.
THEREFORE,
•CULTURAL RELATIVISM
is the solution for ethnocentrism and
xenocentrism.
•It means to immerse oneself in
another culture in order to appreciate
it fully.
References
DepEd SLM
https://helpfulprofessor.com/examples-of-ethnocentrism/
