Cultural Variation Notes PDF

CULTURAL VARIATION GROUP 2  CULTURAL VARIATION refers to the rich diversity in social patterns that different human group exhibit around the world. Music, dance, languages, cuisine, and art are different parts of world, certain aspects of culture becomes dramatically unfamiliar. What happen...

CULTURAL VARIATION GROUP 2  CULTURAL VARIATION refers to the rich diversity in social patterns that different human group exhibit around the world. Music, dance, languages, cuisine, and art are different parts of world, certain aspects of culture becomes dramatically unfamiliar. What happened when we encounter different cultures? As we interact with different cultures other than our own, we become aware of the differences or diversity and commonalities between our own and the others’ world.  Note: We must remember that cultural variation or diversity do not only occur between people’s culture coming from different countries, but also between people with common to all societies. One CULTURAL example of cultural UNIVERSALS universal is the family unit. Every human group recognizes family as the building blocks of the society that regulates sexual reproduction and care of their children. Variation between Cultures Within a human group, certain segments of the society develop cultural patterns that differs from the patterns of the dominant society. 1. Subculture - is a culture that is shared with a distinctive pattern of mores, folkways, and values which differ from a larger society. The group of society who exhibit subculture have a specific and unique set of beliefs and values that set them apart from the dominant culture. 2. Counter Culture - is a culture practice by groups whose values and norms place it at odds with mainstream society or a group that actively rejects the dominant 3. High Culture - is a culture practiced and patronized by the upper classes of the society. Example: watching opera, classical music and live theater. 4. Popular Culture - is a culture practiced or patronized by the middle and working classes of the Ethnocentrism - is the regard that one’s own culture and society is the center of everything and seen as the most efficient and superior among the cultures in the world. Ethnocentrism can be so strong but when confronted with all of the differences of a new culture, one may experience culture Culture Shock - is the feeling of disoriented, uncertain, out of place or even fearful when immersed in an unfamiliar culture. Culture shocks may appear because people aren’t always expecting cultural  CULTURAL RELATIVISM Cultural Relativism is the practice by assessing a culture by its own standards rather that viewing it through the lens of one’s own culture. It is the practice that one must understood in the context of their locality.  Advantages of Cultural Relativism 1. It promotes cooperation. Embracing the differences of the different society can create cooperation because it allows a stronger bond with one another in the society. 2. Respect and Equality is encouraged. People from different culture with 3. It preserves human cultures. Respect with the diverse set of traditions, ideas and practices would help preserve the culture. 4. Cultural relativism creates a society without judgement. Worrying and practicing your own culture prevent disagreement & judgement in the society. Cultural Change - is observed when new opens up new ways of living and when new ideas enter a culture as a result of globalization.  Causes of Cultural Change 1. Discovery is the process of finding a new place or an object, artefact or anything that previously existed. For example, the discovery of fire led to the art of cooking; discovery of oil, of organisms and substances; of diseases; of atoms and sources of energy. 2. Invention implies a creative mental process of devising, creating and producing something new, novel or original; and also, the utilization and combination of previously known elements to produce that an original or novel product. It could be either social or material or it could also be invention of new methods or techniques. Example of social invention: invention of number system, government, language, democracy, religion, and alphabet Example of Material Invention: invention of the wheel, machines  Causes of Cultural Change 3. Diffusion is the spread of cultural traits or social practices from a society or group to another belonging to the same society or to another through direct contact with each other and exposure to new forms. It involves the following social processes a. Acculturation – cultural borrowing and cultural imitation Example: The Filipinos are said to be the best English- speaking people of Asia. b. Assimilation – the blending or fusion of two distinct cultures through long periods of interaction Example: Americanization of Filipino immigrants to the US c. Amalgamation – the biological or hereditary fusion of members of different societies Example: Marriage between a Filipino and an American  Causes of Cultural Change 4. Colonization refers to the political, social, and political policy of establishing a colony which would be subject to the rule or governance of the colonizing state. For example, the Hispanization of Filipino culture when the Spaniards came and conquered the Philippines. 5. Rebellion and revolutionary movements aim to change the whole social order and replace the leadership. The challenge the existing folkways and mores, and propose a new scheme of norms, values and organization Other Important Terms Related to Culture 1. Cultural diversity refers the differentiation of culture all over the world which means there is no right or wrong culture but there is appropriate culture for the need of a specific group of people. 2. Sub-culture refers to a smaller group within a larger culture. 3. Counterculture refers cultural patterns that strongly oppose those widely accepted within a society (example in the 1960”s counter culture among teenagers reflect long hair, blue jeans, peace sign, rock and roll music and drug abuse). Other Important Terms Related to Culture 4. Culture lag is experienced when some parts of the society do not change as fast as with other parts and they are left behind. 5. Culture shock is the inability to read meaning in one’s surroundings, feeling of lost and isolation, unsure to act as a consequence of being outside the symbolic web of culture that binds others. Other Important Terms Related to Culture 6. Ideal culture refers to the social patterns mandated by cultural values and norms. 7. Real culture refers to the actual patterns that only approximate cultural expectations. 8. High culture refers to the cultural patterns that distinguish a society’s elite. 9. Popular culture refers to the cultural patterns that are widespread among a society’s population. 10. Culture change is the manner by which culture evolves THANK YOU!