Week 4: Ethnocentrism, Xenocentrism and Cultural
Relativism as Orientations in Viewing Other Cultures
Cultural variation is the differences in social behaviors that different
cultures exhibit around the world. What may be considered good etiquette in one
culture may be considered bad etiquette in another. In relation to this, there are
important perceptions on cultural variability: ethnocentrism, xenocentrism and
cultural relativism.
Ethnocentrism is a perception that arises from the fact that cultures differ
and each culture defines reality differently. This happens when judging another
culture solely by the values and standards of one’s own culture (Baleña,
et.al,2016). This is the tendency to see and evaluate other cultures in terms of
one’s own race, nation or culture. This is the feeling or belief that one’s culture is
better than the rest. Whereas, xenocentrism is the opposite of ethnocentrism, the
belief that one’s culture is inferior compared to others. People are highly
influenced by the culture or many culture outside the realm of their society. This
could be one of the effects of globalization. Exposure to cultural practices of
others may make one individual or group of individuals to give preference to the
ideas, lifestyle and products of of other culture.
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.
A person who exhibits ethnocentrism feels that his or her culture is correct
and appropriate as compared to other cultures thus an ethnocentric attitude can be a
problem in understanding each other culture and foster tensions, misunderstanding
and conflicts between societies.
Ethnocentrism can be so strong but when confronted with all of the
differences of a new culture, one may experience culture shock.
Culture Shock is the feeling of disoriented, uncertain, out of place or even
fearful when immersed in an unfamiliar culture.
As people experience unanticipated differences from their own culture, their
excitement gives way to discomfort and doubts how to behave appropriately in the
new situation. However, while people learn more about the culture, eventually they
will recover from culture shock.
Culture shocks may appear because people aren’t always expecting cultural
differences. People evaluates the particular culture based on their own culture
which often give problems and bias due to his or her own perspective that his or
her culture is the efficient and appropriate for the environment.
When faced with plurality of culture, one must adapt the conceptual tool of
cultural relativism.
Cultural relativism is an attempt to judge behavior according to its cultural
context (Baleña, et.al,2016). It is a principle that an individual person’s beliefs and
activities should be understood by others in terms of that individual’s own culture.
This concept emphasizes the perspective that no culture is superior to any other
culture (Arcinas, 2016) because (a) different societies have different moral code;
(b) the moral code of a society determines what is right or wrong within the
society; (c) there are no moral truths that hold for all people at all times; (d) the
moral code of our own society has no special status, it is but one among many; and
(e) it is arrogant for us to judge other cultures, so we have to be tolerant to them.
We all belong to one specie. You may have noticed that we have different
physical characteristics, behavioral patterns, languages, cultural patterns and
environmental conditions.
Human are social being. Since the dawn of Homo sapiens around 250,000
years ago, people formed groups or communities in order to survive. Living
together as one in one community, people had formed common habits and
behaviors from hunting techniques to family fostering.
As each human group experiences different environmental conditions,
cultural variations are established.
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.
Practicing cultural relativism requires an open mind and a willingness to
consider, and even adapt to, new values and norms. Using the lens of cultural
relativism, member of the society can be more tolerant towards different attitudes
and practices of others’ culture. It also promotes the idea that a society has to be
viewed from inside so that the inner aspects can be explained.
Ferraro and Andretta as mentioned by Custodio advocate that cultural
relativism is more culturally relative approach in understanding human group.
They said that one can build emotional resilience by understanding one’s culture
by not necessarily mean to offend them but be guided by their own cultural norms.
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
different ideas that share their own perspectives and experiences in the society can
promote respect and equality.
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.
Culture is evolving. New things are added to material cultures every day can
cause cultural change.
Cultural Change is observed when new opens up new ways of living and
when new ideas enter a culture as a result of globalization.
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 from one culture to another.
The variation in human conditions promotes diversity in cultural traditions.
What may be considered good practice in one culture may be considered bad
practice in one another.
Comparing the traditions practiced by Muslims that pork serve in their meals
are forbidden because it says in their Holy Quran while for Christian community,
pork is a part of their meal.
As people travel farther, moving from different regions to entirely 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 different practices within the same country.
Comparison of one’s culture to another reveal obvious differences but all cultures
share common elements.
Cultural Universals are patterns or traits that are globally common to all
societies.
One example of cultural 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.
Another example of cultural universal is the language and the concept of
giving names to member of the family.
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.
Examples:
Hanukah is lesser Jewish festival
lasting 8 days from the 25th day of
Kislev (in December) and
commemorating the rededication of
the Temple in 165BC by the
Maccabees after its desecration by the
Syrians. It is marked by the successive
kindling of 8 lights.
Photo Courtesy of Flash90 (https://www.slideshare.net/
CarlPatrickTade o1/human-cultural-
variation-social-
differences)
Cockfighting is a blood sport in
which two roosters specifically bred
for aggression are placed beak to beak
in a small ring and encouraged to fight
to the death.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockf
ight)
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 cultural values and norms.
Example:
Paramilitary is a semi-militarized force whose organizational
structure, tactics, trainings, and functions are similar to professional military
and not included as a parts of formal armed forces like NPA and ISIS
groups.
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 society.
Example: Watching soap opera over the televisions, movies and rock concerts
Many cultures around the world believe that their beliefs, practices are in
fact superior to that of others. This mentality sometime leads to discrimination and
ostracism.
