CULTUR E A N D I T S

INFLU E N CE O N
MORALITY
I C R O S S -C U LT UR AL
ERS OF M ORA L BEHAVIOR
PROVID AT IV IS M A N D ITS
LTUR A L R E L
RELATIONSHIP I CU V A N TAGES
ES A N D D IS A D
ADVANTAG
CULTURE
• It is derived from the Latin word “cultus” which
means care – a care and attention provided to a
human person as he grows into a mature person.
• According to Allan G. Johnson, culture is the sum of
symbols, ideas, forms of experience, and material
products associated with a social system.
• It is a dynamic medium through which societies
create a collective way of life reflected in such
things as beliefs, values, arts, science, religion, ritual,
technology, and others.
 PROVID E R S O F
M O RA L B E H A V I O R
IN A C U LT U R E
THE FAMILY
The family, being the smallest unit of society, plays a
very important role in the development of personality
and values formation of children. It regulates the sexual
behavior of every member of the family. There are norms
and rules governing sexual relations. Children are taught
to follow and observe the family's norms, values, beliefs,
and behavior that are appropriate to members of society.
It also maintains order and harmony. Without it,
everything is in disarray.
THE SCHOOL
The school helps preserve, perpetuate, modify, and
integrate the conditions of human life by promoting
teachings and learnings. Through education, knowledge,
skills, attitudes, and values are acquired, shared, and
transmitted to other members of society. The school
does not only teach the basic skills. It also changes and
modifies negative attitude and values in the individual
so that he would become a happy, integrated, well-
disciplined and morally right member of society.
THE CHURCH
The church also plays a very significant role in the lives
of the members. The church promotes interaction
among its members in order to foster unity and group
solidarity. Through preaching, listening, and watching
church activities, the individual is able to understand the
meaning of his existence. It also helps the individual
acquire self-confidence, moral and identity that would
influence his goals, values, and convictions.
THE GOVERNMENT
The government exists for the benefit of the people. It
promotes economic and socio-cultural well-being of the
people. It administers justice, fairness, promotes
progress and development, security and protection. It
also defines and punishes individuals for crimes
committed. It also supports cultural transformation for
the people to attain quality of life.
THE WORKPLACE
In the contemporary world, high technology and computerization
have important roles in the conduct of employees and workers in
the workplace. Advanced highly technical work have changed the
life of the workers. It has made their work increasingly easy and
reliable. There were increase leisure time activities, recreational
facilities, and emphasis on personal fulfillment. Generally, children
and adolescents are more aggressive in their behavior than
before. Many do not attend classes or escape from their classes to
attend to their video games or computer games. In short, there
are good and bad things that a computer can do due to the
advancement of science that influence their moral behavior.
C R O S S - C U LT U RA L
RELATI O N S H I P
The cross-cultural relationship is the idea that people from
different cultures can have relationships that acknowledge,
respect and begin to understand each other's diverse lives.
People with different backgrounds can help each other see
possibilities that they never thought were there because of
limitations, or cultural prohibitions, posed by their own traditions.
Traditional practices in certain cultures can restrict opportunity
because they are "wrong" according to one specific culture.
Becoming aware of these new possibilities will ultimately change
the people that are exposed to the new ideas. This cross-cultural
relationship provides hope that new opportunities will be
discovered but at the same time it is threatening. The threat is
that once the relationship occurs, one can no longer claim that
any single culture is the absolute truth.
 CU L T U R A L
RE L AT I VI S M
MEALTIME:
SCENARIO: IN CULTURE A, IT IS NORMAL TO EAT MEALS WITH THE
HANDS. HOWEVER, IN CULTURE B, IT IS CONSIDERED POLITE TO
USE UTENSILS SUCH AS FORKS AND KNIVES FOR EATING.
FAMILY STRUCTURES:
SCENARIO: IN CULTURE C, IT IS COMMON FOR EXTENDED FAMILIES
TO LIVE TOGETHER IN ONE HOUSEHOLD, WITH GRANDPARENTS,
PARENTS, AND CHILDREN SHARING LIVING SPACE AND
RESPONSIBILITIES. CONTRASTINGLY, IN CULTURE D, FAMILIES
LIVING SEPARATELY FROM EXTENDED RELATIVES ARE MORE
PREVALENT.
GENDER ROLES:
SCENARIO: IN CULTURE E, TRADITIONAL GENDER ROLES DICTATE THAT
WOMEN ARE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR HOUSEHOLD CHORES AND
CHILDCARE, WHILE MEN ARE THE MAIN BREADWINNERS. IN CULTURE F,
GENDER ROLES ARE LESS FIRM, WITH MEN AND WOMEN SHARING
RESPONSIBILITIES BOTH AT HOME AND IN THE WORKFORCE.
GREETINGS:
SCENARIO: IN CULTURE G, IT IS CUSTOMARY TO GREET OTHERS WITH A
HANDSHAKE, MAINTAINING DIRECT EYE CONTACT. IN CONTRAST, IN
CULTURE H, IT IS POLITE TO BOW SLIGHTLY WHEN GREETING SOMEONE,
AND PROLONGED EYE CONTACT MAY BE CONSIDERED INTRUSIVE.
EXPRESSIONS OF EMOTION:
SCENARIO: IN CULTURE K, PEOPLE EXPRESS EMOTIONS SUCH AS JOY,
SADNESS, OR ANGER OPENLY AND DEMONSTRATIVELY, OFTEN WITH LOUD
VOCALIZATIONS AND PHYSICAL GESTURES. IN CULTURE L, INDIVIDUALS TEND
TO BE MORE RESERVED IN EXPRESSING EMOTIONS, PREFERRING SUBTLE
CUES AND MAINTAINING COMPOSURE IN PUBLIC SETTINGS.
PERSONAL SPACE AND TOUCH:
SCENARIO: IN CULTURE M, PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE STANDING CLOSE TO
EACH OTHER DURING CONVERSATIONS AND MAY ENGAGE IN FREQUENT
PHYSICAL CONTACT, SUCH AS HANDSHAKES, HUGS, OR KISSES ON THE
CHEEK. HOWEVER, IN CULTURE N, THERE IS A GREATER EMPHASIS ON
PERSONAL SPACE, AND PHYSICAL TOUCH MAY BE LIMITED TO CLOSE FAMILY
MEMBERS OR INTIMATE FRIENDS.
When we recognize that the many cultures of the world have
their own beliefs, values, and practices that have developed in
particular historical, political, social, material, and ecological
contexts and that it makes sense that they would differ from our
own and that none are necessarily right or wrong or good or bad,
then we are engaging the concept of cultural relativism.

The concept of cultural relativism as we know and use it today

was established as an analytic tool by German-American
anthropologist Franz Boas in the early 20th century.
Cultural relativism is the ability to understand a culture on its
own terms and not to make judgments using the standards of
one's own culture. The goal of this is promote understanding of
cultural practices that are not typically part of one's own culture.
Using the perspective of cultural relativism leads to the view that
no one culture is superior than another culture when compared
to systems of morality, law, politics, etc. It is a concept that
cultural norms and values derive their meaning within a specific
social context. This is also based on the idea that there is no
absolute standard of good or evil, therefore every decision and
judgment of what is right and wrong is individually decided in
each society.
 ADVAN TA G E S A N D
DISADVAN T A G E S O F
U LT U RAL R E L AT I VI S M
C
ADVANTAGES
• It is a system which promotes cooperation.
• It creates a society where equality is possible.
• People can pursue a genuine interest.
• Respect is encouraged in a system of cultural relativism.
• It preserves human cultures.
• It creates a society without judgment.
• We can create personal moral codes based on societal
standards with ease.
DISADVANTAGES
• It would create chaos.
• It is an idea that is based on the perfection of humanity.
• It draws people away from one another.
• It creates a system that is fueled by personal bias.
• It could limit moral progress.
• Cultural relativism can turn perceptions into truth.
 MIDTERM PROJECT:
ROLE PLAY
• You will be divided into two groups.
• The first group shall create a role play
depicting cultural relativism and its advantages
while the second group will highlight its
disadvantages.
• The role play shall run from 25 to 30 minutes,
including the preparation time.
 RUBRIC
• Content
– 30%
• Quality of Scenario
– 30%
• Character Portrayal
– 30%
• Overall Impact
– 10%