PHILIPPINE POPULAR CULTURE
Lesson 1: Nature of Culture
CULTURE
• The word culture was derived from a French term, which in turn derives from the Latin
colere, which means to tend to the earth and grow, or cultivation and nurture.
• Culture consists of the beliefs, behaviors, objects, and other characteristics common to the
members of a particular group or society. Through culture, people and groups define
themselves, conform to society's shared values, and contribute to society. Thus, culture
includes many societal aspects: language, customs, values, norms, mores, rules, tools,
technologies, products, organizations, and institutions.
• A culture consists of the “objects” of a society, whereas a society consists of the people who
share a common culture.
ASPECTS OF CULTURE:
A set of patterns of human activity within a community or social group and the symbolic
structures that give significance to such activity is called Culture. There are different aspects of
culture such as:
1. Material Culture refers to physical or technological aspects of our daily lives. They are tangible
in our environment (man-made) and intended for human survival. Some example of this are: food
items, dresses, buildings and factories and other raw materials, among others.
2. Non – Material Culture. This aspect of culture refers to the cultural adjustments to material
conditions such as customs, philosophies, beliefs, governments, pattern of communication and
even ways of using the material objects.
3. Cultural Lag. It is the period of maladjustment when the non-material culture is adopting to the
new normal conditions. Example of this is the ethics on privacy of censorship on the usage of
internet.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE
➢ CULTURE IS LEARNED AND ACQUIRED
○ Culture is not instinctive nor part or biological equipment of man. It is acquired
through the senses and experiences from the neighbors, family, playmates, schools,
churches, and other agents of socialization.
➢ CULTURED IS SHARED AND TRANSMITTED.
○ To continuously preserve culture, it is best to share to other people or to transmit it
to the next generation, or else it will die a natural death.
➢ CULTURE IS ADAPTIVE OR DYNAMIC
○ Culture is always changing. New ideas, procedures, and techniques are added,
modified or discarded. People must be prepared and ready to conform to these
changes.
➢ CULTURE IS COMULATIVE
○ Certain features of culture have been retained today and they modified and
innovated to make them new and update.
➢ CULTURE IS IDEATIONAL
○ Culture is ideal pattern of behavior which the members are expected to follow. Thus,
the members of society see society from the standpoint of culture.
➢ CULTURE GRATIFIES HUMAN NEEDS.
○ Cultures continues to exist if it satisfies human needs biologically and
psychologically. An individual is likely to follow and observe cultural techniques that
satisfy his needs.
➢ CULTURAL IS SOCIAL
○ Culture is a group product developed by many individuals interacting in a group. The
habits and knowledge of the members in a group is shared by the other members.
➢ CULTURAL IS INTEGRATION
○ By integration, it means that there is a tendency for individuals to fully appreciate
those elements in culture that are best for them and these are very often integrated in
their personality and become a part of their behavior.
FUNCTIONS OF CULTURE
➢ IT SERVES AS THE TRADEMARK OF THE PEOPLE IN A SOCIETY.
○ It serves as a distinguishing mark of one group of people to another.
➢ IT GIVES MEANING TO MAN'S EXISTENCE.
○ There is no society that does not have a culture. Through culture, the existence of the
members of a society becomes more meaningful and purposive
➢ CULTURE UNIFIES DIVERSE BEHAVIOR.
○ Each individual behavior that is brought into the society is unified and coordinated
with other individual's behavior.
➢ CULTURE PROVIDES SOCIAL SOLIDARITY.
○ It develops loyalty and devotion for a common national pride.
➢ CULTURE ESTABLISHES SOCIAL PERSONALITY.
○ Despite differences among individuals, there is only one social personality that is
produced in society.
➢ CULTURE PROVIDES SYSTEMATIC BEHAVIORAL PARTTERN.
○ Individuals are governed by culture. Each culture consists of one norm as basis for all
individuals to observe.
➢ CULTURE PREDICTS SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
○ Since knowledge and ideas are internalized by the members of a particular society, the
culture of the members can be the basis of predicting the behavior of the members in
the society
➢ CULTURE PROVIDES SOCIAL STRUCTURE CATEGORY.
○ The existing culture of the people in a certain society could be the basis of judging the
kind of social structure existing in the society.
ELEMENTS OF CULTURE
Culture combines many elements to create a unique way of living way of living for different
people.
1. SYMBOLS. A symbol is anything that is used to understand for something else. People who share
a culture often attach a specific meaning to an object, gesture, sound, or image.
Ex. Mano or Pagmamano
2. LANGUAGE. It is a system of words and symbols used to communicate, with other people. This
includes full language as we usually think of them, such as English, Tagalog, etc. But also includes
body language, slang, and common phrases that are unique to certain groups of people.
Ex. Cultural languages, lip pointing, nodding and raising eyebrows with smile, silent looks
3. VALUES. It is the culture standard for discerning what is good and just in society. Values are
deeply embedded and critical for transmitting and teaching a culture’s belief. It helps shape a society
by suggesting what is good and bad, beautiful and ugly, sought or avoided. Values often suggest how
people should behave, but they don’t accurately reflect how people do behave. It portray an ideal
culture; the standards society would like to embrace and live up to.
Ex. The term Bahala na
4. NORMS. Cultures differ widely in their norms, or standards and expectations for having.
2 Types of Norms:
a. Formal Norms
- also called mores and laws
- refer to the standards of behavior considered the most important in any society.
b. Informal Norms
- Also called folkways and customs
- Refer to standards of behavior that are considered less important but still
influence how we behave.
LAYERS OF CULTURE
1. The national level - associated with the nation as a whole.
2. The regional level - associated with ethnic, linguistic, or religious differences that exist within a
nation.
3. The gender level - associated with the differences between grandparents and parents, parents
and children.
4. The social class level – associated with educational opportunities and differences in occupation.
5. The corporate level – associated with the particular culture of an organization. Applicable to
those who are employed