Ethnocentrism, Xenocentrism
and Cultural Relativism as
Orientations in Viewing Other
Cultures
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Cultural variation is the differences in
social behaviors and the rich diversity in
social patterns that different human
group exhibit around the world.
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What happens when
we encounter different
cultures?
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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.
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Cultural Universals are patterns or
traits that are globally common to all
societies.
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What are other
examples of Cultural
Universals?
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Variation between
Cultures
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1. Subculture is a culture that is shared
with a distinctive pattern of mores,
folkways, and values which differ from a
larger society.
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Examples:
a. Hanukah is lesser
Jewish festival lasting 8
days from the 25th day of
December and
commemorating the
rededication of the Temple.
It is marked by the
successive kindling of 8
lights.
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b. 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.
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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.
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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.
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3. High Culture is a culture practiced
and patronized by the upper classes of
the society.
Example: watching opera, classical
music and live theater
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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
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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.
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Xenocentrism is the opposite of
ethnocentrism, the belief that one’s
culture is inferior compared to others.
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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 an attempt to
judge behavior according to its cultural
context.
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Advantages of Cultural
Relativism:
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1. It promotes cooperation.
2. Respect and Equality is encouraged.
3. It preserves human cultures.
4. Cultural relativism creates a society
without judgement.
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Cultural Change is observed when new
opens up new ways of living and when
new ideas enter a culture as a result of
globalization.
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Other Important Terms
Related to Culture
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1. Cultural diversity - refers the
differentiation of culture all over the
world which means there is no right or
wrong culture.
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2. Sub-culture - refers to a smaller
group within a larger culture.
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3. Counterculture - refers cultural
patterns that strongly oppose those
widely accepted within a society
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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
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5. Culture shock - is the feeling of
disoriented, uncertain, out of place or
even fearful when immersed in an
unfamiliar culture.
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6. Ideal culture - refers to the social
patterns mandated by cultural values
and norms.
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7. Real culture - refers to the actual
patterns that only approximate cultural
expectations.
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8. High culture - refers to the cultural
patterns that distinguish a society’s elite
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9. Popular culture refers to the cultural
patterns that are widespread among a
society’s population.
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10. Culture change is the manner by
which culture evolves.