Chapter 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
Related Literature
A person’s superstition or beliefs define his or her identity where it belongs. It
also serves as a guide to this life’s decisions that even if it is said to be a no-nonsense
belief.
According to Money (2011), culture refers to the meaning and way of life that
defines a society. Therefore, what we do with our daily lives from waking up to bed is
part of the culture. Each culture has the meaning, importance of faction, attitude, and
color that should be expressed. It indicates the identity of the race.
Salazar, et al. (2011), argues that our society and culture have an “equal
perspective” if we all use concepts and behaviors that we all know, including the
relationships with each other. This happens only if the code is the same, meaning there is
a common link and connectivity of meanings.
Mendoza (2015), stressed that the Subanen religion is traditionally based on belief
and the exaltation of spirits and deities. They played instruments in song and dance for
weddings and other important occasions. They also have dances for wars, and rituals they
perform using “taltal”.
Along this context, Andrews (2010), asserted that people were blessed with
freedom of will. Participants as ordinary people show their nature to choose something
they think is good and right.
According to Panopio (2014), our culture is one of the most beautiful cultures in
the country, whether we have cultures that we don’t do or forget. Diversity of superstition
that we believe should still be appreciated. It is because by the influences surround our
society. By following the trends habits of the majority, we once tested the modernity in
which to maintain it and forget the habit of birth. We cannot even avoid because this is
the flow of the innovative generation we live in today.
Superstitious beliefs are beliefs that science cannot explain. Keeping it in our
society is the result of the continued obedience and belief of human. According to
Whitbourne (2014), superstitious behavior includes making rituals that produce a desire
or expectation of something or event. He added that these beliefs remain if a practice
results in his expected event.
It is said that individual has the belief that luck is one of their quality as a human
and that is possessed and controlled (Darke, 1993; Darke & Freedman, 1997; Kramer &
Block, 2010).
According to Life Skills (2008), as cited by Lopez et al. (2015), an individual
develops a belief in something by how they understand what they have observed and
experienced between their actions and events in their environment
The superstition also serves a good lesson in following and respecting it. Garzia
(2013), says that the qualities of a good child are having respect and obedience because
parents have more experience in life and can tell them what is good and harmful.
Meanwhile according to Fardin (2013), other than respect and obedience, another quality
is to be honest with the parent. These qualities are said to be general and will never
change over time and culture.
Related Studies
According to Siojo’s study (2015), he says that different beliefs in sayings and
superstition are part of our Filipino culture and are influenced by what is happening
around us or things that give people fear.
From Jovina (2013), ancient Filipinos are like people in other countries who
believed in the same standards as their usual guide to daily life. This belief reflects our
work, tradition, and even the skills that can describe our way of life. Filipinos have been
able to believe in the methods even though previous generations have not been defined
and continue to be used as the basis for the lifestyle of the majority. It is also important
for Filipino to be distributed because it gives clarity to what is happening around
such as natural tragedies (Gonda & Macalpo, 2012)
Dr. Florentino Hornedo said, quoted by Gonda & Macalpo (2012), says that the
intervention was just one way people used to explain things around them because in the
past people had not had enough knowledge of society on scientific matters. Also included
in believing in these schemes is the hope of improving everything around them; Goretti
(2013), added from his blog, ancient people rely solely on their environment. With the
number of foreigners who have occupied us and the distance of civilization, we have had
different beliefs. Many things have influenced the minds of the majority and seem to be
unable to pay attention to indigenous beliefs just like superstition.
Posadas and Fernandez (2015), each generation provides guidance and direction
to the next generation. Thus, the researchers assessed whether these methods continued to
exist through generations and whether they were even using them as a means of living
Filipinos.
According to the study by Lopez [Link] (2015), it clearly demonstrates people’s
inherent fear of death as well as the health issue because the dead’s numbness is
associated with death, the compliance of this belief is becoming a way of preserving the
lives and health of those who have been lost and visiting the dead. In addition, many
believe in supernatural element or souls.
In addition to the study by Lopez [Link] (2015), it is inevitable that the sensitivity of
shaping a person’s mind over time is built up as a result of an individual’s appreciation,
beliefs, and dreams. Learning and maintaining the distribution can be attributed to the
value of the family. It is also undeniable that the Filipino family is known for the term
“strong family ties that means a strong family relationship. The family's influence on the
character and thinking of the Filipinos is so strong that you are willing to do and believe
in everything just to improve the lives of each of its members. Their study also insisted
that belief in the superstition could be intergenerational or pass from previous generations
that it was so strong and deeply engraved in its consciousness. It is also said that the
superstitions are part of the Filipino culture that our ancestors had put together (Andres is
Andres, 1987) as cited by Lopez et. al, (2015). This means that the superstition is already
part of the history that the Philippines has. The initial Filipino and the participants were
considered to be evidence that the superstitions would continue to be testified and
handled by the Filipinos.
According to Ivan Pavlov's theory of Classical Conditioning, humans like animals
that can learn because of repeated encounters of things that eventually lead to the
conditioning of minds in such events. This means that participants who have experienced
the prohibited superstition but have not experienced the accompanying punishments have
been condition. Despite doing the prohibited things according to the superstition, they
knew that nothing bad would happen to them because they had done or experienced them
but nothing happened to them. This experience affected their acceptance of the
superstition.
By following the scheme, an individual can avoid repentance because of negative
consequences for not following the superstition. It is said that when something is
expected to be regretted, it will and will cause a strong feeling to help a person avoid
potential dangers or dangers that occur (Dean,2012). Thus, to avoid repenting, some
participants strive to follow the sayings of the superstition they know and in this way,
they are worried that there is luck to come or avoid bad luck.
According to a study by Legare, [Link] (2013), there are evidences proves that until
now there are still many people who continue to live their beliefs as long as they live,
even if events are explained by natural belief.
It was confirmed in an interview with Atty. Lagudas of NCIP (2018) that they
would never forget their superstition because the National Commission of Indigenous
Peoples (NCIP) has a program to implement. They had 3 to 4 meetings in a month that
included Timoay, Barangay Captain, Barangay Councilors and NCIP to discuss cultural
development and protect the rights of Subanens.
In addition to the study by Lindema and Svedholm (2012), the beliefs should be
considered superstitious or attractive until it designates the fundamental characteristics of
an ontological category (e.g., the ability to bring external events.)
But this belief is not hindrance to individuals with mental inadequacy. More than
half of those surveyed from Americans, knocking on the wood and nearly a quarter avoid
walking under the stairs. (CBC News, 2012).
