Javier, Jhaezel P.

November 13, 2022

AB PSYCH 1A Understanding Cultures
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1. Briefly discuss the origin and definition of culture.

Culture is also known as the way of life for an entire society which includes
arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation
to generation that are being cultivated and nourished by the people as part of their
responsibilities and obligations as citizens. It also involves the codes of manners,
dress, language, religion, rituals, art, and norms of behavior, such as morality and
laws, and systems of belief that is a reflection of a society’s rich history through
heritage.

The term "culture," from the Latin word cultura, which means "cultivation,"
was first introduced in ancient history by the Roman scholar Cicero. The word
"culture" first represented a process of cultivation or improvement, such as in
horticulture or agriculture, in the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe. The phrase
evolved in the 19th century to describe to both the accomplishment of national
objectives or ideals as well as the improvement or adaptation of the individual,
particularly through education. Some scientists in the middle of the 19 th century
used “culture” to represent a universal human capacity. And in the 20th century,
"culture" evolved as a core concept in anthropology, incorporating a wide variety
of human practices that cannot be explained to genetic inheritance.

2. What are types and features of culture? Explain briefly.

The various types of culture are Material Culture and Non-material Culture.

Material Culture is the culture that we can all physically interact with by the use of

our senses which are objects that are made and belongs to the people in a society

such as establishments, clothing, tools, decorations, money and the like. Non-

material Culture concerns to the abstract ideas and ways of thinking that make up

a culture, these are nonphysical and symbolistic aspects of representation of culture

which involves beliefs, morals, norms, worship and ethics.

Culture has five basic features: It is learned, shared, symbolic, integrated,

and dynamic. All cultures share these basic features. Culture is learned because it

is developed through experiences and education of each individual. Culture is

shared due to people verbally or non-verbally transmitting certain ideas, customs,

and values from one generation to another. Culture is based on symbols since there

are many representations of one’s culture that can manifest in certain aspects like

language, art and money. Culture is integrated because a country or a society can

adapt to other foreign culture but also maintains their own culture, and lastly

Culture is dynamic because culture have the ability to change through generations
that are passing due to many external influences like the foreign trades and being

globally competitive in this 20th century.

3. Show and explain the Iceberg Model of Culture

 EDWARD T. HALL’S ICEBERG MODEL OF CULTURE

Edward T. Hall proposed in 1976 that culture was like an iceberg. The large

number, or 90%, of culture (internal or deep culture), as shown by his theory, is

hidden beneath the surface and only roughly 10% of culture (external or surface

culture) is easily visible. Hall contends that engaging actively in another culture is

the only way to understand its internal culture. Only the most noticeable behaviors

are visible when one first enters a new culture. The underlying beliefs, values, and

thought patterns that control that behavior will become clearer as one spends more

time in that new culture. This model reminds us that we cannot judge a new culture

just on what we immediately discover. We must make the effort to interact and get

to know members of that culture. We can only achieve this if we want to

understand the values and beliefs that inspire that society's actions.

4. Explain the differences between the following and give five examples for

each type:

A. Acculturation - Acculturation is the 'process of acquiring and adopting

the values, beliefs, language, traditions and mannerisms of the new

country immigrants and their families are living in, including activities

that affect health like food habits, activity levels and substance use.

(Immigrant Medicine, 2007)

 [1] [2]
Examples: Traveling to a new country and tasting the cuisine. Making new
[3] [4]
friends from another race/culture. Adopting a culture’s slang. Watching a

culture’s local films. [5] Learning a new language.

B. Enculturation – Enculturation is the process of an individual learning

about their own culture, and grows as a fully functioning member of the

society, enculturation starts within the family of a developing child.

While acculturation is not an essential requirement for survival because it

is just simply learning a new culture of another society, enculturation is

important for our own survival.

Examples: [1] Learning values from parents. [2] Muslim parents teaching their

kids how to pray. [3] Student raising hand in school before speaking. [4] Filipino

kid being reminded by their mother to pray before going to bed. [5] People passing

the jeepney fare to one another until it reaches the driver.

C. Assimilation - In anthropology and sociology, assimilation refers to the

process through which people or groups with different ethnic origins are

absorbed into the dominant culture of a society. Assimilation is the

process of adopting characteristics from the dominant culture to the point

when the group assimilating becomes socially unrecognizable from other

members of the society. Assimilation is therefore the most extreme type

 of acculturation. Although assimilation may be forced or voluntary, it is

uncommon for a minority group to entirely replace its prior cultural

customs.

Examples: [1] Foreign exchange students studying about Rizal’s life and works.

[2] Korean student adopts Japanese as his second language when studying in

Japan. [3] Filipino student not being able to tell apart in an American class because

of his knowledge in slangs and trends. [4] African student adopts fashion style

from her Australian classmates. [5] American immigrant gets comfortable when

eating with his hands due to his Filipino girlfriend’s family lifestyle influence.

D. Diffusion - The process of knowledge, innovation, language, or cultural

aspects spreading within or between countries or populations is known as

cultural diffusion. In other terms, it is the process of cultural adaptation,

where members of one culture adopt characteristics from another.

Diffusion can occur in a variety of ways, such as trade, war, migration,

and communication.

Examples: [1] The popularization of pasta and pizza all over the world when it is

originated from Italy. [2] Kpop boy bands/girl bands have many supporters not

only locally but internationally. [3] Jeans being worn by Western descents such as

cowboys and now being worn by people globally and does not fall down in the
fashion trends. [4] Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish but is available to all parts of

the world. [5] The widespread use of smartphones as one of the most essential

tools within the technological age.

E. Interculturation - Interculturation refers to the blending of cultures

between groups residing in a common environment, such as a community

or civilization like a mutual exchange. While participating, the groups do

not necessarily abandon their own culture. The term "interculturation"

has the opposite effect of "assimilation," which implies the elimination of

one culture by another that is more dominant, such as the erasure of

African and/or Asian culture by colonial European civilization.

Interculturation celebrates the interactions between people from various

racial, religious, and cultural backgrounds in a certain group or in society

as a whole.

Examples: [1] American tourist being provided by the Filipino’s hospitality and the

Filipinos gaining motivation to learn more about the tourist. [2] Indian exchange

student in a Filipino school being taught certain customs by his classmates, and he

also teach his classmates his own practices that he was accustomed to. [3]

Christian students respecting a Muslim classmate’s decision to not lead a Christian

prayer. [4] Filipino music enjoyer recommending an OPM artist to make his

Korean friend listen to it, as his Korean friend recommended a Korean R&B artist
to his Filipino friend. [5] Filipino wife cooking her Italian boyfriend a Filipino stir-

fried dish, and her boyfriend cooking her the finest Italian pasta dish.

5. Share your perspectives/ learnings about your personal and family cultures.

In my family, we are accustomed to be religious since majority of us in the

family tree are huge devotees of Mother Mary and Jesus Christ, especially when

we have our grandparents around we are always praying the rosary regularly,

attend religious gatherings like Sabbath day, celebrate Easter, Lent, and even

Christmas. As a family we always value not only the Filipino God-centeredness

but also our togetherness as a family that we are one family connected with one

another, and so we also like to go in many places to ignite our bonds with another.

Apart from that, some family cultures I have adopted is from my mother, she

reminds me to always clean and be always decent in front of other people and to

help people in times of need. And having discipline to my very own self in order to

be more responsible, reliable and a productive functioning member of the society.

Being a good member of the family, of God and within the community.
References:

 https://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/mph-modules/PH/CulturalAwareness/
CulturalAwareness2.html#:~:text=Culture%20can%20be%20defined
%20as,%2C%20religion%2C%20rituals%2C%20art

 https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Sociology/
Introduction_to_Sociology/Book%3A_Sociology_(Boundless)/
03%3A_Culture/3.03%3A_Culture_and_Adaptation/3.3A
%3A_The_Origins_of_Culture

 https://www.slideshare.net/kamranishfaq/lecture-06culture-and-types

 https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/culture-and-societies/
material-and-nonmaterial-culture

 https://nideffer.net/classes/GCT_RPI_S14/readings/
Chap8CharacteristicsofCulture.htm

 https://uca.edu/training/files/2019/09/Culture-as-an-Iceberg.pdf (photo of
the Iceberg Model)

 https://www.spps.org/cms/lib/MN01910242/Centricity/Domain/125/
iceberg_model_3.pdf

 https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/
acculturation#:~:text=Acculturation%20can%20be%20defined
%20as,activity%20levels%20and%20substance%20use.

 Pauls, E. Prine (2022, September 21). assimilation. Encyclopedia

Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/assimilation-society

 https://simplysociology.com/cultural-diffusion.html

 https://www.cxc.org/SiteAssets/CAPE2007SchoolReports/CAPE_June
%202007_CaribbeanStudiesSR.pdf