Gender and Society - Module 4

CULTURE AND RATIONALITIES
A. INTRODUCTION:
This lesson will discuss the difference between instinct and culture. Moreover,
this chapter will also explain the factors that make human distinct from other beings and
how humans make meaning out of our experience.
B. LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. State the effects of culture on a person’s perception of gender and sexuality
2. Explain how rationalities shape sexism and discrimination
C. TOPICS:
1. Instinct and Culture
2. Cultures can Change
D. CHECKING WHAT I ALREADY KNOW
Look at the images below. Label the images by the abstract concept it represents. Explain
your answer.
1.
2.
3.
E. LET’S EXPLORE
Instinct and Culture
Human beings, unlike animals, are not heavily dependent on instinct. Certainly,
instinctual aspects are present in specific actions such as breathing, making sounds when
surprised or shocked, upright walking or choosing between fight or flight.
• What makes humans distinct from other beings is their ability to use systems of meaning
that tell people what is right or wrong, and good or evil.
• Clifford Geertz calls this frame of understanding culture.
• Culture – is a set of symbols that enables people to give meaning to their experience, and
bears the gained knowledge of people coded into symbols. This system of meaning helps
people interpret the happenings around them, and how they can respond appropriately to
the experience.
• Each person has shortcuts in giving meanings and responses imbibed into the system.
Culture provides these shortcuts to people for meaningful interpretation and responses.
• Because a culture is handed down through generations, everyone knows that doctors cure
you when you are sick; that profit is always good; that women raise children and that men
should set time aside to drink with their friends.
• Above examples are ideas that we automatically accept as true because our culture told us
so.
• This is what culture does: it takes the place of instinct to give people a quick
representation and response based on collective experience to the things that confront
them.
Culture can Change
• Culture is above instinct because it can adapt to changes in experience (it is malleable).
Culture changes when its framing of reality is no longer useful in the present time.
Culture changes while instinct will need generations of mutations before it can change
because it is genetically-encoded.
Examples:
• Publicizing oneself in social media like facebook, Instagram, and twitter
• Becoming a vegetarian
• The problem with this kind of system, is when culture orients people to act in a certain
harmful way and individuals act destructively toward others without conscious
awareness.
• If oppression of women is in the culture of a certain community, people are almost

always programmed by the system to act this way.
• This mentality is worrisome because it means that we do not act on our free will when
we do unjust things. However, there is hope because it means that our behavior caused by
the system can be changed.
• Thus, we can work together to change these systems. Culture can change when its
system of meaning no longer serves human flourishing.
To illustrate this point, examine microaggression as a form of violence.
• Microaggression refers to “hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults that
can cause potentially harmful or unpleasant psychological impacts on the target person or
groups”
• Some effects of microaggression include internalized emotions such as guilt, resentment,

anger, as well as a negative implication on relationships.
Examples of Microaggression
1. Boys being teased for playing with dolls
2. Girls teased for engaging in sports
3. Men are told to “man up”
4. Women are not allowed to be ambitious

5. Bakla is used to control men’s behavior
6. Use of “Para kang babae” to challenge masculinity and show that being woman-like is
bad
This form of control can be understood as violent because it curtails individual freedom by
limiting people in narrow definitions that may not contribute to human flourishing.
In the realm of women and their rights, this scenario illustrates the necessity for critical
reflection. Everyone has to take a closer look at the culture and systems that define social
structures in order to bring about genuine development to all the people of the world.
F. Learning Activity
List down 5 changes in our culture and society you have noticed for the past 10
years.
10 years ago Present
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
G. Self-Check: Answer the following reflective questions concisely. (Minimum of 3

sentences, maximum of 7 sentences) 5 points per number
1. How does the Philippine culture view women and the LGBT?
2. Why is a change in culture important in achieving gender equality?
Assessment Rubric
Above Expectations Meets Expectation Below Expectations

3 2 1
Reflective Thinking The reflection The reflection The reflection does
explains the explains the not address the
student’s own student’s thinking student’s thinking
thinking and about his/her own and/or learning.
learning processes, learning processes
as well as
implications for
future learning.
Analysis The reflection is an The reflection is an The reflection does
in-depth analysis analysis of the not move beyond a
of the learning learning description of the
experience, the experience and the learning
value of the value of the experience.
derived learning to derived learning to
self or others, and self or others.
the enhancement
of the student’s
appreciation for
the discipline.
Making Connections The reflection The reflection The reflection does
articulates articulates not articulate any
multiple connections connection to other
connections between this learning or
between this learning experience
learning experience and
experience and content from other
content from other courses, past
courses, past learning
learning, life experiences, and/or
experiences and/or future goals.
future goals.
H. Feedback
Write your feedback on the lesson module on the space provided.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
I. Post Test.
Evaluate if the given item represents instinct or culture.
1. Cat-calling
2. Blinking
3. Sexual Activity
4. Rape
5. Breathing
6. Sneezing
7. Hiccups
8. Hunger
9. Friendship
10. Eating
Main Reference:
Rodriguez, A. & Rodriguez, A. (2019). Gender and society.Quezon City, C & E

Publishing, Inc.
Video Links:
How Culture Affects Your Personality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx-1EthJeIg
14 Reasons the Philippines is Different from the Rest of the World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSRILHv0nQI

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CULTURE AND RATIONALITIES

Culture can Change

• Publicizing oneself in social media like facebook, Instagram, and twitter

• If oppression of women is in the culture of a certain community, people are almost

To illustrate this point, examine microaggression as a form of violence.

• Some effects of microaggression include internalized emotions such as guilt, resentment,

1. Boys being teased for playing with dolls

2. Girls teased for engaging in sports

3. Men are told to “man up”

4. Women are not allowed to be ambitious

10 years ago Present

G. Self-Check: Answer the following reflective questions concisely. (Minimum of 3

Above Expectations Meets Expectation Below Expectations

Rodriguez, A. & Rodriguez, A. (2019). Gender and society.Quezon City, C & E

How Culture Affects Your Personality

14 Reasons the Philippines is Different from the Rest of the World

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