Social Conditioning Theory: Title: Culture in Moral Behaviour

Title: Culture in Moral Behaviour
Social Conditioning Theory
What is the most common trap that almost all of us have fallen into? It is conforming to the
‘norms’ that have been created by the society around us. This is known as social conditioning.
Even if these norms are outdated, false, misleading, or do not align with the present world – we
conform to them nevertheless. This is because we grew up believing in them and seeing them
adapted by everyone around us.
Social conditioning is the process by which people of a certain society are trained to think,
believe, feels, want, and react in a way that is approved by the society or the groups within it.
Social conditioning begins when we are just babies, and it becomes more apparent in
childhood and adolescence. However, it goes on our entire lives. The agents of social
conditioning can be parents, teachers, our peers, teachers, popular culture, mainstream media,
novels and movies, the church, etc.
Cultural Relativism
Have you ever seen these or eaten food from another country and think of it as weird and
gross? This is an example of ethnocentrism! That means you use your own culture as the center
and evaluate other cultures based on it. You are judging, or making assumptions about the food
of other countries based on your own norms, values, or beliefs. Thinking “dried squid is smelly”
or “people shouldn’t eat insects” are examples of ethnocentrism in societies where people may
not eat dried squid or insects.
To avoid judging the cultural practices of groups that are different to yours, we can use
the cultural relativism approach. Cultural relativism refers to not judging a culture to our own
standards of what is right or wrong, strange or normal. Instead, we should try to understand
cultural practices of other groups in its own cultural context. For example, instead of thinking,
“Fried crickets are disgusting!” one should instead ask, “Why do some cultures eat fried
insects?” You may learn that fried crickets or grasshoppers are full of protein and in Mexico; it is
famous Oaxaca regional cuisine and have been eaten for thousands of years as a healthy food
source!
Moral Relativism
Moral relativism is the idea that there is no universal or absolute set of moral principles. It’s a
version of morality that advocates “to each her own,” and those who follow it say, “Who am I to
judge?” Moral relativism can be understood in several ways.
Descriptive moral relativism, also known as cultural relativism, says that moral standards
are culturally defined, which is generally true. Indeed, there may be a few values that seem
nearly universal, such as honesty and respect, but many differences appear across cultures when
people evaluate moral standards around the world.
Meta-ethical moral relativism states that there are no objective grounds for preferring the
moral values of one culture over another. Societies make their moral choices based on their
unique beliefs, customs, and practices. And, in fact, people tend to believe that the “right” moral
values are the values that exist in their own culture.
Normative moral relativism is the idea that all societies should accept each other’s differing
moral values, given that there are no universal moral principles. Most philosophers disagree
however. For example, just because bribery is okay in some cultures doesn’t mean that other
cultures cannot rightfully condemn it.
Moral relativism is on the opposite end of the continuum from moral absolutism, which
says that there is always one right answer to any ethical question. Indeed, those who
adhere to moral relativism would say, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
6 Basic Filipino Values

1. Pakikisama - is having and maintaining ‘good public relations.’ It characterizes both a
value and a goal that involves keeping good feelings in all personal interactions and
getting along with others, oftentimes, at all costs but sometimes ‘pakikisama,’ may
submit to, overgenerous praise on one another, smiling even when things go wrong and
avoiding to say ‘no’.
2. Hiya- is described as a feeling of lowliness, shame or embarrassment, and inhibition or
shyness which is experienced as somewhat distressing. Integrally, ‘hiya’ is related to the
concept of ‘face’ and a concern with how one appears in the eyes of others. This unique
Filipino concept ‘hiya’ or ‘fear of losing face’ encompasses being afraid to do bad
things as it may damage one’s reputation in the sight of other people.
3. Amor Propio- like ‘hiya,’ the Filipino value of ‘amor propio’ is derived from the
concept of ‘face.’ Although commonly translated as ‘self-respect’ or ‘self-esteem,’ ‘amor
propio’ has been “characterized as the high degree of sensitivity that makes a person
intolerant to criticism and causes him to have an easily wounded pride” (“Amor Propio,”
n.d.). Concerning this Filipino value, some observe that “Filipinos learn to withstand a
‘loss of face’ in some situations, particularly when they perceive themselves to be at
fault, but it is devastating to be publicly criticized, insulted, belittled, or humiliated, or to
lose one’s self-respect” .
4. Utang na loob- is likewise a fundamental aspect of upholding group harmony and

relationships that demand the balancing of obligations and debts. This involves the
concept ‘reciprocity’ or returning the received favor. The inability to repay the “utang na
loob” (debt of gratitude) usually makes a person “walang utang na loob” or “walang-
hiya.”
5. Filipino Hospitality- ‘Filipino hospitality’ refers to the innate ability and trait of
Filipinos to be courteous and entertaining to their guests. Indeed, generally speaking,
Filipinos are hospitable as they are internationally known to be warm, welcoming, and
accommodating.
6. Respect to elders- Concerning ‘respect to elders,’ we, Filipinos, are not only respectful
to elders, but also have unique ways of expressing this respect to elders. These include
the use of ‘po’ and ‘opo’ when talking to elders and ‘pagmamano’ or the putting of the
elder’s hand to one’s forehead. When excessive, nonetheless, respect to elders makes one
dependent or irrationally obedient to parents or elders. This trait, however, makes
Filipinos prone to being abused or maltreated.

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Title: Culture in Moral Behaviour

Social Conditioning Theory

6 Basic Filipino Values

4. Utang na loob- is likewise a fundamental aspect of upholding group harmony and

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