This paper examines cultural similarities and differences between Filipino and American societies, with a focus on three key areas: family structure and living arrangements, expressions of respect toward elders, and greeting customs. Drawing on immigration data and cross-cultural research, the paper notes that Filipinos tend to maintain closer multigenerational family ties, observe more formal conventions of respect toward elders and strangers, and practice more reserved physical greetings compared to Americans. The paper argues that understanding these differences is essential in a diverse nation like the United States, where Filipinos represent one of the largest immigrant communities.
Global society is made up of many different cultures, ethnicities, religions, and languages. All of these differences make our world vastly unique, yet they are also what unites us. In order to properly understand and learn from one another, it is important to note some of these differences and similarities among cultures. The United States of America, in particular, is known as a melting pot with immigrants from all over the world. In 2008, there were approximately 1.7 million Filipino immigrants in the U.S. (Terrazas and Batalova). This made them the second largest immigrant group in the U.S. after Mexican immigrants (Terrazas and Batalova). With such a large immigrant population, it is crucial to distinguish some of the cultural similarities and differences between Americans and Filipinos. Both cultures share similarities in the relationships they maintain with family, friends, and strangers; however, there are also significant differences worth noting.
One of the most apparent cultural differences between Americans and Filipinos is the degree of closeness among family members. Filipinos generally tend to have very close ties with their families. It is not uncommon for parents or grandparents to reside with their adult children and their spouses. In contrast, American family ties are typically more distant, and parents or grandparents do not usually live together with their children's households. When elderly care is needed, Americans tend to arrange assistance through in-home care services or accommodations in assisted living facilities and retirement communities rather than through direct cohabitation.
These close family ties among Filipinos also directly correlate with a second important cultural difference: respect toward elders. American culture is typically less formal and does not carry the same expectations regarding respect for one's elders. Generally, Americans are taught to properly address their parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles rather than calling them by their first names. However, American culture does not hold the same standard for strangers or acquaintances.
Filipinos, by contrast, will address strangers more formally even when there is no family relationship, rather than using first names. Filipinos place a great deal of importance on showing respect to anyone who is older, regardless of their relation. In the Filipino culture, unlike in American culture, in-laws are also not addressed by their first names. Filipino values emphasize deference and formality as expressions of respect, whereas American culture is generally more accepting of using a person's first name across contexts. In fact, in the United States, using an elder's first name is often seen as a sign of warmth and acceptance rather than disrespect.
The Filipino culture is also considerably more conservative when it comes to greeting friends. Typically, greetings are limited to a handshake or a simple pat on the shoulder. Western cultures, on the other hand, are much more liberal and extend greetings to both friends and strangers through closer physical interactions such as a hug or a kiss on the cheek. Asian cultures generally consider these types of gestures too informal and avoid displaying such affections in public as a matter of respect.
All of these differences and similarities among cultures are what define the United States and the world we live in today. Although some of these differences may seem significant, it is important to understand and respect them. We are a highly diverse nation, and the more we learn about one another, the smaller these differences become and the more our shared similarities come into focus.
"Conservative versus liberal physical greeting practices"
Van Campen, K.S., and Russell, S.T. (2010). Cultural differences in parenting practices: What Asian-American families can teach us (Frances McClelland Institute for Children, Youth, and Families ResearchLink, Vol. 2, No. 1). Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona.
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