WHAT IS POPULAR KNOWLEDGE? (WITH EXAMPLES) - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The popular knowledge or common knowledge is that which is acquired spontaneously by observing the environment. It differs completely from scientific knowledge, in that it does not depend on a method to be acquired (Rojas, 2017). This type of knowledge can be verified empirically but not scientifically.

Sometimes it is called “common sense”, since it is made up of the beliefs that all members of a community share and are considered true, logical, prudent and valid (Ligemente, 2011).

In this way, it can be described as the innate ability of human beings to make judgments about certain events in a reasonable way.

This type of knowledge is a cultural construction, whose origin stems from the interaction between individuals over time. Once built, popular knowledge can be passed down from generation to generation over time.

It is important to note that popular knowledge is natural to man. This does not require any study or previous preparation to be acquired. Nor is it necessary to use any method of scientific verification to guarantee its veracity.

It can also be seen as a tool for mutual understanding between the members of a society, since by sharing the same knowledge about different phenomena, individuals can relate in a better way.

Characteristics of popular knowledge

Issue sentences

Popular knowledge endows the individuals that make up a community with certain parameters, limitations and preventions, which allow them to function easily in various contexts.

These contexts can be safe, dirty, noisy or simply represented by complicated social situations.

For this reason it is said that popular knowledge establishes or sentences the parameters by which a situation or event will be judged.

It's a natural ability

Popular knowledge does not require any prior preparation to be received. This is part of societies and the daily life of individuals. It is built during life, insofar as certain situations take place.

It does not require any type of theoretical foundation to establish itself, but rather the social interaction between people and the preservation of its content over time (Porto & Gardey, 2010).

This is why many people recognize in popular knowledge a cultural legacy that is passed from one generation to another.

Loses validity from one community to another

Popular knowledge is a community construction that occurs within a specific context. For this reason, different communities share different appreciations of the environment and therefore have different knowledge or common sense.

This is because popular knowledge is a social construction, derived from the experiences and observations of the members of a community (MIT, 2017).

Does not require a prior analysis

Popular knowledge is highly influenced by perception. The responses issued thanks to it take place spontaneously and do not require in-depth analysis of any topic.

This is because popular knowledge helps to take a shorter path, through which we relate everything we observe with our previous experiences and everything we have learned in community.

In this way, we can react almost immediately to the presence of any external stimulus.

Has a universal base

Despite its unique and heterogeneous character among different communities, popular knowledge has a universal basis.

Most individuals are able to identify behaviors that should not take place, regardless of where they are in the world.

An example of this may be not stealing, not going out naked on public roads, or not making noise in a residential area after certain hours at night.

It's superficial

As they do not have a scientific foundation, their bases are usually superficial. In other words, popular knowledge does not make use of explanations and logical checks, but rather the perception and judgments made by human beings.

For something to be considered valid in the eyes of popular knowledge, it is enough that two or more individuals believe it to be true (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2013).

Examples

1- Popular knowledge allows us to evaluate whether a place is safe or not

This is because all individuals have internalized certain codes and information that are provided to us by our environment and community since childhood.

When we encounter these codes in our environment, we are immediately able to associate them with what we know.

For this reason, a person can foresee and prevent a dangerous situation by identifying and judging certain suspicious behaviors in their environment.

2- The meaning of different things changes according to the knowledge that the people of a community have of them

For example, a cow in certain countries can be identified as a food source.

On the other hand, in other parts of the world it may be an icon of religious worship, or even more so, a pet.

3- The role of women in societies and their limitations are linked to popular knowledge

This happens because there is a belief that women are the weaker sex, for this reason, roles and tasks are assigned to them according to their supposed capacities.

The role of women in any society and the way in which their identity is defined is completely linked to the common knowledge linked to all members of a society.

Unlike scientific knowledge, popular knowledge does not focus on the biological conditions that make women different from men.

4 - A good example of popular knowledge is taboos

These indicate what should and should not be done in life from an early age. For example, children cannot see a naked body, because this is what popular knowledge dictates.

However, the reasons why we may or may not do something are not clear or logical enough. For this reason, it can be said that popular knowledge will always be highly questionable.

References

1. Slightly. (July 21, 2011). Obtained from Scientific knowledge vs. «popular» knowledge: slightly.com
2. (2017). Academic Integrity at MTI. Retrieved from What is Common Knowledge ?: integrity.mit.edu
3. Porto, JP, & Gardey, A. (2010). Definition of. Obtained from Definition Of Common Sense: definicion.de
4. Rojas, J. (May 10, 2017). Monographs.com. Obtained from Sources of Knowledge. Popular and Economic Knowledge: monografias.com
5. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (July 23, 2013). Obtained from Common Knowledge: plato.stanford.edu