Social Dimensions of Human Behavior

1
Social Dimensions of Human Behavior

• Theories of Assimilation, Acculturation,
  Bicultural Socialization, and Ethnic Minority
  Identity

2
Historical Context

• Anglo Conformity
• Manifest Destiny (The Borg)
• Melting Pot Theory (You still will be
  assimilated, but you have say in how you will be
  assimilated
• Cultural Pluralism (You wont be assimilated, but
  certainly acculturated)

3
Deficiency Theory

• Anglo norm is the model of choice
• Minority group behavior is seen as deviation from
  the norm or dysfunctional
• Deficiency Formulations Developed (Page 133 in
  the text- Table 5.1)
• Behaviors that is valued by the dominant norm of
  the majority culture, is weak an absent in the
  minority culture
• Traits and Behaviors devalued by the dominant
  culture are seen readily in minority culture

4
Dual Perspective

• Human development is viewed as a combination of
  cultural influences from both the sustaining and
  nurturing systems. Conflict of identity
  development grows out of incongruence between the
  two systems.

5
Dual Perspective
Nurturing System Family, Friends, Immediate
Community
The Individual
Sustaining System Goods Services, Political
Power, Economic Resources, Education Systems,
Large Social Systems
6
Bicultural Socialization

• Family culture can operate independently from the
  societal culture
• Historically, bicultural socialization was viewed
  as contributing to a cultural diffuse identity.
  I am neither my culture of origin or fully
  culturally assimilated, thus I am culturally
  marginalized
• New perspectives view a bicultural competence
  Strengths based perspective which assumes mastery
  and interaction within two cultures
• Development Stages of Bicultural Socialization
• Experiences Bicultural Conflict (Incongruence
  between systems)
• Development of Coping Skills to Mediate Conflict
• Bicultural Identity Formed or Residual Bicultural
  Tension

7
Forming racial/cultural, ethnic, and minority
identities

• Key Terms
• Ethnicity (pg 138) ones sense of belonging to
  an ethnic group and the part of ones thinking,
  perceptions, feelings, and behavior that is due
  to that ethnic groups membership
• Racial Identity (pg 138) Describes the stages
  of identity formation related to racial
  characteristics and examines the degree to which
  people of color affiliate or disassociate with
  others from their racial heritage.

8
Forming racial/cultural, ethnic, and minority
identities

• Identity Model for People of Color (POC)
• Conformity
• Dissonance
• Immersion/Emersion
• Internalization
• Integrative Awareness

9
Cultural Competence (Pg 150)

• The ability to work effectively across cultures
  in a way that acknowledges and respects the
  culture of the person or organization being
  served
• Developing a congruent set of skills, attitudes,
  knowledge, behaviors, practices, and policies
  that fosters successful interactions and
  outcomes despite cultural differences.
• Recognizing, affirming, and valuing cultural
  differences

10
Cultural Competence

• Elements of Cultural Competence
• Ethical practices that recognize how
  personal/professional values may conflict with or
  accommodate the needs of diverse clients
• Personal Awareness
• Cross-cultural knowledge
• Cross-cultural skills
• Service delivery in a sensitive, cross-cultural
  manner
• Empowerment Advocacy
• Diversity in Workforce
• Professional Education
• Language Diversity
• Cross Cultural Leadership with the Organization

11
Culturagrams

• Helps understand the role of culture within a
  family system
• Used in conjunction with an ecomap and genogram
• Can be utilized to understand multigenerational
  processes of assimilation, acculturation,
  bicultural identity, and ethnic/racial/cultural
  identity

12
Culturagrams
Legal Status
Time In Community
Language Spoken at Home and in Community
Reason for Relocation
Health Beliefs
Family List each member
Family Structures Values
Values about Education Work
Impact of Crisis Events
Holidays Special Events
Contract with Religious and Cultural Institutions
13
Culturagrams

• Reasons for Relocation Economic, political,
  religious. Is it possible for you to return
  home?
• Legal Status Undocumented versus documented
• Length of Time in the Community May differ for
  each family member, various levels of
  acculturation, or assimilation, Impact on family
  relationships, development of children
• Language Skill level, which languages,
  intergenerational languages
• Health Beliefs Mental Health, family
  obligations, cultural treatments
• Crisis Events Developmental Crisis, family
  crisis, situational crisis
• Holiday Special Events Culturally relevant
• Contact with Cultural and Religiously Relevant
  Institutions
• Values about Work Education Family
  togetherness versus education, Patriarchal bread
  winner issues, and many many more
• Family Structure/Power Myths and rules

14
Case Studies

• Utilizing the reading/lectures discuss the case
  from the following viewpoints
• First discuss the questions presented by your
  case study
• Discuss your case from following perspectives
• Deficiency Theory
• Dual Perspective
• Bicultural Socialization
• Development of racial/cultural/ethnic identity