The concept of globalization, which is the increasing integration and interdependence of different countries from one another in terms of economic, communication, and technological aspects, leads one to address the concept of cultural diversity or multiculturalism. Cultural diversity in the health-care system touches lives of many Americans in one way or another. No matter what our own cultural background is, when we go receive medical care, we may encounter a care giver who comes from a different cultural background than ours(Naylor 1997,291).. In the concept of cultural diversity, it can be recognized that two terms are equally important. The first concept is culture, which refers to the total way of life of individuals, and the unique …show more content…
In this sense, personal cultural diversity can be seen through the influences of personal experiences that have been acquired and accumulated by the individual through his or her lifetime. Another factor to consider is the individual’s religious background or influences, as this would determine the values and practice of morality of the individual. This would also define one’s behavior and personality in comparison to other individuals. In addition, the religious influence of an individual, along with his or her personal experiences determines his or her judgments and prejudices regarding a certain issue. Another important factor is one’s social-economic class background, which refers to one’s income levels and lifestyle backgrounds. One’s level of income and lifestyle entitles one to develop different views and perceptions regarding different issues or topics.
To sum up the points, it can be perceived that in order to understand the concept of personal cultural diversity, the different aspects of one’s lifestyle must be examined and determined in order to point out individual differences in a particular group or society. This is because each individual has different genetic make-up,
I would like to consider my cultural heritage as diverse, but this is far from reality. Over the years as I matured through my teenage years, I was exposed to different cultures by life experiences and travel. I struggled to create both a personal and cultural identity while trying to adjust to my sight loss and with the support of my family I traveled overseas to experience other cultures for the first time. My family opened up their home to a foreign exchange program in turn allowing me the opportunity to travel over to Europe at the age of 16 years old. This opportunity started the slow progression of experiences that would open my mind to others who are unlike myself, especially traveling to a strange place and feeling different in
Cultural diversity in the medical field is, at times, greatly hindered because of religious beliefs, language barriers, and the hierarchies of diverse cultures and these have the propensity to affect the continuity of care for the patients. “Every person has different aspects that constitute their identities, according to how they see themselves….This means that seeing an individual in terms of
In the history of human societies, geographic differences are considered to be a factor that led to different lifestyles, values and beliefs that prevailed and have been the distinct characteristic of specific societies in the world today. From a broader viewpoint, it can be said that Asian cultures differ from North American, European, South American, and African cultures. However, it can also be said that there are similarities between North American, European, and African cultures, in the same way that Asian, South American, and again, African cultures share specific values and beliefs. These similarities and differences demonstrate that we are different from each other in so many ways, but we also have similarities that link each individual with another, and ultimately, that we are interdependent with each other.
Accordingly, instead of observing behavior and knowledge from cultural/religious groups, individuals may be studying these social norms from the media to utilize on their cultural identity. A span of cultural complexities form the way individuals build with the cultural realities in their lives. Nation is a humongous factor of the cultural complexity, as it develops the foundation for individual’s identity but it may contrast with one’s cultural reality. Cultural identities are inspired by several different factors such as ones religion, ancestry, skin color, language, class, education, profession, skill, family and political
Culture is defined by a construction of one's world-view, and it is transmitted by individuals and collectives through socialization and enculturation (Pederson & Ivey, 13). It contains values, beliefs, language, and perception. In studying cultural differences among members of distinct national, ethnic groups researcher have examined the concept of collectivism and individualism. People form individualistic cultures tend to view themselves as unique entities and independent form one another (Coon & Kemmelmeier, 348)
There’s various things that describes everyone, but there’s only a few things that make each and every one of us unique, which is, our cultural background. As far as cultural background, it defines the individual’s upbringing. The cultural background includes ones religion, race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, linguistic and values. These values can be shaped by family, friends, society, or authoritative level. This paper is a great way for one to define my identity or at least understand who I am.
Personal assumptions and beliefs regarding ethnicity, culture, and diversity were influenced by my father, mother, and their ancestors. Consequently, this paper will evaluate my personal assumptions and beliefs regarding my culture and diversity and how these factors influence how I view myself and others. Furthermore, these personal assumptions and beliefs will be explored when dealing with a specific population group. Lastly, an assessment and plan of care for specific individuals, groups, and communities, using appropriate epidemiological principles will be presented.
America is built on diversity. Right or wrong, good or bad, this diversity is a cauldron of creativity and productivity. The sociocultural, economic and psychological diversity in America’s history is fascinating. Society today has many misconceptions about what it means to belong to a particular ethnicity or race, hence why diversity seizes to exist. It is in fact not difficult to categorize oneself according to the American Psychological Association. Studied research demonstrated in the article “The study of Culture, Ethnicity and Race in American Psychology”, when asking a person to choose race, it will always pertain to a social matter.
America is greatly influenced and enhanced by the many versatile cultures which inhabit it. Cultural diversity has added to our economy in such a way that it brings innovated ideas and contact structures throughout the world. International cuisines have come to America through subcultures, have expanded the food industry, and have allowed English Americans to try new foods and flavors. Immigrants have brought with them religious values that greatly differ and vary from those at which were natural in the main stream American culture. The educational development through foreign nationals has led America, as a nation, to excel and be deemed one of the most intelligent nations in the world! Consequently, the subcultures have kept our
Race is not the only aspect that can describe human variations, but ethnicity also plays a role in how individuals view different types of human variation. The scientific community agrees with the fact that an individual’s race includes a biological explanation, whereas an individuals’ ethnicity includes a cultural explanation. An individual’s ethnicity is simply their own choice; someone can identify themselves as culturally French, but their race is biological, and they could be American Indian. Another important aspect is that the individual that chooses their ethnicity should have a sense of group membership. It is vital to belong to a group that has similar characteristics in order to grow and become cultured in that society.
I was born twenty years ago in Tehran, Iran. My parents and I moved to America when I was about seven years old. Moving to America was an amazing experience, even though it was hard to leave all of our relatives behind.
The American face is changing. Academic and public historians must also change to be more inclusive in how they interpret and tell story of United States. This includes expanding historic preservation to include site and landscapes that better reflect a variety of heritages. The preservation of sites associated with recent immigration, especially the contributions of the American Latino community, is important to the 21st century to for historic preservation to remain relevant in an increasingly diverse society. It is important to include Latino Americans in the national preservation dialog, as they are America’s largest minority group. We can no longer be content to preserve the history of a single dominant culture and a single point of view.
No two people are the same. Race, ethnicity, gender, and age are all factors that make individuals different and unique. Throughout this paper, I will be discussing my values, beliefs and traditions, how I identify myself, and my attitude on diversity.
Culture can be identified as norms, beliefs and customs that define a specific community or society. In the past centuries, we could determine that culture has adopted a fluid nature. This fluid nature has been facilitated by inter-cultural interactions all over the world. As a result, all institutions in the society have had to adapt to this new cultural character in the 21st century. The health care department has been forefront on ensuring that all of their interactions are sensitive to the various cultures they engage within their operations. Therefore, we can clearly identify the importance of cultural diversity in health care. This is through the fact that the health care institution is dependent on communication. By the basis of sharing the same, language, ethnicity, nationality and religion, culture will be a major determinant in the process of expressing ourselves as individuals or groups (Carter, 1999).
What does Diversity and Multiculturalism mean to me? I believe that diversity has become so much more than just the basic qualities of race or gender. It now includes all qualities that make everyone unique, as individuals or as part of a larger group. It is also the acceptance, respect, and understanding of these unique qualities that makes diversity work in a given society. Multiculturalism is the system that is centered around the respect for and the promotion of ethnic and or gender diversity in the society. Multiculturalism is the status of several different ethnic, racial, religious or cultural groups co-existing in the same society. Today, in the U.S. we already