Psychological Questions for Immigrants in America - Term Paper Example

Psychological Issues of Latinos PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES OF LATINOS IN THE U.S. Psychological Issues of Latinos in the U.S. (give your name) Affiliation (which University) Psychological Issues of Latinos ABSTRACT Multiculturalism and diversity of American society is studied. The main reason for the presence of various cultures in the United States is immigration from other countries and environments. Whether the immigrants are integrated into the receiving society, or are discriminated against, is considered in detail. The reasons for the Latinos’ inability to become a part of the host country’s social fabric, and the negative consequences of diversity are studied in the paper. Multiculturalism is a reality, and has to be adapted to by all concerned, for maximum benefit to all. Psychological Issues of Latinos PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES OF LATINOS IN THE U.S. INTRODUCTION: According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the population of the United States is undergoing radical demographic changes. Racial or ethnic minorities made up more than one-third of the population, by the turn of the century. Approximately 45% of students in public schools, and 75% of people currently entering the labor force are racial and ethnic minorities. The huge increase in visible ethnic and minority groups is due to their current immigration numbers being the largest in U.S. history, and greater non-white birth rates in the United States. Today there is a great need for understanding the psychology of race, diversity and multiculturalism. Psychology professionals state that mutual inter-group understanding, the building of multi-cultural alliances and the promotion of social justice must become the top priorities (Sue, et al 1999). Cultural relevance of psychological concepts and theories, need for inclusion and the goal of equal access and opportunities in all areas had to be considered, according to Sue, et al (1999). The term Multiculturalism must include the broad range of significant differences (race, gender, sexual orientation, ability-disability, religion, class, etc), that so often hinder communication and understanding among people. Multiculturalism stands against beliefs and behaviors that oppress other groups and deny them equal access and opportunity. DISCUSSION: Immigration and Cultural Diversity: Chryssochoou (2004) states that: in plural societies, a cultural group might be in a minority position at a number of different levels: economic power, political power, numerical terms. These culturally non-dominant groups are people who migrated recently and people who are part of ethnic minorities. A common element in their life is that these people find themselves in a minority position in Psychological Issues of Latinos terms of their cultural background, and a lot of their everyday experiences are linked to this fact. Some of their common experiences are related to Social Psychology. Issues of cultural diversity in relation to the non-dominant cultural group: (1) How people deal with change, manage unfamiliar environments, and cope with the threats that change brings to their self-evaluation and identities. (2) The challenges that culturally diverse environments generate: for people’s values, the retention of their culture, the way they see themselves and the world. (3) How members of the non-dominant cultural groups deal with social mobility, and issues of power and discrimination. Working towards integrating the non-dominant group in the larger society, to become ‘full members’ of the new society and prosper, and the social psychological factors associated with claiming civil, social and political rights, need to be considered. Researchers like Ramirez, et al, 1978 (cited in Padilla, 1994), have shown that participation in more than one culture, need not necessarily produce a negative outcome. They found high levels of adjustment and positive capabilities like leadership skills to be associated with high levels of multiculturalism. The dynamics of personal choice and individual variations determine why some are completely defeated and overwhelmed by the same environment. Studies of acculturation must take into account the simultaneous contributions of cultural, ecological and personality variables. Latinos and Multiculturalism: One of the standard arguments invoked by those in favor of massive immigration into the United States is that our country is founded on immigrants who have always been successfully assimilated into Americas mainstreamculture and society. 1Latinos are distinct from other immigrant groups Psychological Issues of Latinos because of the geographic proximity of their native country. Their physical proximity to Mexico gives Latinos the option of life in both Americas, in two places and in two cultures, something earlier immigrants never had. Geographic proximity and ease of transportation are augmented by the media. Radio and television keep the spoken language alive and current so that Spanish, unlike the native languages of previous immigrants into the United States shows no signs of fading. There is a failure by Latinos to be fully assimilated into the larger American society and culture. As Earl Shorris, author of Latinos: A Biography of the People, observed: ‘Latinos have been more resistant to the melting pot than any other group. Their entry en masse into the United States will test the limits of the American experiment..’. The continuous influx of Mexican immigrants into the United States serve to continuously renew Latino culture so that their sense of separateness will probably continue. According to Berry (2001, the concept of multicultural ideology encompasses the view that cultural diversity is good for a society and its individual members, and that such diversity should be shared and accommodated in an equitable way. Assimilation, segregation and marginalization are negative processes and should be prevented. Integration would be the positive outcome to be strived for. The idea of multicultural assumption asserts that only when people are secure in their own cultural identity, will they be able to accept those who differ from themselves. A feeling of security is a pre-requisite for tolerance of diversity, and insecurity about one’s cultural identity and cultural rights underpins prejudice. Racial Divide: In America’s battle for group beliefs and prototypicality, the racial divide is very salient. America is still a racialized Psychological Issues of Latinos community trying to move from a racial to a cultural division: (Philogene 2001) cited in Chryssochoou (2004). From a social psychological point of view, the claim of hyphenated identities (X-American), is of great interest in understanding how people assert their diversity within a context of participation in a common culture. More-over, the bipolar racial divide among the black-white dimension brings other issues to the fore-front. Sanchez (1999, 376) cited in Chryssochoou (2004), talks about a racialized nativism, which is an intense opposition to an internal minority on the ground of its foreign, un-American connections. The 1992 Los Angeles riots and the violent incidents preceding them attest to the rise of racialized nativism directed towards recent immigrants. Discrimination: To study the origins of extreme actions and conflict: in most social psychological explanations, prejudice is implicitly at the root of conflict. It is therefore important to understand what prejudice is and what are its determinants. Prejudice seems to be both a negative belief/ affect and a discriminatory action towards somebody on the basis of his or her social membership. Prejudice generally leads to discrimination, which may lead to inter-group conflict. Another approach to prejudice suggests that competition over scarce resources forms the origin of ethnocentricism, and in-group favoritism. Another reason is that people derive a sense of identity from the group that they belong to. They are motivated to ensure that a positive distinctiveness is established on important dimensions between their in-group and other relevant groups. (Chryssochoou, 2004). Poverty and Segregation: Families that are segregated in poor neighborhoods and struggle to survive economically, may have a negative and limiting impact on Latinas’ future options. (Vasquez and de las Fuentes, 1999) cited in Vasquez, 2002. Children Psychological Issues of Latinos raised in periods of stability and prosperity, and in families which are economically secure tend to develop fairly positive and optimistic views of the world and social institutions, and tend to expect that their basic needs can and will be met. Those raised in hard times, may come to value independence, hard work and security. They may develop resilience out of challenges. Latin-Americans are stereotyped as not being interested in education, which is completely untrue. Economic conditions may prompt them to drop out of school. Many creative educators today try to adopt flexible schedules, so that the students can accommodate school as well as work demands and family roles. Latinos face discrimination in many aspects: health care, every day stereotyping, and promotion in the workplace are all areas of unfairness which have to be encountered on a daily basis. (Vasquez, 2002). Fiske (1998) cited in Vasquez, 2002, identified the major theories to what leads to stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination: group threat, the perception of threat to a group’s relative gains, jobs and welfare. As oppressed groups reach numbers that go beyond tokenism in society, the workplace, and in institutions, cooperation decreases, group threat increases, and discriminatory behavior, including backlash events occur. CONCLUSION: In the field of psychology, work is being done to affirm and value what various cultures have to offer society. Competent professionals in the area of Social Justice, continue their work towards equality and justice for all. They take into account that contemporary racism among whites is subtle, aversive, often unintentional and unconscious, but that its effects are systematically damaging to race relations, by fostering miscommunication and distrust. (Dovidio, et al, 2002). Multiculturalism is a concept that is beneficial to all concerned, improving the society in many respects. (Berry, 2001). REFERENCES Berry, J.W. (2001). A Psychology of Immigration. Journal of Social Issues, Vol 57 No.3, pp.615-631. Chryssochoou, Xenia. (2004). Cultural Diversity: Its Social Psychology, Blackwell Publishing. Dovidio, J.F; Gaertner, S.L; Kawakami K; and Hodson G. (2002). Why Can’t They Just Get Along? Interpersonal Biases and Interracial Distrust. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology (Vol.II) pp. 357-411, New York, Oxford University Press. Padilla, Amado M. (Ed). (1994). Hispanic Psychology: Critical Issues in Theory and Research. U.S.A., Sage Publications. Sue, Derald Wing; Bingham, Rosie P; Porche-Burke, Lisa; Vasquez, Melba. (1999). The Diversification of Psychology: A Multicultural Revolution. American Psychologist, Vol.54, No.12, 1061-1069. Vasquez, Melba J.T. (2002). Complexities of the Latina Experience: A Tribute to Martha Bernal, American Psychologist, November 2002. Read More