Multiple Minority Status and the Medical Condition of the Individual - Research Paper Example

 1. What assumptions associated with Western psychology limit its applicability to African American culture? Support your answers by briefly comparing and contrasting the assumptions of Western psychology with African American culture. List at least three (3) assumptions and briefly explain why they may not apply to African Americans. The African Americans and their culture have been positioned as inferior when compared to the intellect of people belonging to the white race. This is supported by the dogma that the instincts of individuals that are unlearned responses and are inborn, determine the social behavior of any individual. Therefore a concept has been evolved to indicate why black people have been characterized as easy going, lazy and happy (Robinson 1995 p.11) due to the influence of African culture on their lifestyle. The main characteristic of Western psychology is the psychologist’s theory that people are similar in all significant respect. To further describe the universal phenomenon of human beings white psychologists postulated a moderate standard of behavior and the response of various culture groups were considered. The normal or abnormal response of a specific culture is compared to the response of the white people to arrive at a conclusion about the individual under question. The most approximate response to the white character with respect to behavior and value is treated as a normal response. This gives more recognition to the assumption that it is a fact that the white is supreme based on scientific evaluation. The deviation of an individual from this model is expected to put that culture in a more pathological condition. The difference in response of the black is usually interpreted as deficient by white psychologists. For instance, standardized psychologist test for whites are inappropriately conducted on blacks to impose a deficient or less intelligence quotient on them (Robinson 1995 p.12). White psychologist claim that it is complex or rather impossible to comprehend the lifestyle and culture of black people using conventional psychological assumptions derived by white psychologists by comparing blacks with white’s behavior because the conclusions are dominated by weakness and aligned to define their inferiority. Therefore the following three assumptions are used to denote the incompatibility of western psychology for African Americans. Inferiority model: The inferiority assumption upholds that African Americans are physically, intellectually and mentally inferior to westerners or whites based on their heredity and genes. The assumption emphasizes the role on genes in describing the differences between whites and blacks. This assumption has evolved scientific conclusions to prove the inferiority of blacks (Robinson 1995 p.13). Deficit model: The deficit assumption is evolved in response to the theory that nature or genes describes ethnic difference in psychological study. This model assumes the opposite extreme that the central point of ethnic differences is based on the environment and not based on the individuals. The prejudice towards African Americans constitutes erroneous hostility and generalizations that are basic quality of the human mind that determines common and natural capabilities of an individual. Prejudice is also the basis since certain groups of people are rejected in the environment and do not enjoy the advantages of the well organized in-groups. Therefore the psychological differences are due to the difference between out-groups and in groups that are evident through the exclusion of blacks through discrimination, rejection and physical attack found in minority groups that obstructs their ability to exhibit their capabilities. The deficit model therefore assumes that racist practices are the key reason for creating mental disorders in African Americans. Segregation in education, housing and employment and racial discrimination also restrict the chance available for the minorities to excel. In addition to this, severe persecution results in the deterioration of self respect and forms self hatred in the oppressed African Americans (Halpern, Voĭskunskiĭ & Voiskounsky 1997 p.354). The self and Afrocentric assumption Western Psychology is not applicable to African Americans because the Eriksonian development theory explains the attitude of African people that signifies interdependence and cooperation while western psychology is based on autonomy and individualism. There are several principles that are significant to the African American individual. African Americans believe in the ideology of human condition. According to them, human being as a whole is conceived to be a constitution of a continuous interlocking system (Pope-Davis& Coleman 2000 p.27). The individual is simultaneously an experiencing, feeling, sensing, sensualizing and knowing the being in a vitalistic and dynamic universe where every factor is interrelated. This sense of alikeness, animation and intensity is evident in the song, music, language, lifestyle and dance of African Americans. The African community values the collective over autonomous being as a mode of survival. Even familiar phrases in speech is addressed in the plural by African Americans (eg: We are, ) when compared to the singular speech in western context (eg. I am,) (Pope-Davis& Coleman 2000 p.28). (2) What assumptions associated with Western psychology may limit its applicability to Asian American culture? Support your answers by briefly comparing and contrasting the assumptions of Western psychology with Asian American culture. List at least three (3) assumptions and briefly explain why they may not apply to Asian Americans. Asian Americans usually incline towards their culture and continue to practice it even if they live in a foreign county. This is not of particularly importance to the western psychology that measures traits in quantity and expose the deficiency of individual. The deficiency results from the theory that western psychology is better and modern. This method of measuring the capability of individual does not apply to Asian Americans because their capabilities are qualitative and follow cultural norms of life (Hill & Ballou 2005 p.32). The nature of human beings is self constituting and this process brings out a variety of nature in human beings based on their culture. Westerners and Asian Americans originate from different cultures and societies and therefore have formed marked distinctions in the basic definition of the individual of human relationships and family. Western culture defines a person as a psychological being while Asians define human beings as a social being. While eastern culture is based on connection and empathy, western cultures is based on the capacity to differentiate oneself from another. Similarly American family follows the principle of differentiation while Asian families stand for integration (Lam 2007 p.6). Cultural assumptions In western theories, the individual is given significance and revolves around the self concept of a person; separated from other people in the society like the physical body. The psychological features of the person that include mental health relates to personal qualities like self reliance and highly independent feature with the capacity to overcome the influence of the society and others. East Asian’s concept of selfhood is contrary to the American concept of the self. Asian Americans conversations usually begin with Confucian belief that an individual coexists with others. The person is basically socially oriented, interdependent and situation centered (p.63) and is closely bonded with other people through emotional relationship. This cultural assumption of the self is unavoidable and forms the basis of the concept of individual being (Diener & Suh 2003 p.64). Assumption of subjective well being: This assumption is based on the character exhibited by an individual while judging subjective well being. Individualistic culture followed by the western psychology advocates the importance given to the individual’s internal psychological factors. In contrast, Asian Americans give importance to cultural tasks that comprise several people in the society and the individual is drawn to conduct oneself according to external social values. Assumption of life satisfaction judgment: The difference in western and Asian American culture has significance to the contentment of the individual’s life. This gives an insight into the reason why westerners are happier and self positive than Asian Americans. Asian Americans invite lesser attention to themselves when compared to the western psychology where the self is given prominent position. Asian American avoid self emphasizing, self presentation and self promotions while American are encouraged to assert and discover themselves and take a distinctive position using their positive qualities (Diener & Suh 2003 p.64). The assumption of self esteem: The likeness of oneself is the solution for most of the psychological problems of western psychology. Individuals who have high self esteem have the ability to find more meaning to their life and overcome anxieties successfully. This enables them to get out of negative moods. Therefore Americans with the self esteem factor have a better social well being. Hence life satisfaction and self esteem is closely related . It may also be noted that people with high self esteem react with more protective measures to handle negative feedback when compared to their counterparts with less self esteem as in the case of Asian American. This is because Asian Americans give less importance to the self and are not easily affected by negative remarks (Diener & Suh 2003 65) and do not take defensive position. (3) Describe the cultural values of Latino/a Americans, as identified in your course readings. What are the special features of Latino/a culture that affect parenting, child development and mental health? Why are these features of interest to multicultural psychologists? Familism is a significant aspect in the cultural values of Latino Americans. The identification of a Latino with their family is very intense that the family is the origin of a person’s self worth, self esteem, self identification, pride and strength. The family’s needs and values are considered to be highly important than the individual’s needs and value and therefore they depend on the family than any other institution for structural, material and emotional support. The support is not restricted to the nuclear family but it is also applicable to the extended family. In addition to the family members, close friends are considered as honorary members of a family (compadrazgo or godparents). Latino culture considers the family as the single and most significant institution. The extreme importance given to family and the extent of support offered to its members may be envisioned as a protective measure to curb family violence. The family has the power to safeguard its individual members from external emotional and physical stress like unemployment, poverty, isolation, and oppression that increase the possibility of violence. But the emphasis of family connections results in the non-disclosure of domestic violence and sexual abuse from any of the family member. Therefore a Latino child will not disclose sexual abuse and a battered spouse will continue in their family since they value the family above the individual (Malley-Morrison & Hines 2004 p.151). Latino parents give value for school in the hope that it will earn a better job for their children and help them to lead a happy life. The completion of schooling is less in Latino because of less funding from the government. There is a great disparity between the school achievement rates of Latino and Americans which is evident in the linguistic and cognitive factors of early child development. The lack of literacy or weak literacy of parents and the tradition of Latino are some of the reasons that decrease the child’s acquaintance with linguistic skills. Parenting practices also serve as a reason for the poor cognitive skills of Latino children (Fuller, Bridges & Pai 2007 p.231). The social authority of the Latino that demands obligations to parents, siblings and kin members are sometimes hindrance to the child’s ambition and mobility and reduce the exposure to external world to achieve a better position in social behavior and cognitive demands (Fuller, Bridges & Pai 2007 235). All Latino parents do not have the economic capability to bring up children with exposure to play groups or to buy them books to learn latest trends. Children are left to learn from their siblings and grandparents. Hence their mental development is restricted within the family in a low income Latino family. Cross cultural anthropologists and psychologists have conducted research over the last five decades to find out the cognitive skills of young children and how they learn it from the family settings. This happens only if parents give educational guidance to the child and when the child observes the parents, follow their traits and behavior which finally results in a collective activity. These kind of acquiring cognitive skills vary across social and ethnic groups. Research by cultural psychologists has resulted in a revolution of how we consider the early learning skills of children across families from diverse backgrounds (Fuller, Bridges & Pai 2007 p.236). (4) Discuss at least three (3) major issues impeding African American women’s participation in the feminist movement. How are these issues connected to differences between African American culture and the dominant U.S. culture? Women’s movement took shape with the emergence of consciousness raising factions that realized their battered condition. This was a feature throughout the United States. The realization of women was catching up with such a speed that one would think it is stimulated through combustion when women’s groups met and discussed personal plights and arrived at similar conclusions. Women had great enthusiasm to participate in the movement because their problem was not an isolated one but had a political environment associated to it. Thus women bonded together and fought against the second class citizen treatment. The feminist movement was the outcome of such agitation. African American feminists condemned the feminist movement for being dominated by the white middle class and for being unidimensional by not giving importance to race and class hierarchies that oppress black women. Those African American women who participated in the civil rights movement criticized that white women did not understand or address the concerns and issues of black woman. However, these criticisms did not stop the feminist movement but continued to grow and fight their cause (Biaggio & Hersen 2000 p.6). Another reason upheld by African American women for not participating in the feminist movement is their condemnation that American women are also responsible for the racial oppression of woman and men of color. This also meant that African American woman raised the issue of equal treatment in the feminist movement to conform to the common cause of the gender. The insignificance given to African American woman for their contributory role in the suffrage towards woman’s right also attributed to the impediment of black woman to participate in feminist movement. The suffrage movement gave importance only to American woman in attain sexual equality. The domination of American woman in feminist movement send a message that woman of color cannot participate with equal authority and rise to the movement’s leadership. Therefore, black feminism was formed to counter the white dominated feminist movement (Young & Dickerson 1994 p.108). The non-participation of African American woman in the feminist movement indicates that they prefer to live in a socially included society with equal treatment and concern for each other irrespective of their color or race. The non-inclusion of black woman’s concerns prompted them to remain aloof from the feminist movement. This can be related to their basic African culture that gives equal importance to all the people in their community and their culture to remain together. This also reveals that the individualistic character of the American culture gives importance to the individual self by ignoring the cause of others and strives to establish only individualistic needs. (5) Explain the ramifications of having “multiple minority status”? Support your answer with examples from your readings. How might an individual’s status in one or more minority group change over time? Provide examples to support your answer. What implications are there for such changing status? Multiple minority status is given to disabled people of a particular gender or ethnicity. The disability varies across factors and is based on either minority issues or women’s issues that fail to gather grants or researcher. The extent of disability varies according to the medical condition of the individual. The disability also varies based on the ethnicity of an individual and on the socioeconomic condition and their access to medical care. Further, multiple minority status also varies by the attitude of people towards a disable person also affected by ethnicity or gender. For example, Chinese have a less positive attitude towards disabled people while whites are more positive towards the disabled irrespective of the gender. Chinese accept traumatic conditions in life as a part of life. Therefore the case of minority in a family or community differs across cultures within a country (Olkin 2001 p.34). In the case of multiple minority status the formation of subgroups is necessary to understand a person’s disability because there are additive effects when a person holds dual minority status due to ethnicity and disability. Multiple minority status is usually applicable to women who are disabled with additional reasons to attain minority status that include race, gender, sexual orientation and disability and therefore results in multiple aspects of discrimination (Olkin 2001 p.35). There is no much research on multiple minority groups, though available resources state that multiple minority status is being increasingly identified in the society. However these groups can share only two or three status for a number of reasons. The reasons include the awareness of a single minority group status like ethnicity is a limitation for African Americans and Chicanas though they are also discriminated due to their gender. Individuals with more than one minority status comprise a subgroup and the number of members in the sub group will be less. Likewise, when there is increase in multiple minority status, the chances for decreased accessibility to economic and social resources increases (low income job, restricted entry into employment and minimal education). There are several management problems when there is several multiple minority status because it limits working with groups to attain social change. It is difficult to define a particular group and activists are required to find additional time and resources to work with each group. Multiple minority groups can fight for their rights through powerful and well recognized groups to achieve their basic requirements. Therefore minority groups usually do not have more than three minority reasons to stay in a special status (Deegan & Brooks 1985 p.40). Further, the civil rights movement of the blacks resulted in several multiple minority groups with subgroups like mentally retarded, mentally ill, physically disabled, and elderly or imprisoned which demanded more from the community and caretakers. This leads to conflicting demands and the determination of the basic problem becomes essential and this gave rise to inter-minority conflicts (Deegan & Brooks 1985 p.41). Reference Biaggio, M & Hersen, M. 2000 Issues in the Psychology of Women Berlin: Springer Deegan, M.J. & Brooks, N. A. 1985 Women and Disability: The Double Handicap New Jersey: Transaction Publishers Diener, E & Suh, E.M. 2003 Culture and Subjective Well-being Cambridge: MIT Press Fuller, B., Bridges, M. & Pai, S. 2007 Standardized Childhood: The Political and Cultural Struggle Over Early Education Stanford: Stanford University Press Halpern, D.F., Voĭskunskiĭ, A & Voiskounsky, A.E. 1997 States of Mind: American and Post- Soviet Perspectives on Contemporary Issues in Psychology New York: Oxford University Press US Hill, M & Ballou, M.B. 2005 The Foundation and Future of Feminist Therapy Philadelphia: Haworth Press Lam, C.M. 2007. Not Grown Up Forever: A Chinese Conception of Adolescent Development New York: Nova Publishers Malley-Morrison, K & Hines, D.A. 2004 Family Violence in a Cultural Perspective: Defining, Understanding, and Combating Abuse London: SAGE Olkin, R. 2001 What Psychotherapists Should Know about DisabilityNew York: Guilford Press Pope-Davis, D.B. & Coleman, H.L.K. 2000 The Intersection of Race, Class, and Gender in Multicultural Counseling: Implications for Multicultural Counseling London: SAGE Robinson, L. 1995. Psychology for Social Workers: Black Perspectives London: Routledge Young, G & Dickerson, B 1994 Color, Class & Country: Experiences of Gender London: Zed Books Read More