Cross-cultural Practice

Question 1

Diversity in practice:

Answer 1

• In social work and welfare, practitioners come into contact with diverse groups of people.
• In order to communicate and work effectively with others it is important and necessary to understand something of the lives, experiences and culture of different groups in society

While being culturally literate means building awareness, knowledge and skills of other cultures, it also mean building awareness, knowledge and skills about one’s own culture and reflecting upon those beliefs and attitudes and their effect, both personally and professionally, as you prepare for client
contact.

Question 2

What is cross-cultural practice:

Answer 2

• A form of social work process in which a social work professional intervenes with a client
  from a different culture.

Question 3

What is culture:

Answer 3

• Broadly defined as all the values, customs,
  beliefs, ideas, practices, history and material
  objects that we create in real life.

Question 4

Hofstede’s cultural onion theory:

Answer 4

• Symbols
• Heroes
• Rituals
• Values

Question 5

Understanding cultural dimensions:

Answer 5

• PD (power distance)
• IDV (individualism)
• MAS (Masculinity)
• UAI (Uncertainty avoidance index)… Low UAI = the society values differences.
• LTO (Long term orientation)… High LTO = less leisure/more delivering on social obligations.

Question 6

High-context and low-context cultures:

Answer 6

• High-context cultures- attuned to nonverbal cues, messages, and experiences.
• Low-context cultures- focus on precise, direct, logical, verbal communication.

Question 7

Barriers in cross-cultural practice:

Answer 7

• Ethnocentrism.
• Assumptions of similarities.
• Language differences, nonverbal misinterpretations.
• Tendency to evaluate, approve or disapprove.
• Anxiety/apprehension (stress or tension due to uncertainties).

Question 8

Ethnocentrism:

Answer 8

Ethnocentrism refers to as a “universal tendency for any people to put its own culture and society in a central position of priority and worth”

Question 9

Obstacles to understanding others:

Answer 9

• Ethnocentrism
• Stereotyping
• Prejudice
• Discrimination

Question 10

Core concepts of cultural competence:

Answer 10

• Cultural awareness
• Cultural sensitivity
• Cultural humility
• Cultural responsiveness

Question 11

Methods for maintaining cultural competence:

Answer 11

• Recognising the limits of their competencies and seeking consultation/training/education.
• Become actively involved with the minority.
• Are not averse to seeking consultation with traditional healers/religious and spiritual practitioners (respect of beliefs and traditions).