Week 3 - Culture Community Flashcards
Culture and Identity
Culture may be defined to include many different facets
ADDRESSING
A – Age
Youngest person in a part-time job
Age in relation to others
D ‐ Disability, developmental
Born deaf - born with it
D – Disability, acquired
Accident, TBI
R – Religion
E – Ethnicity
S – Socioeconomic status
Income, class
S – Sexual orientation
I – Indigenous heritage
N – Nation of origin
G – Gender identity
Culture and Identity
These aspects of culture may be more or less salient for any individual.
The areas of greatest saliency are often those where we differ from others.
Some facets that we do not find salient may still be important.
An individual who has privilege or power as a result of a facet (e.g., being part of a majority race) may not consider this aspect salient
Culture and Psychology - Dr. David Satcher
US Surgeon General 1998‐2002 - tell gov and people in healthcare to focus on healthcare as an important ingredient
Summary of Mental Health: Culture, Race, Ethnicity (2001)
Two take‐home messages:
- “Culture counts” in consideration of etiology, effects, and treatment of educational and psychological problems
- Psychologists need to incorporate cultural issues into conceptualizations of psychological problems and treatments
How we define and treat - bring culture in to allow people to flourish
Today, we have started to build a discussion of the ways that “culture counts”
Culture should be viewed in broad sense
The field of psychology has had a history of pathologizing:
People of colour, women, and other groups -
Positive psychology failed to address culture
Was supposed to be a “balanced” view, but there were few discussions of culture
Culture should be viewed in broad sense
Include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, disability, and nation of origin
In the late 1800s to early 1900s, anthropologists and psychologists referred to race and culture as determinants of positive and negative personal characteristics and behaviours
GSPE.
Genetically deficient perspective – highlighting the inferiority of certain racial and cultural groups - research was being conducted by old white men
Strong belief in genetic superiority (e.g., Phillipe Rushton) - based on brain size and penis size
Pseudoscience (e.g., craniometry - capacity of our skulls - fill skull with different things after death and count how many fit = large = smart) and
eugenics (e.g., Ellis Island screening - IQ test in ENGLISH - youre all dumb)
Mid 20th Century: Culturally deficient perspective
Factors that affect physical and psychological growth - people were not successful/intelligent because they were resources like white american values and customs
Environmental, nutritional, linguistic, interpersonal
Hypothesis in 1950s:
people in other cultures were lacking in psychological resources because they had limited exposure to White American values and customs (the prevailing culture)
Deviations from normative culture were labelled “deficient
1970s and beyond: Culturally different perspective
pluralistic vs. relativistic
Culturally pluralistic – recognizing distinct cultural entities and adopting some values of the majority group
Culturally relativistic – interpreting behaviours within the context of the cultures
These two paradigms help explain diversity in positive and negative human behaviour.
Positive Psychology: Culture Is Everywhere
Culturally Embedded Positive Psychology Research and Practice
Culture‐sensitive recommendations
Some strengths are universal
Certain characteristics/virtues present as positive facets in many cultures
Love may be a universal strength
But group harmony and cohesion may not be
Difference in manifestation of positive traits
Textbook example of forgiveness among the Hmong Americans ◦
Forgiveness for Hmong group focuses on restoration of respect and relational repair - decide that you’re going to respect them again, a spiritual component facilitated by a third person - element of spirituality - necessary for forgiveness in this culture
Happiness may be a by‐product of life, rather than a desire
Happiness in Eastern and Western cultures
Western: personal achievement leads to happiness
Eastern: interpersonal harmony
Situating Positive Psychology
Positive Psychology can’t be pursued as if it transcends culture – it is not value‐free, culture‐free, ahistorical, or universal.
Psychology can’t be an “objective” science, because it is so heavily influenced by Western perspectives.
Need to learn how the self varies across cultures.
Need to learn how different cultures understand virtues, values, well‐being
Putting Positive Psychology in a Cultural Context
1. Examining the Equivalence of the “Positives” to Determine What Works
Cross‐cultural and multicultural research
Look between groups (cross‐cultural)
Look within groups (heterogeneity within diverse nations)
Just because you are part of the same group doesnt mean you have the same values
Putting Positive Psychology in a Cultural Context
1. Examining the Equivalence of the “Positives” to Determine What Works
Quantitative and qualitative studies
Qualitative may give us info on how culture contributes to development and manifestation of strengths
Quantitative may give us info on how strengths can lead to particular outcomes in various cultures
Putting Positive Psychology in a Cultural Context
1. Examining the Equivalence of the “Positives” to Determine What Works
Optimism and pessimism studies
Asian Americans and White Americans
Asian Americans were significantly more pessimistic, but n.s. optimistic ◦
Findings might suggest that Asian Americans have more negative affect, BUT no sig. differences in reported depressive symptoms in both groups
In White Americans, pessimism was negatively correlated with problem-solving; however, in Asian Americans, pessimism was positively correlated with problem-solving
Putting Positive Psychology in a Cultural Context
1. Examining the Equivalence of the “Positives” to Determine What Works
Cultural facets can provide strengths
Cultural identities may provide strengths (activity at the beginning of class)
Low SES might be associated with creative problem‐solving strategies
Being a member of a collectivist group might be associated with being good at networking
Differences in benefits from coping strategies
Coping strategies of caregivers:
Taking action; using social support; cognitively reappraising life situations; denying the health problem/avoidance
The strategies were used by different groups, but not all strategies were helpful
“Greater levels of coping were associated with greater distress in the U.S. sample, while greater levels of coping were not associated with distress in the Shanghai sample.” Shaw et al., 1997
Putting Positive Psychology in a Cultural Context
2. Determining the Foundations of the Good Life
Culture influences views of the good life
Happiness? Life Satisfaction?
What about socioeconomic differences?
Experiences help form worldviews
Ways of describing the universe, the world
What is, and what ought to be
“The Wise Man of the Gulf” - american talks to mexican fisherman - net is big - catch more if it was smaller
Says he only catches what he needs
American - need to be more successful now so you can retire
Mexican fisherman would end up doing the same things he’s doing now when he retires
Putting Positive Psychology in a Cultural Context
3. Using Caution in Measuring “Universal” Strengths
Traits and characteristics defined differently
The same words may have different meanings
Similarities are not what they appear to be
Linguistic equivalence is not a substitute for conceptual equivalence
Must be aware of biases
Check in with members of the community that we are studying
Bringing awareness to our biases allows for more competent research
Putting Positive Psychology in a Cultural Context
4. Multicultural Mindset as a Strength
Multicultural personality – “a strength‐based cluster of personality dispositions or traits that…is hypothesized to predict cultural adjustment and quality of life outcomes in culturally heterogenous societies” (Ponterotto, et al., 2008, p. 95)
Better at understanding different cultures - cultural sensitivity
Multicultural Personality Questionnaire—five factors
Cultural empathy
Open‐mindedness
Emotional stability
Initiative
Flexibility
Final Thoughts on the Complexity of Cultural Influences
Must continue to study cultural influences
Examine the strengths of marginalized groups
Increasing diversity in North America
Increasing capacity for communication (i.e., internet)
Discussions of strengths particularly important because of early damaging pseudoscience
Non‐assimilation is not pathology!
These groups may have ideas for coping, community building, etc.
Lack of non‐Western research
Existing research focuses on happiness, hope, optimism
Need more research on Eastern values (harmony, compassion, altruism)
Psychological strength is universal
There are no universal strengths
Context and culture matter
Dr. Nadine Burke Harris
Pediatrician - serving low SES
HIgh number had experience childhood trauma - studied how it affects brain development and health as an adult
Changes neural pathways
Affects ability to cope with stress, obesity, founded the centre for youth wellness
Help treat trauma and build resilience
Adverse Childhood Experiences
Childhood trauma is very common, even in employed, middle-class college educated people
Direct link between ACEs and adult onset chronic disease, depression, suicide, being violent, victim of violence
Modre types of trauma increased the risk of health, social and emotional problems
If someone has experienced trauma it is usually more than one type
Five are personal: physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect and emotional neglect
Five are related to other family members: a parent who’s an alcoholic, a mother who’s a victim of domestic violence, a family member in jail, a family member diagnosed with a mental illness, and the disappearance of a parent through divorce, death or abandonment
Why talk about Trauma
ACEs are experienced by many people
Lead to worsened physical and mental health but not everyone who has poor mental health - some people are resilient
What are the resilient people doing differently - are there protective factors - can we reverse the effects of trauma
Questions for positive psych
Developmental Psychology
Resilience in childhood - the ability to bounce back or positively adapt in the face of adversity
Positive youth development - nine outcomes:
Bonding
Social, emotional, cognitive, behavioral and moral competencies
Self-determination
Spirtuality
Clear and positive identity
Belief in the future
Positive behavior
Prosocial development
Prosocial norms
Successful aging - lifestyle defined as avoiding disease, engaging in life and maintaining high cognitive and physical functioning in one’s later years
Resilience researchers
Study the naturally occurring personal and environmental resources that help children and adolescents to overcome life’s challenges
Positive youth developmentalists
Put the resilience research into practice by creating programs
What is resilience?
Bouncing back is one part of the definition
Positive adaptation to significant adversity
Resilience in Childhood
Researchers disagree on the answer to this: “bounced back to what?”
Are we looking for back to normal or evidence of excellence
Most look for normal but we celebrate the excellence cases
Resilience in Childhood - Cultural differences in conceptualization
What are the cultural values
What are the community expectations
We must be aware of our biases
Who is resilient? External and internal adaptation
External - meeting the various expectations of society - necessary
Internal - positive psychological well-being - researchers are split
Werner and Smith - At-risk children of Kauai
Followed 700 children from birth
Psychological data from children and adult caregivers
At birth, ⅓ considered high risk
Of high risk, ⅓ were resilient the others developed problems
Over 80% bounced back later in life by mid-30s
Attributed to having one supportive adult
Resilient - one caring adult in their life
Resilience Resources
Culture Influences Coping with Adversity
Collectivist - social support vs. individualist - problem solving
Coping strategies
Stigma
Access to resources
Thousands of development programs
Help overcome adversities
Help build competencies
Resilience in Childhood
the 1970s, a core group of developmental scientists began to study children who succeeded in life despite severe challenges.
Jackson - sexually abused at 8 - trust gone, withdrawn, anxious, somatic symptoms - absence and low academic performance
Was able to get teacher support
Resilience resources
Protective factors in the development -
Strategies for Promoting Resilience
1st strategy - reduce risk
——-Treating maternal issues right away - PPD PPA - major mood shifts that can sometimes turn pathological
Housing
Reduce neighbourhood crime
Protective factor
Asset focused strategies: Improving Number or
Quality of Resources or Social Capital
——-Food, education, adults who love them, community services
Processed focused strategy: : Mobilizing the Power of Human Adaptation Systems
——build self-confidence and self-efficacy, be forgiving, secure attachment, socializing, cultural traditinons
Resilience - 2 dimensions
Dimension 1 is theorized as representing the relative safety of coping approaches and strategies that might be used in response to stressful situations.
Risky or safe coping
Dimension 2 is theorized as representing the relative positivity of the actual life outcomes that follow from the use of these coping strategies…
Pos or Neg outcomes
may or may not be a direct causal connection between dimensions
, resilience research should take care to consider context as one determines what is “protective” and what is “risky.”
Regarding “good adaptation,” resilience researchers agree that external adaptation (meeting the social, educational, cultural, and occupational expectations of society) is necessary to determine who is resilient
Culture influences coping with adversity
Individualist
Indivualist - coping resources that help achieve individualist success - achievement-focused
Coping strategies - individualistic - internally reliant,
Stigma - areas where people keep mental health to themselves- can be a barrier to treatment - even in Canada - schizophrenia/addiction
Certain types of problems - incest vs. parents never said they loved me
Culture influences coping with adversity
Collectivist
collectivist - outside support
Stigma - areas where people keep mental health to themselves- can be a barrier to treatment - even in Canada - schizophrenia/addiction
Certain types of problems - incest vs. parents never said they loved me
Access to resources -LSD
culture in the broadest sense - developing countries may have difficulties accessing mh treatment or food, etc.
Low income - mental health resources are difficult to access - not free - restricted to a certain income bracket
Stigma - cultural
Disability - difficult to access resources
Not just where you live but also who you are
Key Aspects of the Research on Resilience
1 - There is no timeline
Could turn life around later - first 10 years important to strategies and strengths
- ⅓ of traumatized children build better lives by their teen years
Teen years might be the point where things turn around - Faith - bad things are temporary
Faith in a hopeful future - will be a time when this is no longer happening to me - More resilient people don’t do it alone - they create families if they need to
- Setting goals and planning for the future
Focus on future - more likely to do the things we need to do to prepare us to get there - Believing in oneself
- Recognizing one’s own strengths
What is Positive Youth Development?
Build competencies - identify and use strengths - recognize the good in our youth and focus on each child’s strengths and potential
Physical and psychological competencies that help facilitate transition
Healthy development is marked by nine outcomes
- Rewarding bonding
- Promoting social, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and moral competencies
- Encouraging self-determination
- Fostering spirituality
- Nurturing a clear and positive identity
- Building beliefs in the future
- Recognizing positive behavior
- Providing opportunities for prosocial development
- Establishing prosocial norms
Can be designed for specific groups
African american - strong ethnic identity is positively correlated self-esteen
Mexican immigran - correlation strong ethnic identity is positive correlated with academic performance
No links for white american children
For ethnic minority americans, programs with self-discovery and self-definition are effective
Programs exist for young females but girl power can be problematic
May be encouraging girls to exhibit stereotypical male traits - ignore valued female traits
Sometimes girl power programs ignore the state of the patriarchy - telling girls they can do anything - internalize and believe its their fault
stark reality is that girls do not rule the world today, although they may hope for more equality in the future.
programs May not be equally accessible
Some minority children may not attend after school programs
Low SES children may not attend these programs
Taking care of siblings, no means to get there, cost
Strong relationships are very impactful
Parents or other adults
High maternal warmth
Parental monitoring
Parental involvement in school
relationships could be developed with positive youth program staff and have the same type of impact.
Development programs that work
Big Brothers and Big Sisters - community-based mentoring
Penn Resiliency Program - structured life skills development
Changing lives program - enhance identity development and facilitate mastery experiences
other more general extracurricular activities may also promote positive youth development.
Foster youth programs that work to create and enhance relationships of support with caring adults, as well as to provide experiences for youth to give back to their communities, may see increases in resilience in this often marginalized population
The trajectories of Precocious children
Terman’s longitudinal study of gifted children
Most were hardy and healthy and graduated from college and subsequently secured jobs
BUT - ID does not guarantee success, IQ is not protection against poor decisions
Valiant built upon terms work
Valiant refined six tasks of adult development
Identity- Identity is typically developed during adolescence or early adulthood, when people’s views, values, and interests begin to become their own rather than a reflection of their caregivers’ beliefs.
Intimacy - close female friendships as their most intimate relationships, whereas the men in the Harvard study invariably identified their relationships with their wives as the most intimate connections.
career consolidation - requires the development of a social identity. Engagement with a career is characterized by contentment, compensation, competence, and commitment.
Generativity - , people become involved in the building of a broader social circle through a “giving away” of self. as people age, social goals become more meaningful than achievement-oriented goals
keeper of meaning - has a perspective on the workings of the world and of people, and this person is willing to share that wisdom with others.
Integrity - brings peace to a person’s life
MacArthur Study of Successful Aging
These high-functioning adults participated in a 90-minute personal interview and then were followed for an average of 7 years, during which time they completed periodic interviews.
Three themes -
-avoiding disease
-engaging in life
-maintaining high cognitive and physical functioning
joy, love, and learning, love, work, and play
Carr and Weir (2017) surveyed a large group of older adults and found three distinct themes related to successful aging across several different age groups
(1) staying healthy,
(2) maintaining an active engagement with life, and
(3) keeping a positive outlook on life.
Social support: two types for successful aging
Emotional support (liking and loving)
instrumental support (assistance when someone is in need)
The Adult Development Study
256 Caucasian, socially advantaged adults
Valiant identified specific lifestyle factors:
Not smoking, coping adaptively, not abusing alcohol, maintaining healthy weight, stable marriage, some exercise, being educated
These variables distinguished between the happy‐well and sad‐sick
The biggest difference: using mature psychological coping styles (altruism, humour)
Positive emotional experiences in early life
Nun study (Danner et al., 2001)
autobiographies of 180 Catholic nuns written in the early 20th century, demonstrated that positive emotional content in the writings was inversely correlated with risk of mortality 60 years later.
nuns, who had seemingly had a lifestyle conducive to successful aging, were more likely to live past their 70th and 80th birthdays if they had told stories of their lives that were laden with positive emotions many decades before
Biggest regrets:
Not taking education more seriously
Failure to do things (e.g., travel, tell someone
