Cultural Variation within the USA

Native American Families Issue of being grouped together

versus diversity

Native American History

Huge drop in population historically.

War, disease Early 1800s: Government Goals,

Educational system  Mid-1800s: Reservations or

“sanctuaries.”

History, Cont.

Early 1900s: 1924–citizenship. Right to vote determined by state

1960s–Activism. Financial aid More say re: children  1975–Education 

Native American Values

Harmony with Nature–similar to Schwartz’s idea of harmony versus mastery

Mainstream culture: Mastery. Native-American culture: Harmony. Chief Seattle–letter

Native American Values

Collectivist (video). Similar to Schwarz’s Autonomy versus Conservatism, Hofstede’s collectivism

Lewis & Gingrich (1980): Student’s views of leadership 

Competition and effort at school Assertiveness and peers’ reactions

Values: Relationships and Family Roles

Traditional family organization & child-rearing

Fictive kin referred to as Grandpa, Aunt, etc.

Thus service workers often need to talk with more than just parent

Children: Self-sufficience & collectivism

Age Expected to Accomplish (years) __________________________

Anglo- Afro- Native- American American American

_______________________________________Dress self 3.7 4.0 2.8Do regular chores 6.1 6.3 5.4Go downtown alone 13.5 12.8 10.6Left alone in evening 14.4 13.6 9.2Take care of younger sibling 13.1 12.9 9.9Go on dates 16.4 16.5 15.7

Milestones

Milestones not always similar. European-American vs. Native-American

Relationships and Family Roles Elders Roles of Men

Roles in family vary according to tribe Men usually involved in socializing and

disciplining in some way Participation in military important

Roles of Women Vary, as above Single-parent families  Family structure and poverty

Beliefs

Health Traditional ceremonies versus

mainstream health care. Religion

Behavior

Communication Silence Respect Indirect speech

Marriage outside of cultural group

Behavior-Acculturation Berry: People vary in terms of 1) valuing

their culture of origin, and 2) valuing mainstream culture

Thus integrated/bicultural, separated/traditional, assimilated, marginal

Bicultural families versus marginal families

Trends for separated/traditional and assimilated

Value Own

Culture?

Yes No

Value Host

Yes

Culture? No

A traditional Native-American family whose 2 ½ daughter had a repaired clef lip and chronic otitis media were referred for early intervention services by a community clinic pediatrician. The pediatrician was concerned about the child’s speech and language, as well as the child’s behavior problems.

The early interventionist went to the home for the first visit in order to talk to the family and get a case history. She was told the mother and father lived with the mother’s parents and an elderly aunt. During the first visit to the home, the children were very quiet. The elder aunt stayed in the kitchen and the grandparents were in town shopping.

The early interventionist introduced herself and explained why she was there. She began to ask questions on the case history. She was confused by the responses to questions regarding the child’s development. The parents did not seem to remember when the child sat up or began walking. Although the doctor stated that the child was using single words to name things, the parents said the child was not talking yet. The early interventionist also asked if the parents had any concerns about the child’s behavior. The parents said, “No”. The early interventionist left after arranging to come back in a week.

The early interventionist went back to the clinic and asked a nurse who had been working in the community for 10 years if she would talk to her about this referral and the home visit. She asked why the parents did not seem to know about developmental milestones. If you were the nurse, what would you tell the interventionist? How should she interpret this behavior? What other questions might she have asked?

Next, the early interventionist told the nurse about the pediatrician’s concern about the child’s behavior and the parents’ lack of concern. In advising the early interventionist how to interpret this behavior, what would you tell the interventionist?

If the early interventionist was to visit this Native-American family again, what questions would you advise the early interventionist to ask the family? What else would you recommend that she do differently?