Defining Diversity/Culture &Defining Diversity/Culture &

Generic Assumptions Of Generic Assumptions Of Counseling & PsychotherapyCounseling & Psychotherapy

Psy 622Psy 622: Cross-Cultural : Cross-Cultural CounselingCounseling

Daryl M. Rowe, Ph.D.Daryl M. Rowe, Ph.D.Pepperdine UniversityPepperdine University

Graduate School of Education & PsychologyGraduate School of Education & Psychology

DefinitionsDefinitions

Diversity – affirmation of richness of human Diversity – affirmation of richness of human differences, ideas, beliefsdifferences, ideas, beliefs

Includes, but not limited to: age, color, disability Includes, but not limited to: age, color, disability and health, ethnicity, gender, language, national and health, ethnicity, gender, language, national origin, race, religion/spirituality, sexual origin, race, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, SESorientation, SES

ADDRESSING heuristicADDRESSING heuristic Intersection of multiple identities/statusesIntersection of multiple identities/statuses Exploration of power and privilegeExploration of power and privilege

NCSPP (2002)NCSPP (2002)

Defining CultureDefining Culture Culture is a Culture is a metaphormetaphor for understanding different for understanding different

perspectives within each of us as our different social perspectives within each of us as our different social roles complement compete and cooperate with one roles complement compete and cooperate with one another in our unfolding quest of living. another in our unfolding quest of living.

Culture is both Culture is both descriptivedescriptive - relatively stable product of - relatively stable product of human action, and human action, and dynamicdynamic - a continuously changing - a continuously changing process that influences human action. process that influences human action.

Mohandas Gandhi stated that Mohandas Gandhi stated that ““culture resides in the culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its peoplehearts and in the soul of its people””… …

Culture is the context out of which humans emerge Culture is the context out of which humans emerge and as such provides the framework by which human and as such provides the framework by which human behavior becomes meaningful and can be behavior becomes meaningful and can be understood.understood.

CultureCulture

Review definitionsReview definitions Culture is a difficult concept to define: Culture is a difficult concept to define:

can be conceptualized as a system of can be conceptualized as a system of meanings which reflect the totality of the meanings which reflect the totality of the processes for living of an interdependent processes for living of an interdependent network of individuals, groups, network of individuals, groups, communities and societies. communities and societies.

Culture (cont.)Culture (cont.)

Thus, culture is the context which gives Thus, culture is the context which gives meaning to humans' individual behavior.meaning to humans' individual behavior.

Cultural diversity, refers to the Cultural diversity, refers to the differentdifferent contextual systems of meanings through contextual systems of meanings through which the behavior of humans can be which the behavior of humans can be understood.understood.

IntroductionIntroduction

Important to look at the development of Important to look at the development of psychology as a helping profession within the psychology as a helping profession within the parameters of this societyparameters of this society

Methods to explore:Methods to explore: Key proponents of major theories (famous & Key proponents of major theories (famous &

infamous)infamous) Key theoriesKey theories Socio-cultural context Socio-cultural context

Focus is socio-cultural context re: Focus is socio-cultural context re: development of counseling & psychotherapydevelopment of counseling & psychotherapy

Socio-cultural FactorsSocio-cultural Factors

Three major cultural influences or Three major cultural influences or characteristics of the U.S. conducive to characteristics of the U.S. conducive to growth growth (Schmidt, 1977)(Schmidt, 1977)

Pervasive tendency to experiment and Pervasive tendency to experiment and innovateinnovate

High degree of physical mobility coupled High degree of physical mobility coupled with emphasis on individual achievementwith emphasis on individual achievement

High level of economic developmentHigh level of economic development

Pervasive tendency to Pervasive tendency to experiment and innovateexperiment and innovate

Refuge from established patternsRefuge from established patterns

Led to increasing amounts of Led to increasing amounts of uncertainty & ambiguity (present & uncertainty & ambiguity (present & futurefuture

Application of science to solution of Application of science to solution of human problemshuman problems

High degree of physical mobility High degree of physical mobility coupled with emphasis on coupled with emphasis on

individual achievementindividual achievement

Individual achievement was major Individual achievement was major means of distinction, following emphasis means of distinction, following emphasis on innovationon innovation

To seek individual achievement, To seek individual achievement, persons & families began to relocatepersons & families began to relocate

Net result: De-emphasis on extended Net result: De-emphasis on extended familyfamily

High degree of physical mobility High degree of physical mobility coupled with emphasis on individual coupled with emphasis on individual

achievement (cont.)achievement (cont.)

Impacts:Impacts: self-improvement was/is self-improvement was/is basisbasis for attaining for attaining

rewards & achieving identityrewards & achieving identity void created by dispersal of family unitvoid created by dispersal of family unit led to society which promoted a belief in led to society which promoted a belief in

the attribution of human performance the attribution of human performance outcomes to individual behaviors and outcomes to individual behaviors and attitudesattitudes

High level of economic High level of economic developmentdevelopment

Given the valuing of innovations, the Given the valuing of innovations, the rewarding of innovations & the importation of rewarding of innovations & the importation of critical labor forces (Africans in the south, critical labor forces (Africans in the south, Europeans in the northeast, Asians in the Europeans in the northeast, Asians in the west and Northwest, Mexicans in the west and Northwest, Mexicans in the southwest) time, resources & energy was southwest) time, resources & energy was devoted to research & developmentdevoted to research & development

Highly industrialized and technologically Highly industrialized and technologically advanced eraadvanced era

Valuing of material goods over human needsValuing of material goods over human needs

Impact of Socio-Cultural Impact of Socio-Cultural FactorsFactors

From the outset, there has been an From the outset, there has been an individualistic orientation in psychology individualistic orientation in psychology – –

emphasis on self-control, emphasis on self-control, personal responsibility, personal responsibility, self-reliance and self-reliance and individual achievement.individual achievement.

Philosophical Philosophical Assumptions Assumptions

Eurocentric approach: Europe was seen as the Eurocentric approach: Europe was seen as the center of the worldcenter of the world

Review of most introductory psychology texts emphasize Review of most introductory psychology texts emphasize the historical contributions of Western Europeans to the historical contributions of Western Europeans to psychologypsychology

Aristotle - GreekAristotle - Greek Descartes - FrenchDescartes - French Hobbes & Locke - BritishHobbes & Locke - British Freud - ViennaFreud - Vienna Wundt - GermanWundt - German Pavlov - RussianPavlov - Russian Witmer, Lightner; James, William; Hall, G. Stanley - Euro-Witmer, Lightner; James, William; Hall, G. Stanley - Euro-

AmericansAmericans

Philosophical Philosophical Assumptions (cont.)Assumptions (cont.)

Concept of the Concept of the ““SelfSelf”” The The ““selfself”” has been and still is individually has been and still is individually

defineddefined

Concept of TimeConcept of Time Time has been viewed as both linear and Time has been viewed as both linear and

futuristicfuturistic

Philosophical Philosophical Assumptions (cont.)Assumptions (cont.)

Ontological AssumptionsOntological Assumptions Branch of metaphysics which studies the Branch of metaphysics which studies the

nature of existence of being in total; the nature of existence of being in total; the nature of nature of ““WHAT ISWHAT IS””

Emphasis on the physical or material essence of Emphasis on the physical or material essence of beingbeing

Emphasis on individualismEmphasis on individualism Emphasis on independenceEmphasis on independence Emphasis on Emphasis on ““survival of the fittestsurvival of the fittest””

Philosophical Philosophical Assumptions (cont.)Assumptions (cont.)

Epistemological AssumptionsEpistemological Assumptions Branch of philosophy that investigates the Branch of philosophy that investigates the

origin, nature, methods and limits of origin, nature, methods and limits of knowledge; knowledge of knowledge; knowledge of ““WHAT ISWHAT IS””

Emphasis on objectivity and measurementEmphasis on objectivity and measurement Emphasis on observation of experiencesEmphasis on observation of experiences Knowledge tends to be rigid, static and fixedKnowledge tends to be rigid, static and fixed Logic tend to be dualisticLogic tend to be dualistic

Philosophical Philosophical Assumptions (cont.)Assumptions (cont.)

Axiological AssumptionsAxiological Assumptions Branch of philosophy dealing with values; Branch of philosophy dealing with values;

the value of the value of ““WHAT ISWHAT IS””

Competition/conflict is valuedCompetition/conflict is valued Control of life and environment is valuedControl of life and environment is valued High value on ownership, human - to - objectHigh value on ownership, human - to - object Emphasis on individual rightsEmphasis on individual rights Emphasis on data-collection and acquiring Emphasis on data-collection and acquiring

informationinformation

Impacts of Philosophical Impacts of Philosophical Assumptions on Applied Assumptions on Applied

PsychologyPsychology Accepted as Accepted as ““universal truthsuniversal truths”” vs. vs.

assumptionsassumptions Narrowed preferences for topics and Narrowed preferences for topics and

methods of inquiry/studymethods of inquiry/study Assume that individuals who can control Assume that individuals who can control

and are responsible for their own lives and are responsible for their own lives are more fully functioning personsare more fully functioning persons