Cross Cultural Interactions with Others
Cross-Cultural Interactions with Others
Gina McDillon – Kitakis
PSYC 870
Professor Jean Johnson
December 1, 2010
Social workers, psychologists and educators alike, have a responsibility to develop cultural competencies. This implies a commitment to creating an environment of mutual understanding. “Cultural competence refers to the process by which individuals and systems respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and other diversity factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of individuals, families, and communities and protects and preserves the dignity of each” (NASW, 2000b, p. 61). Therapists focus on interactions with diverse clients and new situations everyday. Developing cultural competencies is essential towards meaningful communication. Research on person perception has suggested that the information we glean from others can be affected by factors such as appearance, stereotypes, and culture (Wang, 2009). The competency statements for review focus upon communication style (verbal and nonverbal) and how communication can influence others perceptions. In addition, a competency statement regarding high-and low-context communication from different cultural socializations is discussed. Most models of counseling assume that the spoken word is understood. However, when working with cross cultural clients, a host of deficits linger, which may lead to distance, vulnerability and misinterpretations. Verbal communication is important but can be easily misinterpreted across cultures. Words are powerful, but often forgotten. How one perceives the words is most often remembered. Words and what they mean in a cross cultural setting have a major role in a therapeutic setting. To fully understand a culture, it is necessary to understand the
use of the cultures metaphors. Metaphors have their own historical origins and
Gina McDillon – Kitakis
PSYC 870
Professor Jean Johnson
December 1, 2010
Social workers, psychologists and educators alike, have a responsibility to develop cultural competencies. This implies a commitment to creating an environment of mutual understanding. “Cultural competence refers to the process by which individuals and systems respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and other diversity factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of individuals, families, and communities and protects and preserves the dignity of each” (NASW, 2000b, p. 61). Therapists focus on interactions with diverse clients and new situations everyday. Developing cultural competencies is essential towards meaningful communication. Research on person perception has suggested that the information we glean from others can be affected by factors such as appearance, stereotypes, and culture (Wang, 2009). The competency statements for review focus upon communication style (verbal and nonverbal) and how communication can influence others perceptions. In addition, a competency statement regarding high-and low-context communication from different cultural socializations is discussed. Most models of counseling assume that the spoken word is understood. However, when working with cross cultural clients, a host of deficits linger, which may lead to distance, vulnerability and misinterpretations. Verbal communication is important but can be easily misinterpreted across cultures. Words are powerful, but often forgotten. How one perceives the words is most often remembered. Words and what they mean in a cross cultural setting have a major role in a therapeutic setting. To fully understand a culture, it is necessary to understand the
use of the cultures metaphors. Metaphors have their own historical origins and
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