SYSTEM AND MULTICULTURAL APPROACH1

Systems and Multicultural Approaches
CJHS/400
Robin Webb
11 April 2015
Robert Greenwood

Systems and Multicultural Approaches
Culture and ethnicity have become major influences on the interactional styles and structure of families and even workplaces. People from diverse cultures interact with one another as well as share ideas, so attention has to be given to culture. Individuals need to understand their own cultural background, which may act as a basis of understanding others too. Culture can simply be defined as a group that shapes a person’s values and identity. Culture identities stems from the following differences: race, gender, ethnicity, country of origin, religion, physical ability and geographical region (Blum, 1999).
Aging Juan who is 78 is a case of age and diverse in older people. Since population is always maturing and becoming more diverse, it is important that all health-care providers get adequate education on adult development, aging, and multiculturalism, as well as the connection between these matters. In this case the right experience is needed for effective assessment and intervention to these aging people. Aging process in the diverse older adult that includes physical declines affecting health and overall well-being, and specific culture and social perceptions of aging. The shared characteristics of aging range from adaptation problems resulting from a serious illness or encountering a disability status to work related issues, retirement and personal response (Appiah, 1996). Juan is lonely and wants a job, because his four kids live far from him. Juan is worried because of his age, how he will come out at his trial.
Gay people have posed a major challenge to diverse groups of people on how to deal with them. Gays and lesbians should be noted that it is not a mental illness that they have. Psychologists are encouraged to identify how their outlook and knowledge about lesbian, gay and bisexual issues may be relevant to assessment of an individual. David is worried about his safety if he is put in jailed for possession with intent to distribute narcotics. He knows what happens to gay men that enter jail or prison. People should learn how to accept people as they are.
Religious Layla is having spiritual and religious aspects; culture needs to be understood better for somebody to handle such a counselling. A good knowledge and understanding is vital since religious beliefs are binding sometimes and people hold to them strongly regardless the situation they’re facing.
Gender based cultural difference is also common. Jasmine who is an incarcerated female has memories of being physically and sexually abused as a child, by an older man. Jasmine is more comfortable around the female officers, than the males because of what happened to her as a child. When a male officer touches her, the memories surface and she is very uncomfortable, but when a female does the same thing, she has no fear. Gender based culture needs to be analyzed and understood well before administering any punishment as well any supervisory role to an individual since it can cause trauma without realization and can impact more harm than cure.
The approaches used in every study differ significantly due to different demands and attitudes of people involved. An approach to be used has to look to many aspects before being put in place since different personalities has to be approached in their own unique way.
The values of system and multicultural theories has influence contemporary behavior, including the notion of unity, the survival of the group, oral tradition, extended kinship networks, self-concept, concept of time, and control of the environment. Psychologists are aware of and respect cultural, individual, and role differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status, and consider these factors when working with members of such groups. Banks stated “Psychologists try to eliminate the effect on their work of biases based on those factors, and they do not knowingly participate in or condone activities of others based upon such prejudices (Banks, 2004)”. Due to understanding diversity people relates well with others, that has enhanced unity and reduced conflict among parties. Through multicultural theories it has enabled people to appreciate other people’s culture and respect it. The positive enhancement of other people’s culture has made all people feel accepted and even being more proud about their culture. Understanding culture has led to the development of good working environment and good understanding at work place, which has made organizations to become more productive. As well culture understanding has promoted close working relationship between regions, religious group, families, and between countries. Lastly people have been trained on how to handle different groups of people depending on their cultural differences that have promoted better service delivery.

References
Appiah, K. A. (1996). “Culture, Subculture, Multiculturalism: Educational Options.” In Public Education in a Multicultural Society, ed. R. K. Fullinwider (pp. 65–89). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Banks, J. A., and C. A. M. Banks. (2004). Handbook of Research on Multicultural Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Blum, L. (1999). “Value Underpinnings of Antiracist and Multicultural Education.” In Systems of Education: Theories, Policies and Implicit Values (Education, Culture, and Values, Vol. 1, ed. M. Leicester, C. Modgil, and S. Modgil (pp. 3–14). London: Falmer Press.

References: Appiah, K. A. (1996). “Culture, Subculture, Multiculturalism: Educational Options.” In Public Education in a Multicultural Society, ed. R. K. Fullinwider (pp. 65–89). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Banks, J. A., and C. A. M. Banks. (2004). Handbook of Research on Multicultural Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Blum, L. (1999). “Value Underpinnings of Antiracist and Multicultural Education.” In Systems of Education: Theories, Policies and Implicit Values (Education, Culture, and Values, Vol. 1, ed. M. Leicester, C. Modgil, and S. Modgil (pp. 3–14). London: Falmer Press.