Definition of culture

Culture is a way of life. It is the total of the ever-changing knowledge, ideas, thoughts, beliefs, values, communication, actions, attitudes, traditions, customs, and objects that a group of people possess and the ways they have of doing things. Culture also includes standards of behavior and sets of rules to live by. Customs are the generally accepted ways of doing things that are common to people who share the same culture. Basic concepts about culture can be accessed at http://www.culturediversity.org.

Characteristics of culture

An important point about culture is that it is learned behavior. The culture of a group is passed on from generation to generation. From the moment you were born, you began to learn about the culture of the group into which you were born. The process of learning your culture (the way your group does things) is called enculturation. A result of enculturation is a worldview that is generally shared by persons with the same cultural background. The worldview, or similar ways of seeing and understanding the world, becomes the reality of the group. This reality fills every aspect of life. It is a cultural bias (a mental leaning) that is never proved or questioned by the individual. The worth of everything, either within or outside the group, depends on whether it fits the worldview of the cultural group. One’s worldview can lead to ethnocentrism, prejudice, and discrimination, unless modified by knowledge and experience.

Socialization is the process by which a person of one culture learns how to function in a larger culture. Right now you are being socialized into the career of practical/vocational nursing. You are learning how to think and act like a practical/vocational nurse.

Danger: ethnocentrism, prejudice, and discrimination

People who belong to the same cultural group may develop the attitude, through their worldview, that their way of doing things is superior, right, or better than that of groups with different cultures (ethnocentrism). The group uses its culture as the norm against which to measure and evaluate the customs and ways of others. The group is uncomfortable with people who display customs and behaviors that differ from their cultural group. Ethnocentrism is common to all cultural groups. When intolerance of another cultural group occurs, prejudice results. When rights and privileges are withheld from those of another cultural group, discrimination is the result.

To become aware of different cultures, you need to be aware of yourself as a person. Several activities are included in this chapter to help you with cultural self-awareness. The exercises also help you develop an awareness of cultural differences with peers.

What we share in common

Because of our genes, each of us is different from every other person in the world. (The only exception is identical twins.) Before you start to think about the differences among people, it is a good idea to think about what people have in common.

Knowing others: cultural diversity

In the nineteenth century, waves of immigrants from all over the world came to the United States. The United States was eventually called a melting pot, meaning that these immigrants had given up their native cultures and adopted the culture of the American people.

The 2010 U.S. Census included the categories of Hispanic/Latino/Spanish origin (if so, indicate if Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or Argentinean, Colombian, Dominican, Nicaraguan, Salvadoran, Spaniard, and so on), White, Black, African American or Negro, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, other Asian (Hmong, Laotian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian, and so on), Native Hawaiian, Guamanian or Chamorro, Samoan, other Pacific Islander, or other race United States. Today, the melting pot is more like a “casserole,” with each ingredient (i.e., different culture) adding to the quality of the whole. The concept of the melting pot has been replaced by the concept of cultural diversity, which refers to the many differences in the elements of culture in groups of people in American and Canadian society. Examples of groups that have been identified as culturally diverse in the United States are Hispanics, African Americans, American Muslims, Asians, American Indians, and Caucasians. American Muslims are discussed in Chapter 17.

Cultural diversity goes beyond racial and ethnic groups. As a practical/vocational nurse, you need to define this concept more broadly so culturally diverse groups can also mean single parents, people who live in poverty, homosexuals, bisexuals, the wealthy, the poor, the homeless, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

The concept of race as a means of categorizing people by biologic traits has come under attack by social scientists. These scientists suggest using ethnicity as a more accurate means of capturing the great diversity found in over 7 billion people in the world (http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html). Members of ethnic groups are a special type of cultural group, composed of people who are members of the same race, religion, or nation, or who speak the same language. They derive part of their identity through membership in the ethnic group. Examples of ethnic groups in the United States include Irish Americans, African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, German Americans, Mexican Americans, Jews, Arab Americans, Greek Americans, Finnish Americans, and many more.

Learning about cultural diversity

How to Begin

You have been given exercises that help you to discover your own uniqueness and that of others, as well as similarities. Unless you understand your own culture, it will be difficult to understand the culture of others. You need to look inside yourself to learn about your own cultural beliefs, values, and worldview and the influence they have on how you think and act. Some elements of your culture are obvious, such as your language, celebrated holidays, and how and what you eat. However, other aspects of your culture are hidden. Elements such as aspects of communication, beliefs, attitudes, values, sex roles, use of space, concept of time, structure of the family, and family dynamics may be more difficult to recognize and discuss. Some areas of cultural diversity may be taken for granted in patient situations. Examples include food preferences, religion, educational background, economic level, wellness and illness beliefs and practices, the birth experience, and terminal illness and death beliefs and practices.

The first step to developing knowledge about patient differences in these areas is to become aware of and explore your cultural patterns in these areas. Read the general information about each area. Develop an awareness of your own cultural patterns in these areas by answering the group of statements or questions included with each area. Sharing this information with peers will highlight the cultural diversity that exists in your nursing class, regardless of cultural background. The questions also provide examples of areas to be discussed with patients when collecting data about their personal beliefs and health practices.

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