Cultural Diversity and Diversity in Family Structure: Family Strengths and Challenges
Ethnic Groups
Have different strengths that can be seen at: o
Individual level
o Family level o
Cultural level
Diversity of different ethnic groups provides a broad range of options and ideas o
Provides a broad range of options and ideas
o Improves the ability to solve problems and create new ideas
Why Culture Matters
Everything in families happens within a cultural context o
Definition of family
o How intimacy is expressed
o What it means to be male and female o
Role expectations
Most often programs and policies focus on the values evident in mainstream society
Concepts of Race, Culture, and Ethnicity
Race: common physical characteristics of a group
o
o
o
oo Originally arose as a way to explain the diversity of the human population worldwide
Ethnicity – nationality or ancestry
Culture – how people make sense of their environment and their experiences
o
o
o
oo Values, beliefs and practices
Determining membership in an ethnic or cultural group
o
o
o
oo Key issue is whether the individual believes he or she is a member of that group
o
o
o
oo Classifications cannot be based solely on:
Religious views
Language
Ancestry
Physical characteristics
US Demographics and Future Trends
The US is more ethnically diverse than ever before
The most recent census indicated the population distribution is as follows: o
White 72%
o Hispanic or Latino 16%
o African American or Black 13% o
Asian 6%
o American Indian or Alaskan Natives 1%
Figure 2.2 – Increasing Diversity in America from 2000 to 2050
Ethnic Group “quick facts”
The population is largest ethnic group and the fastest-growing minority population. OnlyHispanic
8% of are foreign born.African Americans
More recent immigrants are from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.Asian
Asian Americans have the highest income level of all minority groups and higher than whites.
There are more than 560 tribes that make up the population. American Indian and Alaska Native American
Indian/Alaska Native tribes have their own form of governance, culture, and history.
Immigration and Family Life
Ethnic composition of the immigrant population is primarily Latino and Asian.
Many immigrants come to the US without documentation or have allowed the documentation to expire.
oThere are indications the one-third of children who have immigrant parents have at least one parent that is
undocumented.
Challenge to Researchers
Conducting with minority populationsresearch
oBe respectful of the wishes of cultural groups
oCollaborate with and develop partnerships with members and organizations in diverse cultures
Accept the conditions imposed by the community
oKnow about belief systems
Challenge to Practitioners
Relying on cultural heritage is the most effective way for people to be: o
Resilient
o Capable of handling difficulties
Positive ethnic identity has a positive influence on the lives of youth
oEthnic identity: Geographic origin of a particular group and accepting the traditions and values of
one’s culture.
Cultural Competence
Effectiveness in working with a variety of cultural groups
Components:
oAwareness
Self-exploration leads to self-awareness
oKnowledge
oSkills
Kinship
Relatedness of certain individuals within a group
Describes the norms that govern:
Marital forms
Family structure and organization
Inheritance
Authority
Residence
Kin Relationships Across Cultures
Nuclear family: smallest, most elementary kinship unit
o
o
o
oo Conjugal family system: emphasizes the relationships formed through marriage
Consanguineal family systems: emphasize blood ties more than marital ties
o
o
o
oo Extended family: consists of a nuclear family and those people related to its members by blood ties
Plural marriage or polygamy
o
o
o
oo Polygyny: Man has more than one mate
o
o
o
oo Polyandry: Woman has more than one mate
Monogamy: Man or woman has only one mate
Pseudo-kin group: Relationships resembling kinship ties develop among unrelated individuals
oGodparent/Godchild
Cultural norms influence:
oFamily structure
oLineage: lines of descent
oWho holds authority in a family
oWhere newly married couples should reside
Descent – traced by gender
oMatrilineal societies: trace descent through females
oPatrilineal societies: trace descent through males
oBilateral descent: children are equally tied to relatives of both the parents
Common in western societies
A “family tree” approach
Norms for lines of descent may or may not be linked to lines of authority within a kinship group
oMatriarchal group: females exercise the authority
oPatriarchal group: males exercise the authority
Egalitarian groups: rights and perspective of both genders and all generations are respected
Norms of residence for newly married couples
oMatrilocal society – couples live with or near the wife’s kin
oPatrilocal society – couples live with or near the husband’s kin
oNeolocal society – couples establish a separate, autonomous residence
Family Strengths and Challenges Across Ethnic Groups
Strengths of White Families: o
Commitment to family o
Enjoyable time together
o Ability to manage stress and crisis effectively o
Spiritual well-being
o Positive communication o
Appreciation and affection
Strengths of African American Families:
o
o
o
oo Strong kinship bonds
o
o
o
oo Flexibility in family roles
o
o
o
oo Strong motivation to achieve
o
o
o
oo Strong religious orientation
o
o
o
oo Egalitarian marriages
Strengths of Latino Families
o
o
o
oo Familism
o
o
o
oo Children are highly valued
o
o
o
oo Religion
o
o
o
oo Family members provide support to each other
Strengths of Asian American Families
o
o
o
oo Strong family orientation
o
o
o
oo Filial piety – have tremendous respect for their elders
o
o
o
oo High value on education
o
o
o
oo Well-disciplined children
o
o
o
oo Extended-family support
o
o
o
oo Family loyalty
Strengths of American Indian Families
o
o
o
oo Extended-family system
o
o
o
oo Spiritual beliefs
o
o
o
oo High family cohesion
o
o
o
oo Respect for elders
o
o
o
oo Bilingual language skills
o
o
o
oo Tribal support system
Cross-Cultural Family Studies
Focus on how particular cultural contexts influence a wide variety of issues
Tend to focus on:
oHow are families in the US different from those in other parts of the world?
oHow are they similar?
Ethnocentrism: Assumption that one’s own culture is the standard by which other cultures should be judged (a bad
thing; don’t want to be ethnocentric)
Challenges for Ethnic Families
Assimilation: old cultural traits and values are relinquished and replaced by those of the dominant culture
Acculturation: cultural traits and values from one ethnic group become blended with those of the dominant
culture
Segregation: ethnic group isolates itself or is forced into isolation within the dominant culture
Stereotypes: standardized, oversimplified, and mean-spirited views
Prejudice: prejudging; closely linked with stereotyping
Racism: developed when the most powerful group in a society creates an elaborate mythology about a
minority group
Multiracial marriages: marriages between two people from two different cultural or ethnic groups
Relationships between men and women: different socialization processes and biological inheritances
produce misunderstanding and conflict
Relationships between parents and children:
oconflicts rise because:
younger generation strives to create a relatively independent life
older generation tries to maintain control of the children
Quiz Questions
1. The most basic kinship unit is the _____. Nuclear Family
2. The largest minority group in the U.S. is _____. Hispanic
3. Awareness, knowledge and skills are the three critical components of the term known as _____. Cultural
Competence
4. Latinos place a higher priority on blood relationships than on pseudo-kin relationships. False
5. The African American population is the largest ethnic group in the U.S., closely followed by the Hispanic
population. False
6. Family patterns have more conflict in polygamous and polyandrous societies than in monogamous
societies. False
7. In patriarchal and matriarchal groups, the criterion of _____ is most important and it is seconded by _____.
Gender; Age
8. Because of increasing diversity in the Black population, we need to be more aware of the diverse cultural values and
beliefs in what was once thought to be a relatively homogeneous cultural group. True
9. Latino families today tend to be stereotyped by male dominance and authoritarian fathering. False
10. Children develop into adults much like their own parents. True
11. The view that your society or culture is "better" than others and using this view to measure other
cultures is known as ethnocentrism. True
12. Race refers to the common physical characteristics of a group and generally describes skin color and hair
texture. True
13. The median age of the Hispanic population is very young as compared to the U.S. population as a whole.
True
14. Some U.S. states are known as "majority-minority" states, which means their total minority population
exceeds 50%. True
15. After about 40 years, the United States government agreed to repay the value of lost homes and businesses to
Japanese Americans who had been in resettlement camps during World War II. True
16. Extended families are more likely to maintain strong traditions than are nuclear families. True
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