Ch. 10
Acculturation
: The process of learning the beliefs and behaviors of a dominant culture and assuming some of its characteristics; it usually occurs slowly over a long period.
Personal Space
: Often called territorial space; describes the distance people require to feel comfortable while interacting with others.
Bias
: A preference that inhibits impartial judgment.
Race
: A classification of people based on physical or biological characteristics such as skin color, hair and eye color, facial features, blood type, and bone structure.
Prejudice
: A strong feeling or belief about a person or subject that is formed without reviewing facts or information; literally means to "prejudge."
Cultural Diversity
: Differences based on cultural, ethnic, and racial factors.
Religion
An organized system of belief in a superhuman power or higher power.
Culture
: The values, beliefs, attitudes, languages, symbols, rituals, behaviors, and customs unique to a particular group of people and passed from one generation to the next.
Sensitivity
: The ability to recognize and appreciate the personal characteristics of others.
Monotheist
: An individual who believes in the existence of one God.
Cultural Assimilation
: A process that requires a newly arrived cultural group to alter unique beliefs and behaviors and adopt the ways of the dominant culture.
Nuclear Family
: Usually consists of one or two parents and a child or children.
Agnostic
: An individual who believes that the existence of God cannot be proved or disproved.
Stereotyping
: Occurs when an assumption is made that everyone in a particular group is the same, ignoring individual characteristics and "labeling" an individual.
Spiritually
(Spirituality): The beliefs individuals have about themselves, their connections with others, and their relationship with a higher power.
Extended Family
: Includes the nuclear family plus grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Matriarchal
: A family structure where the mother or oldest female is the authority figure.
Polytheist
: An individual who worships and believes in many gods.
Holistic Care
: Care that provides for the well-being of the whole person and meets not only physical needs, but also social, emotional, and mental needs.
Patriarchal
: A family structure where the father or oldest male is the authority figure.
Atheist
: A person who does not believe in any deity.
Ethnocentric
: Individuals who believe that their cultural values are better than the cultural values of others.
Transcultural Health Care
: Care based on the simultaneous existence of various ethnic/cultural groups (multicultural) and the need to recognize and respect many different beliefs.
Ethnicity
: A classification of people based on national origin and/or culture.