CLASSWORK - Ch. 10 Cultural Diversity - Key Terms
Acculturation
Acculturation: The process of learning and adopting the beliefs and behaviors of a dominant culture while still retaining characteristics of one's original culture.
Agnostic
Agnostic: A person who believes that the existence of a higher power or God cannot be proven or disproven.
Atheist
Atheist: A person who does not believe in any deity or higher power.
Bias
Bias: A preference or inclination, either conscious (explicit) or unconscious (implicit), that inhibits impartial judgment.
Cultural Assimilation
Cultural Assimilation: The process by which a culturally distinct group is absorbed into a dominant culture, often losing its original cultural identity in the process.
Cultural Diversity
Cultural Diversity: Differences among individuals based on cultural, ethnic, and racial factors.
Culture
Culture: The shared set of values, beliefs, ideas, customs, and characteristics passed from one generation to the next.
Ethnicity
Ethnicity: A classification of people based on national origin, language, religion, and shared cultural heritage.
Ethnocentric
Ethnocentric: The belief that one's own culture, race, or ethnic group is superior to others.
Extended Family
Extended Family: A family group that includes the nuclear family plus additional relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Holistic Care
Holistic Care: Care that promotes the well-being of the "whole person," including physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual needs.
Matriarchal
Matriarchal: A social organization or family structure in which the mother or oldest woman is the authority figure.
Monotheist
Monotheist: An individual who believes in the existence of only one God.
Nuclear Family
Nuclear Family: A family group consisting typically of a pair of adult parents and their children, though it can also include single-parent households.
Patriarchal
Patriarchal: A social organization or family structure in which the father or oldest male is the authority figure.
Personal Space
Personal Space: The physical distance individuals maintain between themselves and others to feel comfortable and safe during interactions.
Polytheist
Polytheist: An individual who believes in or worships multiple gods.
Prejudice
Prejudice: A preconceived judgment or opinion about a person or group, often unfavorable, not based on actual reason or experience.
Race
Race: A social and political construct used to categorize people primarily based on physical characteristics like skin color.
Religion
Religion: An organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods.
Sensitivity
Sensitivity: The ability to recognize and appreciate the personal characteristics of others, particularly their cultural norms and needs.
Spirituality
Spirituality: The personal quest for meaning and purpose in life, often involving a connection to a higher power or the universe.
Stereotyping
Stereotyping: The practice of assuming that all members of a specific cultural or ethnic group act or think in the same way.
Transcultural Health Care
Transcultural Health Care: A formal area of study and practice focused on providing care that is congruent with the cultural values, beliefs, and practices of diverse individuals.