week 7: culture Flashcards
what is indigenous psychology
Understanding across a long history of exploring wellbeing and meaning in human existence
why did indigenous psychology come about
Grew from belief that Indigenous people needed their own psychological framework and not have an imported western framework imposed on their reality
what are the Two fundamental assumptions of psychology
individualism
universality
where did indigenous psychology develop
developed from within and influenced by local cultural context to result in locally relevant psychological knowledge
what are the key aims of indigenous psychology
- Provide leadership
- Ensure access to equitable, quality care that respects and promotes the cultural integrity, regardless of location
- Psychology is responsive and grounded in holistic Indigenous perspectives
- Increase Indigenous entrants into psychology programs
- Quality control of workshops and training programs related to the application of psychology in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts.
- Engage in research to generate improved policy and social and emotional wellbeing and mental health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
what is Social and Emotional Wellbeing for indigenous people
connection to body mind and emotion family and kinship community culture country spirit/ancestors
9 Guiding Principles in Indigenous Psychology
- Health as holistic
- The right to self-determination
- The need for cultural understanding
- The impact of history in trauma and loss
- Recognition of human rights
- The impact of racism and stigma
- Recognition of the centrality of kinship
- Recognition of cultural diversity
- Recognition of Aboriginal strengths
concerns surrounding first nation Australians
- Legacies of colonisation, oppression & injustice (generational trauma)
- Suicide, violence, alcohol dependence and depression
- Historical and ongoing issues
why is Suicide, violence, alcohol dependence and depression high?
result of multi-generational responses to dispossession and despair
Historical and ongoing issues surrounding first nations
- Dispossession
- Colonisation
- Massacres/atrocities
- Protection/ segregation
- Assimilation policies (including the Stolen Generation & Institutionalisation)
- Northern Territory Intervention
Ongoing Issues for first nations
- Racism
- Stereotypes/myths
- Discrimination
- Poverty
- Disadvantage
- Deaths in custody
- Land rights
- Stolen wages
disadvantages experienced by first nation australians
- health
- housing, -employment
- education
- justice/access
Stages of decolonisation
Rediscovery and recovery Mourning Dreaming Commitment Action
Issues in Cross-Cultural and Indigenous Psychology
different belief systems
reluctancy to talk about differences
white/western models wont benefit
what is culture
the shared rules that govern the behaviour; it is a filter through which we see and understand our current reality
forms of diversity
Age Disability Religion/spirituality Ethnicity/Culture Socioeconomic status Sexual Orientation Indigenous Heritage/Colonisation Status Language Gender
Most research in psychology uses samples from:
Western Educated Industrialised Rich Democratic countries
Cultural vs cross-cultural psychology
Cultural: examine features of cultures, and processes of culture maintenance and change, within cultures
Cross-cultural: identify areas of similarities and difference between cultures
perspective Approaches to culture
emic
etic
what is an emic approach
attempt to understand a culture from the perspective of members
– what cultural members find important and meaningful
what is an etic approach
understanding driven by researcher/general theories
eg.
Do theories fit across different cultural groups?
Look for similarities and differences
5 basic dimensions of culture
power distance individualism vs collectivism masculinity uncertainty avoidance long-term orientation
what is the Power Distance dimension of culture
level of acceptance of inequality between people in a society
what is the Individualism (v. collectivism) dimension of culture
degree to which a society reinforces individual achievement instead of collective achievement and interpersonal relationships
