Module 2Unit 3 a: Population

Awareness I

DEEDWorkForce CenterReception and Resource Area Certification Program

Unit Competency Statement and Learning Objectives Competency Statement:

Understand how perceptions influence thinking and know essential principles of cultural awareness on a basic level.

Learning Objectives: Perceptions Cultural awareness

Learning Objectives

1. Perceptions What is it? Stereotyping

2. Cultural Awareness Cultural competence Cultural KASs

PERCEPTIONS

Discussion Point

1. Have you ever tried to get people to stereotype you, either positively or negatively?

Perceptions

Perceptions stem from individual cultures, media and personal experiences through which individual biases and

stereotypes are created – both positive or negative.

The dictionary defines perception as:

1 a : to attain awareness or understanding of and b : to regard as being such. For example, a perceived personal threat or (he was) perceived as a loser.2 : to become aware of (something or someone) through the senses.

Our awareness and understanding of situations or groups of people are not always accurate, which, in turn, skews our perceptions of them.

Biases

“A bias is an inflexible positive or negative prejudgment about an individual and is based on a generalized idea about the groups to which the person belongs.”

There are two types of biases that direct our behaviors toward others:

1. Conscious bias followed by conscious behavior.

2. Unconscious bias followed by unconscious behavior.

People should not be defined by biases, stereotypes or external factors, but rather by their personal characteristics.

Letting go of Biases

To uncover our personal biases, we must first analyze our thoughts – are they based on misinformation or just differences?

Changing our thought process and letting go of our biases, require us to find similarities with people different from ourselves and ways to connect with them.

Exercise: List some similarities we all share._________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ____________________

CULTURAL AWARENESS

American CultureDifferent periods defined the American culture: Melting Pot:

Foreigners were expected to fit into the new world – the idea was that individual cultures would eventually melt into one.

Mosaic Society/Salad bowl: Cultural differences are valued.

Multicultural: The American culture has grown into a multi-culture

and is no longer distinct.

Cultural KSAsK: Cultural Knowledge:

Familiarity with the characteristics, history, values, belief systems, and behaviors of members of a racial, ethnic or social group.

S: Cultural Sensitivity :Being sensitive to cultural differences as well as similarities and not assigning values, i.e., better or worse, right or wrong, to those cultural differences.

A: Cultural Awareness:Being aware that members belonging to a racial, ethnic or social groups possess unique qualities, differences and similarities from other such groups.

Culture Competence DefinedCulture implies: that a group of people share similar characteristics of

the same racial, ethnic or social group and integrated patterns of social behaviors, thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs and values.

Competence implies: To effectively apply cross-cultural knowledge of racial, ethnic or

social groups in the appropriate cultural context. 

Cultural Competence: Possessing knowledge, awareness and sensitivity of people who

are members of other cultures and having the capacity to effectively function within them.

Discussion Point

1. What do you do at your WFC that promotes cultural competence?

PerceptionsKey Points1. Perceptions stem from individual cultures, media and

personal experiences through which biases or stereotypes of others are created – both positive or negative.

2. Because our thought processes are not always accurate, our perceptions of people and situations can be skewed.

3. Biases are based on generalized ideas and perceptions of people belonging to a particular group.

4. Stereotypes do not define people, but rather their personal characteristics should.

Cultural AwarenessKey Points1. The American culture has evolved from a melting pot to

a mosaic or salad bowl to a multiculture.2. Being culturally competent is having the capacity to

function effectively in other cultural contexts.3. Cultural KSAs are knowledge, sensitivity and

awareness of different cultures and ethnic groups.

Sources Perception." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2010.

Merriam-Webster Online. 22 April 2010http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perception

Mark A. King, Anthony Sims, & David Osher. “Defining Cultural Competence.” Retrieved January 2010 from http://cecp.air.org/cultural/Q_integrated.htm#de

Sondra Thiederman. “Making Diversity Work: 7 Steps to Defeating Bias in the Workplace.” Kaplan Publishing, Second Edition, May 2008.

Patreese D. Ingram. “An Overview of Diversity Awareness.” 2001. Retrieved December 2009 from http://www.collegesuccess1.com/Documents/ui362.pdf

Tony Byers & Associates. “Experiencing the Power of Diversity.” The City of Minneapolis – Employee Conference, March 2006.

This completes training for Module 2, Unit 3a.

Learning Objective 1: Perceptions

Learning Objective 2: Cultural Awareness