Influence of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity
I often take into consideration various ways in which culture, race, and ethnicity impact
people's behavior. I understand that people learn culture instinctively from the time they are
born. Babies, for example, are raised to be a member of the culture into which they are born.
People's conduct is influenced by a variety of factors, including how they handle conflict, how
they display different emotions through body language, and how they solve problems. For
example, I'm aware that some cultures are more communal in nature, and that people from these
cultures are more inclined to assist one another with a tough school task. Other cultures are more
individualistic, and people from these cultures may view similar assistance as cheating. I am
aware that race and ethnicity can have an impact on one's actions. People may act differently if
their race and ethnicity have historically provided them with advantages in a certain culture.
People who have personally or historically been discriminated against because of their race or
ethnicity may be wary, skeptical, or distrustful of the dominant culture in which they live.
Influence of Gender
Gender is an essential issue in growth, as I am aware. It is a way of looking at how
societal norms and power structures affect the lives and possibilities of men and women from
various backgrounds. Women live in poverty at a higher rate than males across the world.
Women are significantly less likely than men to obtain a basic education and be assigned to
national and international political positions. I am aware that understanding how men and
women, boys and girls experience poverty and confront various hurdles to services, economic
resources, and political possibilities helps to tailor solutions.
Influence of Sexual Orientation
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As a practitioner, I feel like one's sexual orientation describes an array of emotional,
cultural, and or romantic preferences in regard to potential partners that range from no attraction
to any sex other than their own to the polar opposite: solely attraction to people of the opposing
sex. Societal attitudes on relational and sexual expression are ingrained in our sexual orientation.
Sexual orientation isn't a choice, and we should be more concerned with those who cannot find
their way out of it. There are people who feel shame about their sexuality and so want to hide it
from the world, however it may be a complicated path for bisexual and gay people.
Influence of Socioeconomic Status
Money, education, stability, and how you see yourself and others in the social hierarchy
are all components of socioeconomic status (SES). In our world, social class might refer to
socioeconomic position, the whole living circumstances of a person, as well as the possibilities
and advantages to which they have access. Poverty, as a general concept, is not just a single
problem, but a combination of numerous stressful physical and mental factors. Additionally, SES
is a more consistent and accurate predictor of several outcomes such as physical and mental
health across the whole life cycle. Thus, social and behavioral science have things in common,
and SES, being a catch-all term, is vital to everything social and behavioral science encompass,
which is everything, including study, practice, teaching, and advocacy.
Influence of Spirituality and Religion
In general, religion and spirituality are about exploring one's place in the world and
attempting to understand how one's relationship with a deity may impact one's place in the
world. Despite both religion and spirituality being rooted in a similar basis, their practice
diverges significantly. Religion is like a system that a society follows, whereas spirituality refers
to what one believes. “The notion of religion and spirituality is similar to the comparison of a
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rectangle to a square.” “Both religion and spirituality include a very personal search for meaning
and belonging,” said a spiritual person who follows both religion and spirituality. Both religion
and spirituality may have a good influence on mental health, and therefore, both areas should be
approached as a therapeutic tool. Their contributions are quite similar. For instance, religion and
spirituality are known to bring about serenity, purpose, and forgiveness, which help people better
manage stress. Despite both of them having various attributes, it can be said that their advantages
are not exactly the same.
Influence of Life Stages
As everyone matures, they move through several stages including childhood,
adolescence, singlehood, matrimony, parenthood, and retirement. These are referred to as life
stages. It's very obvious that generation influences are really powerful. One may deduce the best
approach to communicate with someone by knowing the generation they belong to. Even yet,
they focus on personal specifics and so are more narrowly focused. In this field, it is wise to
understand that even while others believe that it comes with age, because a person must have
acquired wisdom by then to be able to advise others. Every phase of life is significant, since it
allows us to contribute to the world.
Influence of Family of Origin
One of the best things about life is being able to connect with the people you love. You
learn all about life, human relationships, and social interaction from your parents. Additionally,
they are the first individuals you are able to trust. Family is accountable for your relationship
thoughts and habits, especially in terms of your background. Since your family has a significant
effect on your life, your family is very important to you because it's the framework you utilize to
build upon. Your upbringing, or early family life, takes place inside your family of origin. This is
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not to be mistaken with a biological family or a society of heritage. If your parents didn't raise
you, and you belong to an extended family that includes a lot of people, then you were raised by
others and they had a significant impact on your life. The phrase "family of origin" points to your
family when you were growing up, particularly the smaller unit that looked after you.
Influence of Disability and Ability
For anyone with a disability, it is a tough way of life. When a disabled person's
requirements change over his or her life, their demands might include emotional, social, and
financial support. Eating a meal or reading a magazine might become challenging or impossible
for a person if they have a mental or physical disability that makes common tasks like these more
difficult than usual. Some relationships will suffer. People have different views on disability,
depending on factors including race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, age, religion, political
background, money and wealth, education, and social class. A crucial component that has a great
effect on the happiness of those with disabilities as well as the moral code of society is how
society perceives disability. Disability-related stereotypes harm those with impairments by
rendering them less capable and isolated. On the other hand, abilities help someone to navigate
through life easily.
Influence of Stress and Demands
When someone's capacity to cope is unable to meet the demand placed on them, stress
emerges and affects their psychological stability. Practitioners feel stress at work when they see a
task as overwhelming and potentially damaging to their health. Practitioners need to look after
themselves as the responsibilities and stress levels of their job are considerable and ongoing.
This is self-care. A practitioner is, in a sense, the instrument, and it is thus very important to be
careful and considerate of their welfare. As future practitioners in this field, we should see to it
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that we deal with stress and demand in the best way. It's essential to spend time away from work
and to regularly assess your objectives and ambitions. I need to establish a healthy lifestyle since
it is crucial.
Influence of Your View of Self and Others
It is integral to understand what you find true to yourself and that of clients. This forms a
healthy relationship. While our relationships with individuals and groups are certainly essential,
we must also examine the impact of bigger, more systemic factors on our self-perception. Family
and social factors, society, and the media all impact who we think we are and how we feel about
ourselves. Despite the fact that these are significant socialization factors, there are methods to
keep some control over our perceptions of ourselves. This is the beginning of wisdom,
knowledge and courage of understanding others. I feel like this fosters respect and trust.