wk1 - cultural identities & reflexivity in practice

Define cultural safety

Determined by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families, and communities or the patients/clients from the culture that you are working with

What does it mean by having a culturally safe practice?

The ongoing critical reflection of health practitioner knowledge, skills, attitudes, practising behaviours and power dynamics/differentials—for safe, accessible, and responsive healthcare

Define cultural responsiveness

Refers to processes and practices that are respectful of, and relevant to, the beliefs, customs, needs, and historical experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and those from other cultures

Define cultural reflexivity?

It is accountability—where reflection and criticality allows us to form better understanding of our environment and the complexities that are within it; which impacts our beliefs, thoughts and attitudes

What is basic reflexivity?

It involves self-awareness and questioning of one's thoughts and actions

What is critical self-reflexivity?

considers how one's social, cultural, and historical context influences their perspectives and practices; beyond questioning one’s thoughts and actions

How would cultural identity be cultivated?

The shared beliefs, norms, values, and practices that define a group of individuals—follows relation to ethnicity, nationality, religion—affects one’s perception of oneself and the world around them inherently influencing their respective actions and thoughts

Define exoticism

The othering of those who were not european—leading to the active fetishisation, romanticisation, feared, repulsed, dangerous interpretations of individuals

Define cultural humility

The ability to provide culturally responsive services is preceded by an understanding of one’s own identity as a cultural being—an ongoing and enduring journey of learning

What are the levels that cultural responsiveness is needed in?

• systemic

• organisational

• professional

• individual

Why would you want to be culturally responsive on a systemic level?

It ensures that policies, laws, and structures within society recognize and accommodate the diversity of cultures and identities—create inclusive policies & frameworks, promote equity & access, advocating for social justice & systemic issues

Why would you want to be culturally responsive on an organisational level?

Creates an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued and respected, leading to improved morale, productivity, and retention—

Why would you want to be culturally responsive on a professional level?

Culturally responsive professionals are better equipped to serve diverse clients, students, or patients effectively, leading to improved outcomes and satisfaction—enhances cultural competence

Why would you want to be culturally responsive on an individual level?

Involves recognizing and respecting the cultural identities and perspectives of others in daily interactions—allyship

What is involved in being culturally responsive?

It is a transformational process that incorporates knowledge (knowing), self-knowledge and behaviour (being), and action (doing)

How can someone be culturally reflexive?

To recognise that we are active in shaping our surroundings, and begin critically to take circumstances and relationships into consideration rather than merely reacting to them, and help review and revise ethical ways of being and relating to our world

How is being critically reflexive important in decolonising psychology?

Engagement with different cultural narratives fosters and nurtures are ability to be more critical understanding of things we were ignorant to

What is self-reflection?

The conscious process of introspectively analyzing one's thoughts, feelings, and actions to gain deeper understanding and insight; an effort to step back and assess one's experiences, decisions, and overall life journey

Why is self-reflection important?

Individuals can identify strengths, weaknesses, patterns, and areas for growth or change

Why is it important to be culturally understanding?

Puts us in a position of accountability and a growth that allows us to be inclusive and aware of the things we are interacting with—a crucial aspect when we work in the mental health space

What does it it mean by perception?

“the process of selecting, organising, and interpreting sensory data in a way that enables us to make sense of our world”—it is selective and where perpetual patterns are learned

How can your cultural identity affect your perception of others and the world?

The way we view and understand things is culturally determined—derivative of our personal cultural contexts, personal experiences, cultural identity; cohesively make you make assumptions about that individual

What would be an example of you cultural identity affecting your perception of others?

.

What is selective perception?

Refers to the cognitive process where individuals unconsciously select and interpret information based on their cultural backgrounds, beliefs and biases

Leads to focusing on certain aspects of a situation/person while ignoring others—reinforcing cultural stereotypes and prejudices; the way you interact with others is impacted by how you perceive them

Is selective perception enduring?

No—while selective perception is culturally determined, it isn’t a situation where you are placed into an unbreakable box—you have the means to explore nuances and complexities that invoke education and awareness

Medicine is a field where we are actively interacting and treating different people—what is a factor of concern that influences the way we treat people?

Historically, psychology has its roots in oppression and harming others through the means of racism and justification of harm of minorities—what is normal in a eurocentric setting is typically seen as the global standard

What is exoticism?

The othering of those who were not european

How can exoticism harm others?

Fetishisation, romanticisation, feared, repulsed, dangerous interpretations of individuals—cultural appropriation

What is cultural humility?

A lifelong commitment to learning about and understanding other cultures, while also examining your own cultural identity and biases