ATA5

In assignment 5 I compared the gender roles of two different countries, one being the United States and the other being Italy. Gender roles are behaviors of a man and woman that is socially acceptable. From this assignment I learned that gender roles are somewhat universal across different countries. A traditional stereotype that is similar across different countries is that women should be nurturing, and dependent while men should be independent and strong. Another thing I also learned from this assignment is that gender roles play a role in the workforce. They determine job preferences and how females and men are treated at their job. Some countries believe that men should the breadwinner in the family while the woman takes care of the home. In other countries they believe that both the men and women should be the breadwinner. Each country is different and the gender roles in each country varies as well. I chose the image below because it depicts occupational gender roles.

ATA4

In assignment 4, I learned about gender roles and how they are different in every culture. Gender roles are behaviors and attitudes of men and women that are accepted by society. These gender roles determine how men and women behave, think, speak, and live their daily life. For example, men are expected to be strong, independent, emotionless, and hardworking. Women are expected to be nurturing, caring, and polite. Gender roles are very stereotypical and cause a lot of damage in society. They limit one’s individuality and cause people to change their looks, behavior, and attitudes. In comparison to a topic, I learned in another class gender roles lead to discrimination and bullying the same way stigmas leads to discrimination and bullying. Both men and women are judged daily whenever they do something that is not socially acceptable. For example, if a man was to cry in public, he would probably get shamed or called weak. If a woman liked to play football and work out, she may get shamed for not being girly or feminine enough. This assignment relates to me a lot because as a kid I was very tomboyish. I rarely played with dolls, and I did not cheer or wear dresses as much as society would have expected of me. Instead, I played outdoors with my two younger brothers, I played basketball, I liked to play with cars and overall, I just liked to stay active. Since I was not very girly people would always call me a “little boy” or make fun of the fact that I liked to play with boys rather than girls. This is a great example of how society reacts to those who do not conform to their gender roles; it is deemed unacceptable and wrong. I chose this visual image because men and women should be equal. Whatever a man can do so can a woman and vice versa. This topic slightly relates to a lesson I learned in another class, diversity. There are many factors that contribute to diversity and gender can be one of those factors. The image below depicts a man and a woman with the typical pink and blue gender-based colors in the background. I chose this image because it shows how women and men should be equal.

ATA3

In assignment 3 we focused on cultural differences in emotion, identity, and gender. We had to read different blogs about the experience of studying abroad from a student of our choice and discuss a common theme. The theme that I focused on was emotions. Emotions are much more than just feelings. They are a combination of many factors such as feelings, reactions, and behaviors. What I learned from this assignment is that culture has a strong influence on our emotions. For example, culture influences the regulation of our emotions. The way we express and react to them depends on how we were raised, societal norms, and of course other factors. In one of my past psychology classes, we learned about how our childhood and environment influence our behaviors. This ideology has the same concept as to how culture influences our emotions. How we behave stems from a multitude of factors. Although this assignment was very informative I unfortunately I do not have a specific example of how this assignment relates to me. The image below depicts people with different emotions and different flags. I chose this visual image because before this assignment, I was unaware of how much culture shapes our emotions. Now I am more knowledgeable.

ATA2

n/a

ATA1

      In assignment 1, we focused on the intercultural sensitivity model. This model explains how individuals react to and perceive diverse individuals in six developmental stages. This assignment allowed me to understand my intercultural sensitivity which is acceptance. Individuals who align with the acceptance stage are aware that other cultures exist. They are aware that one’s behavior, values, beliefs, perceptions, and traditions are all shaped by their culture and ultimately have respect for diverse individuals. Bennett emphasized that the acceptance stage does not require one to support or endorse the values and beliefs of a culture. Instead, it means to show gratitude and awareness of the differentness and uniqueness of other cultures. Assignment 1 was relevant to me because I learned something that would greatly benefit me in life and my career choice. For example, I plan on working in a field that requires interaction with a lot of diverse individuals. It is important to be aware of my intercultural sensitivity level because it allows me to understand how I engage with people different from myself and the steps I can take to elevate from acceptance to the adaptation stage. 

      This assignment reminds me of the term I learned in my diversity class, cultural competence. Cultural competence essentially means to be knowledgeable, accepting, and aware of one’s own culture and others. It is important to be culturally competent because it increases mutual respect between individuals, and allows them to be considerate and empathetic of other cultures. Cultural competency overall helps to decrease discrimination between groups, stereotypes, and specific stigma. In comparison to cultural competency, intercultural competency focuses on the curiosity and steps individuals take to learn about and integrate with diverse individuals. The image below depicts the integration of different cultures. I chose this image because my takeaway from this assignment is to be aware of my intercultural sensitivity level and to develop the necessary skills that will allow me to ultimately advance to the integration stage.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/420713/UK-society-now-more-segregated