Assignment Takeaway 5: Upon completing assignment five, I had a greater understanding on what cross cultural psychology really is. For my assignment I picked a country at random and a topic for one of the chapters. After connecting these two ideas, I then located a peer revived journal article connecting the two topics. I ended up picking one titled “What can the Samoan “Fa’afafine Teach Us about the Western Concept of Gender Identity Disorder in Childhood?”. I ended up learning more about how gender and the ways in which how it is displayed affects us humans psychologically. Gender in the Samoan culture is less constrictive, it is more fluid in the way that children from a young age are given many freedoms to discover who they are with a lack of gender roles being placed on them. In the United States gender roles are placed on children from a young age in the form of assigned colors, the content of role play games, and role models. I connected what I learned to what I have learned in my lifespan developmental psychology course. In my lifespan developmental psychology course I learned about the basic biological definitions of gender, sex, etc. I also learned about how things such as role play and role models really do affect a child and their outlook not only on the world, but also regarding themselves. I believe that the material is indeed relevant to me personally because number one being more knowledgeable and open to other nations customs does indeed make you more educated and rounded. Also, throughout ones college career I believe that it is indeed necessary to be able to connect two seemingly unrelated topics. Lastly, gender and gender roles is something that will affect me for the rest of my life due to the topics embeddedness is society. I choose the visual image selected below because of the fact that it reflected the information presented in the items to archive section in module nine due to the fact that it represented the breaking on gender roles by crossing into a man dominated occupation. 

https://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2010/04/female_entrepreneurs_venture_i.html

Assignment Takeaway 4: Upon completing assignment four, I had a wider perspective on gender roles in the world. For my assignment I analyzed ads in America and in India. I ended up learning that gender roles while in some ways similar, do indeed vary across cultures. While men’s roles in both cultures were extremely similar, it was interesting to see how in Indian ads women were portrayed in a family setting such as mother or sister. In the American ads women were constantly subjected to the idea of sex appeal. This displayed cultural differences in the perception of gender roles. I can apply this content to something else I have learned because I in a previous history class I was able to take a look at various ancient cultures and I noticed how cultural differences caused basic ideologies to be completely different, although a culture could indeed share similarities at the same time. The material I learned is personally relevant because gender roles are still prevalent in society today and it is good to know that what may be expected or valued in one culture could be completely different in another culture. It is always good to expand your horizons and point of view. The picture I attached applies to the topic because here in America young mother is not expected to further her education, it is something outside of not only their gender but situational role. This was however something that I did indeed achieve and I am extremely proud. 

Assignment Takeaway 1: Upon completing assignment one, I learned a lot about intercultural sensitivity and the stages as described by Milton J. Bennet. Bennet believed that there were six stages, with the sixth basically being the highest level. Bennet basically described ultimate intercultural sensitivity as being able to switch between cultures fluidly with authenticity in not only their actions but also their understanding. This assignment was personally relevant to me because through the completion of the assignment I was able to understand what level of intercultural sensitivity I am currently at and how to reach a higher level. My current level of intercultural sensitivity would be “the acceptance of difference”, and the level that I would like to move up to is “the adaptation of difference”. I can apply this assignment to what I have learned through real world experiences. I have learned that not everyone is on the same stage of intercultural sensitivity. Although I previously did not know the term, I know know that that is what it is. I would often see people and think “How can someone be so uneducated about a group of people?”. I now better understand what the stages are and I hope to better help people increase what stage they are on. Overall, I feel that the content presented in assignment one was very important, because especially in today’s society it is necessary to be educated and aware of the cultures of others; as well as respectful of them. Increased levels of intercultural sensitivity among the general population could lead to a happier and more pleasant society for us all. I feel that the picture included best represents my takeaway from the assignment because I believe that the knowledge I have obtained from the completion of the assignment, if taught to others, could bring people of every culture, race, or creed closer together.

https://www.google.com/searchbiw=1366&bih=577&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=JV6oW_H2NsX19AP9n7XwCw&q=cultural+diversity&oq=cultural+&gs_l=img.3.0.0i67j0l9.1395.3778..4833…2.0..0.196.1134.0j7……1….1..gws-wizimg…….0i10.3Wna1ib_h40#imgrc=qSEFIk4Ii2JoaM: