13 Culture
What Is It?
Culture can be defined as “the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group, that encompasses, not only art and literature but lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions, and beliefs” (USF).
Culture can encompass many parts of life such as food, clothing, customs, religion, language, morals, values, music, relationships, and marriage, just to name a few. Cultures can vary depending on who you are, where you grew up, family traditions, work, government policy, state, country, etc.
Cultural competence is defined as the ability of a person to effectively interact, work, and develop meaningful relationships with people of various cultural backgrounds (Guzman & Durden, 2016).
Why Is It Important?
Culture plays a major role in people’s lives around the world. It can be a guide for ways of thinking, beliefs, ways of doing things, worries and fears, and hopes and dreams. Cultural values that are shared across groups or populations can help to bring people together, despite our differences. Society, in a way, depends on culture because of the norms, values, and behaviors that derive from it. Societal institutions such as schools, churches, and grocery stores are also dependent on culture and bring people together as a community.
Taking those moments to consider and understand someone else’s culture can be beneficial, especially when meeting new people, building relationships, or working with a new client. Being able to respect and accept someone’s culture will help to build and maintain those relationships. According to Guzman and Durden, displaying the cultural competency behaviors of active listening, empathy, and effective engagement can help us to create a welcoming environment and establish the appreciation of similarities and differences among cultures. (2016).