Improving One’s Social Wellness Through Familiarity with Cultural Self University of Wisconsin-Madison Wellness Symposium Wellness Now: Being Our Best Selves in the Current Moment October 28, 2015

Who Are You?

Typical Response My name is _(insert_name). I am a My name is _(insert_name). I am a _______________ at UW-Madison. Is this “who you are” or “what you are?”

Does It Matter? Does it matter who you are?

Does It Matter? Does it matter how you view others? Why? Why?

Population Demographics – Wisconsin, (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013) Gender Gender –Females, +6% –Males, +7%

Population Demographics – Wisconsin, (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013) Race/Ethnicity Race/Ethnicity –Hispanic, +74% –Biracial or Multiracial, +56% –Asian, +46% –African American, +18% –American Indian, +15% –Caucasian, +3%

Campus Demographics - UW-Madison, (Data Digest, ) Gender Gender –Students Females, +9% Females, +9% Males, -<1% Males, -<1% –Faculty and Staff Females, +7% Females, +7% Males, +5% Males, +5%

Campus Demographics - UW-Madison, (Data Digest, ) Race/Ethnicity Race/Ethnicity –Students Hispanic, +67% Hispanic, +67% Asian, +8% Asian, +8% Caucasian, -3% Caucasian, -3% African American, -9% African American, -9% American Indian, -54% American Indian, -54%

Campus Demographics - UW-Madison, (Data Digest, ) Race/Ethnicity Race/Ethnicity –Faculty/Staff Black, +18% Black, +18% Asian/Pacific Islander, +11% Asian/Pacific Islander, +11% Hispanic, +10% Hispanic, +10% White/Unknown, +3% White/Unknown, +3% American Indian, -7% American Indian, -7%

Does It Matter? Does it matter how you view others? Does it matter how you view others? Persons appear to us according to the light we throw upon them from our minds (Laura Ingalls Wilder) Persons appear to us according to the light we throw upon them from our minds (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

Importance of Discovering Cultural Self People’s attitudes toward others come from the people’s backgrounds and who they are (cultural self) People’s attitudes toward others come from the people’s backgrounds and who they are (cultural self) Culture determines how people think, believe, and behave and these affect how they interact with others (Gay, 2010) Culture determines how people think, believe, and behave and these affect how they interact with others (Gay, 2010)

Importance of Discovering Cultural Self To strategically approach diversity issues, people must begin with an exploration of their own beliefs. (Breese, 2008) To strategically approach diversity issues, people must begin with an exploration of their own beliefs. (Breese, 2008) Consciously, we teach what we know; Consciously, we teach what we know; Subconsciously, we teach who we are (Hamachek, 1994) Subconsciously, we teach who we are (Hamachek, 1994)

Cultural Self-Mapping List on the bones of the fish (next slide), things that have made you into the person you are today List on the bones of the fish (next slide), things that have made you into the person you are today –Examples: family, friends, colleagues, students, teachers, schools attended, where lived, jobs, interests, qualities Add more bones to existing branches; add more branches of bones Add more bones to existing branches; add more branches of bones

Examination of Attitudes Think about your attitudes toward human differences and responses to experiences with diversity Think about your attitudes toward human differences and responses to experiences with diversity How has your cultural self influenced your attitudes and responses? How has your cultural self influenced your attitudes and responses?

How Have Your Attitudes Influenced You? Think about instances when your attitudes influenced your interactions with others Think about instances when your attitudes influenced your interactions with others Which aspects of your cultural self have influenced your interactions with others? Which aspects of your cultural self have influenced your interactions with others?

Importance of Discovering Cultural Self “Examining one’s own beliefs and assumptions is an essential skill in becoming culturally proficient. Cultural proficiency involves an inward journey in which one increasingly understands his or her own beliefs and actions and the impact that those beliefs and actions have on others.” (Lindsey, Roberts, & CampbellJones, 2005) “Examining one’s own beliefs and assumptions is an essential skill in becoming culturally proficient. Cultural proficiency involves an inward journey in which one increasingly understands his or her own beliefs and actions and the impact that those beliefs and actions have on others.” (Lindsey, Roberts, & CampbellJones, 2005)

Cultural Proficiency Continuum (Cross, 1989; Lindsey, Robins, & Terrell, 1999) Cultural Destructiveness Cultural Destructiveness –Deny the existence of, discredit, or purge cultures different than one’s own Cultural Incapacity Cultural Incapacity –Elevating the superiority of one’s own culture and suppressing cultures that are different

Cultural Proficiency Continuum Cultural Blindness Cultural Blindness –Refusing to recognize differences among cultures; acting as if differences do not exist Cultural Pre-competence Cultural Pre-competence –Recognizing that not being familiar and experienced with other cultures limits one’s ability to effectively interact with them

Cultural Proficiency Continuum Cultural Competence Cultural Competence –Interacting with other cultures in ways that recognize and value their differences, expand one’s knowledge and resources, adapt one’s relational behavior Cultural Proficiency Cultural Proficiency –Honoring differences, seeing diversity as a benefit, interacting knowledgeably and respectfully among other cultures

Adjusting Attitudes to Improve Yourself On an index card, list a few attitudes you need to improve On an index card, list a few attitudes you need to improve Exchange cards Exchange cards Write suggestions to improve the attitudes listed on the card you selected Write suggestions to improve the attitudes listed on the card you selected Share ideas Share ideas

Importance of Knowing Self “I did not realize how much of who I was would impact my teaching…I soon realized that all my lessons, my posters, my props, my kids’ journals, and the bins I so meticulously arranged for my students to keep their class supplies in were all just parts of an empty shell as long as I ignored who I was and what I brought to my teaching.” (Student comment) (Merseth, Sommer, & Dickstein, 2008) “I did not realize how much of who I was would impact my teaching…I soon realized that all my lessons, my posters, my props, my kids’ journals, and the bins I so meticulously arranged for my students to keep their class supplies in were all just parts of an empty shell as long as I ignored who I was and what I brought to my teaching.” (Student comment) (Merseth, Sommer, & Dickstein, 2008)

Improving Social Wellness Your background determines who you are Your background determines who you are Who you are influences what you think and do, and how you interact with others Who you are influences what you think and do, and how you interact with others “Our philosophy and behaviors are framed by our histories, and that can be productive or problematic” (Hoerr, 2011) “Our philosophy and behaviors are framed by our histories, and that can be productive or problematic” (Hoerr, 2011)

Thank You! Dan Timm, Ed.D. Dan Timm, Ed.D. Faculty Associate Department of Kinesiology 2000 Observatory Drive University of Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin