CHAPTER 5 SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION: TRUST, MISTRUST, CREDIBILITY AND WORLDVIEWS

ETHNOCENTRIC MONOCULTURALISM Ethnocentric monoculturalism is the individual, institutional, and societal expression of the superiority of one group’s cultural heritage over another’s. In all cases, the dominant group or society has the ultimate power to impose their beliefs and standards upon the less powerful group.

ETHNOCENTRIC MONOCULTURALISM 1. BELIEF IN SUPERIORITY Western cultures are “more advanced.” Lighter skin, eye, and hair color is valued. Christianity is superior to other religions. Individualism and the Protestant work ethic are highly valued. White privilege—advantages of Whites in society.

ETHNOCENTRIC MONOCULTURALISM 2. BELIEF IN THE INFERIORITY OF OTHERS Non-western characteristics (e.g., dark complexion, non-Christian religions) are seen as inferior. Culturally diverse groups may be seen as less intelligent, less qualified, and less popular, and may possess undesirable traits.

ETHNOCENTRIC MONOCULTURALISM 3. POWER TO IMPOSE STANDARDS The dominant group has the power to impose standards on nondominant groups. Minorities can be biased, can hold stereotypes, and can believe that their way is the best way. Yet if they do not have the power to impose their values on others, then hypothetically they cannot oppress. It is power or the unequal status relationship between groups that defines ethnocentric monoculturalism.

ETHNOCENTRIC MONOCULTURALISM 4. MANIFESTATION IN INSTITUTIONS Includes institutional racism which is a set of policies and practices that subjugate and oppress individuals (e.g., systems of promotion and tenure).

ETHNOCENTRIC MONOCULTURALISM 5. INVISIBLE VEIL Since people are all products of cultural conditioning, their values and beliefs (worldviews) represent an “invisible veil” that operates outside their level of conscious awareness. As a result, people assume universality: that the nature of reality and truth are shared by everyone regardless of race, culture, ethnicity, or gender. This assumption is erroneous, but seldom questioned because it is firmly ingrained in our worldview.

Therapeutic Impact of Ethnocentric Monoculturalism Ethnic minorities can tend to: dissociate the true self, “play it cool,” use the “Uncle Tom Syndrome,”and increase their vigilance and sensitivity. During slavery, African-Americans had to respond to their enslavement in order to survive Oftentimes, they would dissociate the true self from the self that had to meet White expectations “Playing it cool” is intended to prevent Whites from knowing what the minority person is thinking or feeling and to express feelings and behaviors in such a way as to prevent offending or threatening Whites “Uncle Tom syndrome” was used by minorities to appear docile, nonassertive, and happy-go-lucky—this was used especially during slavery, Blacks learned that passivity is a necessary survival technique

Therapist Credibility: Expertness and Trustworthiness Credibility may be defined as the constellation of characteristics that makes certain individuals appear worthy of belief, capable, entitled to confidence, reliable, and trustworthy: Expertness depends on how well-informed, capable, or intelligent others perceive the communicator. Trustworthiness is dependent on the degree to which people perceive the communicator (therapist) to make valid assertions. Therapist Credibility

Psychological Sets of Clients Problem-Solving Set—Client is concerned about obtaining correct information. Consistency Set—If inconsistent information is presented, cognitive dissonance will take place. Identity Set—Client has strong identification with a group. Economic Set—Beliefs and behaviors are influenced by rewards and punishments. Authority Set—People in authority positions are seen to have rights to prescribe attitudes or behaviors. The problem-solving set: Information orientation. In the problem-solving set, the client is concerned about obtaining correct information (solutions, outlooks, and skills) that has adaptive value in the real world The consistency set People are operating under the consistency set whenever they change an opinion, belief, or behavior in such a way as to make it consistent with other opinions, beliefs, or behaviors The identity set An individual who strongly identifies with a particular group is likely to accept the group’s beliefs and conform to behaviors dictated by the group If race or ethnicity constitutes a strong reference group for a client, then a counselor of the same race/”ethnicity is likely to be more influential than is one who is not The economic set The person is influenced because of the perceived rewards and punishments that the source is able to deliver One performs a behavior or states a belief in order to gain rewards and avoid punishments In the counseling setting, this means that the therapist controls important resources that may affect the client The authority set Some individuals are thought to have a particular position that gives them a legitimate right to prescribe attitudes or behaviors

Understanding Individual and Systemic Worldviews Worldviews are composed of our attitudes, values, opinions, and concepts, but they also affect how we think, define events, make decisions, and behave.

Locus of Control Internal control (IC) refers to people’s beliefs that reinforcements are contingent on their own actions and that they can shape their own fate External control (EC) refers to people’s beliefs that reinforcing events occur independently of their actions and that the future is determined more by chance and luck.

Locus of Responsibility This dimension measures the degree of responsibility or blame placed on the individual or system.

Formation of Worldviews Worldviews are formed on a continuum: Internal locus of control, and internal locus of responsibility (IC-IR) External locus of control, and internal locus of responsibility (EC-IR) External locus of control, and external locus of responsibility (EC-ER) Internal locus of control, external locus of responsibility (IC-ER)

Locus of Responsibility Internal Personal Locus of Control Internal Control IC-IR IC-ER External System Locus of Responsibility Internal Personal EC-IR EC-ER External Control 31

Locus of Responsibility Internal Personal Locus of Control Individuals believe that they are masters of their fate and that their actions do affect the outcomes. Internal Control IC-IR IC-ER External System Locus of Responsibility Internal Personal EC-IR EC-ER External Control 32

Locus of Responsibility Internal Personal Locus of Control Internal Control IC-IR IC-ER External System Locus of Responsibility Internal Personal EC-IR EC-ER Individuals deny cultural and social restraints and accept White social norms and standards External Control 33

Locus of Responsibility Internal Personal Locus of Control Individuals believe that they are able to shape events in their own life if given a chance Internal Control IC-IR IC-ER External System Locus of Responsibility Internal Personal EC-IR EC-ER External Control 34

Locus of Responsibility Internal Personal Locus of Control Internal Control IC-IR IC-ER External System Locus of Responsibility Internal Personal EC-IR EC-ER Individual feels that there is very little one can do in the face of such severe external obstacles as prejudice and discrimination External Control 35

Implications for clinical practice Survival skills versus pathology Counselor personalization and defensiveness Overcome own issues Credibility and trustworthiness may be tested in the session Referral is ok Status rather than race may be an issue 53