1. Cultural Adeptness Theory
1/19/2018
Cultural Adeptness Theory
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Manuel Barrera, PhD

2. Cultural Influences on Behavior
Culture constrains our view of the world based on our individual experience
Culture as anthropology is less accurate about people than it is about our observations
One cannot be “multicultural”
We can have multicultural experiences making us individually unique
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1/19/2018

3. Theoretical Rationale for Cultural Adeptness
Culture is not homogenous
Individual relationships to cultural groups are not homogenous
Cultural differences are a function of the relationship between behavioral expectations and individual experience
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1/19/2018

4. Culture and Behavior Model
Behavior is functional
based on accumulated experience
Culture is experiential
discrete in its individual effects
All individuals integrate behavior
Culture is an accumulation of learned behaviors.
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1/19/2018

5. Cultural Adeptness
Cultural aspects of social interactions are governed by skill in negotiating perceived differences between individuals
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1/19/2018

6. Cultural Adeptness: Educational Implications
Address interactions between teacher and child
Be culture-specific rather than culture-general
Frame learning problems that the teacher can control
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1/19/2018

7. Requirements for Cultural Adeptness
Systematic observation and analysis
Accurate appraisal of interactions
Effective introspective questioning
Precision in gathering information from others
All Rights Reserved (c) Reproduction Only With Permission
1/19/2018