Defining Culture and Cultural Competency

Name: Defining Culture and Cultural Competency
Author: Mercedes Naficy D'Angelo

Take the first step to learning about culture as it applies to the workplace

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Course: On-Demand

When most people think about culture, images of food, national costume, arts, music, architecture, and other items come to mind. How people dress, the food they eat, and their expressions of creativity are all important aspects of culture. These are visible parts of culture that we all can appreciate when traveling to, or watching videos of different countries. The more difficult aspects of culture to observe are the norms and values that are not visible to the naked eye. Imagine a young child growing up in the United States. The child, named Emma, is playing ball inside her home, even though she has been told by her parents that she is not allowed to. While tossing the ball, Emma accidentally knocks over a lamp, which falls to the ground and breaks. Hearing the crash, her mother enters the room to find the broken lamp and her daughter standing next to it looking guilty. As the mother reprimands her child, she gently reminds her, "Emma, look me in the eye when I am talking to you." Thousands of miles away, in China, a similar scene plays out with another little girl, Fei, who's being reprimanded by her mother. As her mother corrects her daughter for the same exact infraction, she gently reminds her, "Fei, look down when I am talking to you." The difference between these two parents' views on how a child should show respect is at the heart of culture. Culture can be defined as a group's shared values, belief systems, and social norms. For this course, we are going to focus on national culture, and the values, beliefs, and norms that the people of a particular nation share. Although as you can imagine, not all people in the culture or country are exactly the same. Culture is shaped over time, by a myriad of different things such as geography, history, climate, and religion. Culture is reflected in how we interpret verbal and nonverbal communication. Culture is behind how people want to be rewarded, motivated, and led, thus culture is incredibly important in the workplace. This course focuses on national culture, and what the average person in a country identifies with, as a representative of their national values and beliefs. Imagine culture as a bell curve, where the normal distribution is what the majority of the people of that national culture believe and value. There may be some people who more strongly disagree or agree with these beliefs, but they are not the norm. Our focus will be on what the majority of people of a certain culture believe. National culture is a starting point for understanding behavior. National culture provides generalizations which we can use as a frame of reference. However, there are always exceptions. Within each country, regional differences may also exist, formed by factors unique to that region. In the United States, for example, there are subtle and not so subtle differences between the East Coast and the South or the Midwest. In addition to regional differences, ultimately, everyone has their own unique personality, based on how they were raised, their experiences, and their family values. Because of these differences, we cannot assume that all people of a certain culture act the same. This would be stereotyping, and a disservice to the development of cultural competency. If the study of national culture is the study of the values and beliefs of the majority of people of a certain country, what then is cultural competency? The ability to recognize cultural differences, to appreciate those differences, and to use unique skills to address those differences is called cultural competence or cultural competency. In the workplace, cultural competency allows us to recognize that someone from a different country, or even from our own country, but with a different cultural background, may have different values and beliefs. Our beliefs and values impact how we perceive the world, how we interpret information, and how we communicate with others. Cultural competency is the skill of changing your preferred work style to be more effective in working and collaborating with people of different cultural backgrounds. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done.

Beginner Provider : Mercedes Naficy D'Angelo 4 Lessons · 11m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

In an increasingly diverse world, it's important to be able to recognize cultural differences in the workplace. Mercedes Naficy D'Angelo's module will put you on the path to navigating these nuances. You will learn the basic definition of culture and what it entails, how it affects people as they grow from children to adults and how that patterning, in turn, affects how people perceive others from different cultures.

Learning Objectives:

What You'll Learn

Define culture and understand what it entails
Learn what it means to be culturally competent
Understand how culture shapes a person's development through cultural patterning
Recognize how culture impacts the way people perceive others from different cultures
Identify traits in others that may have been acquired from growing up in a different culture

Key Takeaways

Culture has a basic definition that this module explains, along with what it entails.
Cultural patterning influences how people develop from children to adults.
The way people are patterned by their culture affects how they perceive others from different cultures.
Being culturally competent helps you recognize cultural differences in the workplace.
Certain traits in people can be recognized as having been acquired from growing up in a different culture.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will I learn in this course?

You will learn the basic definition of culture and what it entails, what it means to be culturally competent, how culture affects a person's development via cultural patterning, and how to recognize traits in others acquired from growing up in a different culture.

Who teaches this module?

This module is taught by Mercedes Naficy D'Angelo.

What topics are covered in the lessons?

The lessons cover What is Culture?, Cultural Patterning, and How Culture Impacts Perception, followed by a Test Your Knowledge section.

Why is cultural competency important in the workplace?

In an increasingly diverse world, it is important to be able to recognize cultural differences in the workplace, and this module helps you navigate those nuances.

What skills does this course help develop?

It supports skills including cultural responsiveness, cultural sensitivity, intercultural competence, cultural competency training, cultural diversity, and cultural literacy.

Professional Certifications and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM®)

Professional Development Credits (PDCs): 0.25

Certification Program Categories:

Leadership & NavigationBusiness AcumenConsultationGlobal MindsetEthical PracticeRelationship ManagementAnalytical AptitudeCommunicationDiversity, Equity & Inclusion

KnowledgeCity is approved by SHRM as a Recertification General Provider to offer SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP professional development credits (PDCs). By taking the courses approved by SHRM, KnowledgeCity can award SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for HR knowledge and competency programs related to the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge™ (the SHRM BASK™).