Marsha Le is a psychologist in training placed in a community based social services center. Marsha is an attractive, well-groomed, Asian American female born and raised in a large metropolitan city. Betty Ann, a client of approximately one month with multitude of problems that led her to a history of drug and alcohol dependence, said to Ms. Jones as they were walking away from the waiting room: “I was getting off of the bus coming here. This guy cut right in front of me swearing at everyone. So I gave that Chink a piece of my mind. Who does he think he is talking to me, a white woman like that. Oh, but honey, you are not like that.” Overhearing this waiting room conversation is Dr. Johnson, Marsha’s European American clinical supervisor.
Practice Tip 1
Every person has a culture: Culture is shaped by personal experiences that may include ethnic, racial, and gender identity; religion; age; body size; heritage and family tradition; and geographic and socioeconomic experiences: “Behavior may be shaped by culture, the groups to which one belongs, and cultural stereotypes” (APA, 2002a, p. 11).
Though not explicitly stated in the vignette, probabilities are high that all three individuals are born, raised, and live in the same culture that is North America. Thus all three would consider themselves of the same culture. Yet, all three of these individuals have, in the space of a one-minute casual conversation, stumbled upon very diverse cultural sets. We presume that Marsha Le and Dr. Johnson recognized Betty Ann’s racially based attitude about Asian Americans. It is also evident that Betty Ann assumes the superiority of her status compared to the offending person at the bus stop based on the color of her skin. Though all three are Americans, each comes from very different cultures within what we call North America. Each may engage in stereotypes that impair the ability to listen and empathize.
Practice Tip 2
Recognize your own culture: Everyone is influenced by their own values, beliefs, biases and life experiences. Becoming culturally aware starts with understanding your own cultural background and how your background may influence your reactions to prejudicial behavior. Consider how your perspective affects your understanding of other cultures and your typical responses to such behavior.
If Marsha Le and Dr. Johnson were similar to most psychologists, they and we would find Betty Ann’s racial slur about presumed white superiority most insulting. Psychologists must understand their own negative reaction to Betty Ann’s racially insulting comment before responding in a ethical manner: “In their work-related activities, psychologists do not engage in unfair discrimination based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or any basis proscribed by law (APA Ethical Principles Of Psychologists And Code Of Conduct, 2003, 3.01 Unfair Discrimination). Consider how further inquiry and curiosity can lead to engagement rather than disconnection.
Practice Tip 3
Engage in learning. Recognize that your expertise is limited to your own experiences. Enter the communication process with an open mind. Becoming fully informed will help you to effectively share your message. Ask yourself whether you need to adapt your approach in light of the strength of your feelings. Keeping the lines of communication open to input from others provide an opportunity for continuous learning.
It is important to recognize that Betty Ann has a set of cultural beliefs and practices that are different from those values shared by psychologists and expressed through the 2002 APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Psychologists are encouraged “to recognize the importance of multicultural sensitivity/responsiveness, knowledge, and understanding about ethnically and racially different individuals” (APA, 2002a, p. 25). Depending on the experiences and expertise of either Marsha Le or Dr. Johnson, neither one of them may be knowledgeable about Betty Ann’s culture. Marsha may enter into conversation with Betty Ann with an open mind and seek to become fully informed about the cultural basis for Betty Ann’s version of white supremacy.
Practice Tip 4
Invite others’ opinions. People feel they are respected when others are genuinely interested in learning about their perspective on a topic. Consider incorporating questions into conversations that demonstrate your desire to learn more about the other’s cultural experience.
In the conversation with Betty Ann, psychologist in training Marsha Le would seek to find within herself a genuine interest in learning about Betty Ann’s perspectives on race based supremacy. In a follow up conversations between Marsha Le and Dr. Johnson, Dr. Johnson would also endeavor to find within herself a genuine interest in learning about Marsha Le’s lived experience of being on the receiving end of a racial slur that is directed at her race group. In addition to appreciating Marsha Le’s experience as a race based person living in the United States, Dr. Johnson is also a psychologist who’s Professional Association has issued guidelines that direct her to respect and understand Betty Ann’s culture.
Practice Tip 5
Exchange stories. Storytelling and personal sharing are the grist that helps people transcend most cultures. Consider sharing personal stories as a way to start a conversation with someone who has demonstrated prejudice. Pick a story that is relevant to the context.
Dr. Johnson might incorporate in her conversation with Marsha Le personal stories that involved experiences of slurs of a personal nature. What may be of more specific assistance might be stories of handling clients who evidence prejudices and discrimination based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or socioeconomic status. She could bring to light the impact of such behavior without engaging in a microaggression: “Racial microaggressions are brief and commonplace daily verbal or behavioral indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults and potentially have a harmful or unpleasant psychological impact on the target person or group” (Sue & Sue, 2003, p. 39).
Marsha Le could respond in kind, if she felt Dr. Johnson was genuinely interested in providing her supervision about Betty Ann. They both could engage in an active collaboration about how to advance Betty Ann’s treatment, and simultaneously uphold Marsha Le’s dignity and the therapeutic alliance while complying with the APA Ethics Code’s guiding principles: “… Psychologists are aware of and respect cultural, individual, and role differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status and consider these factors when working with members of such groups. Psychologists … do not knowingly participate in or condone activities of others based upon such prejudices (APA, 2002b, Principle E: Respect for People’s Rights and Dignity). Marsha Le could sensitively inquire about Betty Ann’s culture of white supremacy. Entering into the dialogue with an open mind, she may very well be able to find an appropriate way to effectively share psychology’s message of respect for all people. Engaging in a dialogue about the psychologist’s values, while respectfully seeking to understand Betty Ann’s culture, may operationalized Principle E (APA, 2002b) where psychologists do not knowingly participate in or condone racial slurs or white supremacy.
You can send correspondence to Tien Liang or Andy Benjamin or learn more about their backgrounds at: http://www.antiochsea.edu/about/OurFaculty_list.html or http://depts.washington.edu/petp
References
American Psychological Association. (2002a). Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists. Washington, D.C.: Author. (See, www.apa.org/pi/multiculturalguidelines)
American Psychological Association. (2002b). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Washington, DC.: Author.
Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2003). Counseling the culturally different: Theory and practice (4th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
