Discussion

Your initial post should be at least 300 words in length and your two substantive responses to other students per weekly Discussion should be between 50 and 75 words each. Refer to your Discussion Board Rubric in your Syllabus for specific grading explanation.
In order for us to have a meaningful and productive discussion, it is important that you visit the discussion frequently and make your first post or response to another early in each unit. 

Developing Cultural Sensitivity	
For this discussion, you may write about a culture or subgroup you already know (please do your best to avoid the use of language that is based in common misconceptions or stereotypes or language that could be viewed as offensive to a specific group). Alternatively, you may instead choose a culture that interests you, conduct Internet research on that group, and base your main posting on what you have learned about that group. 
What is one culture or subgroup with which you are familiar? For example, cultures and subgroups may include race, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, religious group. 
What are the issues and concerns that psychotherapists and other professions need to be sensitive to in working with this culture or subgroup (please be specific)? Specifically, what kinds of mistakes or "unaware discrimination" should you be careful not to make?

Preppies have feelings too 	
Edward Jackson 	
5/4/2013 7:28:52 PM	

	
     While I was trying to think about subcultures…and something genuine to come up with…one subgroup kept popping into my mind, and I didn’t even realize that it was an “official” subculture.  My subculture is preppy, as in sweater draped over shoulders, book carrying, studious student.  I’ll start my discussion off with my own personal story from the land of preppy.  I was raised in a pretty strict household where achieving good grades was expected.  My parents were advocates of the preppy lifestyle, from dressing preppy, to acting preppy.  I was encouraged to join academic clubs and groups.  I was in the gifted program, Math Stars, glee club, National Honor Society, ROTC, chess club, and science club…just to list a few.  I was pushed hard to succeed, and in turn it seemed like I was a great success.  Now, the downside.  Being forced to do so much, I barely had a real childhood.  I was always under stress, a mountain of schoolwork, stuck in studies (while other kids were playing), and was committed to many academic clubs and groups.  Well, the traits of the preppy lifestyle crossed over into adulthood.
 
      In my research, I found the term of preppy actually being referred to as traditional preppy (Dunstan).  Traditional preppy is based around education, honesty, and politeness, as opposed to the contemporary definition meaning stuck-up, wealthy, or just plain rude (Dunstan).  So what does a psychologist need to know about preppie or the preppy subgroup?  For one, preppies are usually under lots of stress, albeit self-inflicted.  Preppies feel the need to achieve more and more, sometimes taking on too much.  Preppies can feel like they need to please everyone.  Even though traditional preppies dress a certain way, act a certain way, and believe education is important above all else, the super achiever, over achiever personality traits can really drive them crazy (and sometimes drive those around them crazy as well).  

     Furthermore, all these tasks or activities that the preppy person takes on feel really important to them.  So, telling them that they should do less, usually falls on deaf ears.  Preppies feel like even small failures or setbacks are major cracks in their foundation (which of course is ridiculous).  Treating them for stress, depression, or obsessive disorders will be a challenge because of their strong personality type.  Do preppies get discriminated against?  Of course, discrimination even happens to smart people.  Preppies can be perceived as know-it-alls, stuck-up, or elitists; and this definitely affects their psyches.

                                                           Reference

Dunstan, Amanda. (n.d.). Subculture: The American Traditional Prep.  Retrieved from 

     http://amanda-dunstan.hubpages.com/hub/Subculture-The-American-Traditional-Prep

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Eddie Jackson
GOK - Philosophy Major/Liberal Studies
http://eddiejackson.net/   university page

http://eddiejackson.net/web_images/im_so_preppy.png	

RE: Unit 3 Discussion 	
Edward Jackson 	
5/5/2013 12:52:14 PM	

	
The Goth subculture is definitely an interesting group of people.  I even sported the look in my twenties…for a short while.  I think it was more of a phase that I was going through, and I didn’t really consider myself a Goth.  So let’s talk about the therapy side.  How do you think psychologists should address treatment of a depressed Goth?  Or, how about a Goth that has an obsessive compulsive disorder?  Are there any particular things that the psychologist should consider?

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Eddie Jackson
GOK - Philosophy Major/Liberal Studies
http://eddiejackson.net/   university page

http://eddiejackson.net/web_images/goth.gif	

	
RE: Unit 3 discussion 	
Edward Jackson 	
5/5/2013 1:10:40 PM	

	
You are right, it is important not to stereotype your clients.  From our text, it talks about multiculturalism and subcultures.  I believe learning about different cultures is extremely important in becoming a great psychologist.  From our slides, there’s also general ethics to always be considered when working with a client; these are keeping your personal problems to yourself, avoiding false statements, keep your patient’s information confidential, and always getting consent (when necessary).

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Eddie Jackson
GOK - Philosophy Major/Liberal Studies
http://eddiejackson.net/   university page

http://eddiejackson.net/web_images/toon460.gif