The Importance of Cultural Differences

Factors which influence the importance or noninterference of cultural differences:

• Not ALL differences are based on CULTURAL differences

• Culture is a complex system made up of INDIVIDUALS whose behaviors and beliefs vary around norms

• Immigrants are more likely to express and be impacted by cultural differences

• Immigrants' CHILDREN are most likely to be impacted by cultural differences since they act as buffers and go betweens between parents and the new culture
• This is true in school
• power relationships upturned become a source of stress
• children may be embarrassed by their parents/internalize

• The more stigmatized a culture, the more it will impact a child's behavior and the more we are likely to judge a child in terms of STEREOTYPIC IDEAS about the impact of their culture
• Members of stigmatized groups are likely to judge "their own kind" more harshly in contexts like school. 
• why???

• Failure to acknowledge cultural differences limits our ability to interact with children and families