57-72). Upper Marlboro, MD: Graphic Communications, Inc.
Article Summary: "Defining Culture in Context"
In "Defining Culture in Context," Pedersen discusses the importance of culture in the therapeutic process, along with the importance of putting culture in the appropriate context for the process. The chapter has multiple purposes. The primary purpose of this chapter is to help develop an understanding of multiculturalism as basic theory. The secondary purposes of the chapter are to encourage people to broaden their definitions of culture and to suggest a counseling perspective that takes cultural context into account without compromising the counseling services offered. The article is a chapter from a book, not an article describing research; therefore there are no real research findings, methodology, or results for a specific hypothesis. However, the article does explain multiculturalism and try to help explain the impact that culture can have on an individual perspective.
In the United States, it seems as if many people believe that the majority culture...
In fact, one of the problems with psychology as a science is that it has determined what is normal, adaptive behavior from the majority perspective, with some cultures being considered illnesses. The best example of that may have been the prior diagnosis of homosexuality as a mental illness. However, there are some things that, although culturally normative, can still be psychologically damaging to people, regardless of their own cultural group. This chapter should help the practitioner understand that culture does and should play an incredibly important role in how clients view themselves, their experiences, and the therapeutic process. However, the chapter also makes it clear that culture is always relevant, but not always the most important factor when considering events or scenarios.
References
Pedersen, P.B. (1997). "Defining culture in context" in Culture-centered counseling interventions: Striving for accuracy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
