Question

Social competence is a complex concept consisting of social, emotional, cognitive and behavioral skills. For example, changing social interactions based on the situational perspective of another individual. Cultural competence enables organizations to work in cross-cultural situations based on skills, attitudes, behaviors and policies. For example, providing health care services that meets all the needs of patients. In 500-750 words, evaluate the importance of scientific inquiry (research) in social and cultural competence. Consider the historical foundations social psychological inquiry has been founded.

Answer 1

In 500-750 words, evaluate the importance of scientific inquiry (research) in social and cultural competence. Consider the historical foundations social psychological inquiry has been founded.

The study of social psychology started with the scientists becoming aware of the differences in thoughts as well as feelings of people who are present in cultures different from their own. Earliest of the experiments that took place on the behavior of groups, made Lewin being termed as “the father of social psychology. Attempts were made so as to study the reduce the prejudice and stereotyping that occurred among people of different ethnic groups, and one of the major break through sin doing the same was cultural competence,

Cultural competence refers to the ability of the professionals to identify that different cultures have different points of being unique. It is the ability of the professionals to be respectful to the health practices that are inherent to these cultures. When a health care professional would be developing cultural competence, it would mean that they have developed a dynamic approach and they integrate this into their practice along with maintaining a continuum.

Research in cultural competency is important since, if the researcher would be lacking cultural competence, they would not be able to engage properly in some communities, not being able to interact properly, or understand how important certain practices are to that particular culture. Also, the researcher would not be able to integrate Behavioral patterns in to their research, ultimately overlooking the core practices and replacing them with the practices from the culture that the researcher is.

Unless the health care professionals are aware of the different types of practices that take place in a culture, the implications for the family would be difficult. For example, in one of the case studies, an Armenian family admitted their son to the emergency department of a local community hospital. The boy was suffering from high fever since the last few days, and the parents did not think of bringing him to the hospital. After diagnosis, he was admitted. The diagnosis was of pneumonia. Upon being asked, the family accepts that since the past 2-3 days they were treating the child with Chinese medicine by cupping therapy. Even after treatment, the fever did not lessen rather worsened. And that is when they got him to the hospital.

On hearing this, the nurse was going to report them to the social services, but was interrupted by the doctor saying that this is their traditional medicine. Had the doctor not been aware of the difference in culture and paractice, the family could have been reported for a practice that they had been following for years.