CULTURAL

SENSITIVITY
What is acceptable in a particular culture may be
rude or derogatory expression in another culture .
Culturally sensitive person will understand tradition /
lifestyle of different cultures.
Culturally sensitive person will try to learn and apply
new insights.

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

BETWEEN MODERN WESTERN CULTURE AND
EASTERN CULTURE (TRADITIONAL(
Modern western culture

Eastern
culture

Independence and personal

freedom

Internal dependency

Mainly state

Mainly family

Family-person
relations
Satisfaction of basic
needs

The smallest
Socioeconomic unit

Family

Individual

Freedom, individualism

Authority,
collectivism

Cultural guidelines

Mainly democratic

Mainly morality and

punishment

Socialization tools

PSYCHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

MODERN WESTERN CULTURE AND EASTERN
CULTURE (TRADITIONAL)
Modernwesternculture

Psychological development
Personality

Main control source

The main conflict and the
main source of repression
and anxiety

Individuation and self-identity

development

Easternculture

Identity within the family

unit

Structures and processes

intra-psychic

Values, needs and

collective control rather
than personal

More self-control

More control by the

family, community and
social

Personal, inter-psychic

Social / interpersonal

Western-style psychotherapy for

east culture (Traditional (
Reliance on explanation and instruction

Western psychotherapy
Reliance on disclosure

With the intention of the therapist

Without the intention of the

therapist

Using direct methods and giving solutions

to the patient

Using indirect methods to enable a

solution to the problem

The therapist asks and the therapist

answers

The therapist prepares questions for

the patient and the patient answers

Teacher student relationship between

therapist and patient

Equal treatment between therapist

and patient

The therapist's words serve as an order or

instruction

The therapist's words serve as an

offer or guidance

In treatment the therapist active and the

patient passive

In treatment the therapist passive

and the patient active