© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

CHAPTER 5
Sociocultural Diversity
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Learning Goals

1. Discuss how variations in cultural,

socioeconomic, and ethnic background might
raise special classroom needs.
2. Describe some ways to promote multicultural
education.
3. Explain the various facets of gender,
including similarities and differences in boys
and girls; discuss gender issues in teaching.

5.2
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Sociocultural Diversity

Culture and
Ethnicity

Culture Language
Issues

Socioeconomic
Ethnicity
Status

5.3
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Culture
Culture refers to the behavior patterns, beliefs, and
all other products of a particular people that are
passed on from generation to generation.

Cross-Cultural Studies
– Provide information about the degree
to which people are similar.
– Elucidate behaviors specific to certain
cultures.

5.4
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Individualism vs. Collectivism

Individualism Collectivism
• Gives priority to • Gives priority to
personal goals support group
• Values include • Personal goals are
feeling good subordinated
• Personal distinction • Encourages
• Fosters interdependence of
independence group members
• Supports
harmonious
relationships
5.5
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Socioeconomic Status
Socioeconomic Status (SES): The categorization of
people according to their economic, educational, and
occupational characteristics

Educating students from low-SES backgrounds

requires strategies that address issues such as
discipline, motivation, parent involvement,
mentoring, and the untapped knowledge these
students can access.

5.6
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Children in Poverty

Of the 16% of U.S. children

who live in poverty:
50% live in female-headed households
40% live in African-American households
40% live in Latino households

5.7
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Negative Impact of Poverty on

Children and Schools

Poor Schools Poor Students

• Have fewer resources • Poor language
• Old, poorly maintained development
buildings • Less cognitively
• Less-experienced stimulating home
teachers environments
• Encourage more rote • Lower achievement
learning scores
• Provide environments not • Lower graduation rates
conducive to learning • Lower % college bound

5.8
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Ethnicity

Ethnicity refers to a shared pattern

of characteristics such as cultural
heritage, nationality, race, religion,
and background.

For children of color, educational

segregation is still a reality that
affects the school experience.

5.9
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Prejudice

An unjustified negative attitude

toward an individual because of
his/her membership in a group.

5.10
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Bilingual Education

Offers academic subjects in a student’s

native language.

Gradually introduces English instruction.

Bilingual children have heightened

cognitive development.
5.11
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Sociocultural Diversity

Multicultural
Education

The Issue of
Empowering Whether a Core
Students of “White” Values
Should Be Taught
Culturally
Relevant Improving
Teaching Relationships
Issues- Among Children
Centered From Different
Education Ethnic Groups

5.12
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

The Multicultural Classroom

• Is sensitive to racist material/interactions
• Includes historical descriptions of diverse
cultures in course content
• Is sensitive to students’ cultural views
• Views all students positively, regardless
of ethnic background

5.13
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Multicultural Education
• Values diversity and provides equal opportunity
• Empowers students by providing intellectual and
coping skills to succeed
• Promotes prejudice reduction to eliminate
negative stereotypical views
• Includes equity pedagogy to incorporate diverse
materials and strategies such as:
– What is multicultural education?
– Empowering students to succeed
– Addressing the necessity of teaching
a core of White Anglo-Protestant values

5.14
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Reflection & Observation

Reflection:
• What experiences have you had
with students different from
yourself?

Observation:
• How does this teacher help
students understand diverse
perspectives?
• How might you adjust this lesson
for younger students? Or, What
are some other strategies that
you might use?
5.15
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Sociocultural Diversity

Gender

Eliminating
Views of
Gender Bias
Gender
Development
Gender in
Context
Gender Stereotyping
Similarities and Gender-Role
Differences Classification

5.16
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Gender
Gender refers to the sociocultural dimensions
of being female or male.

Gender roles are the social expectations

that prescribe how males and
females should think, act,
and feel.

5.17
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Biological Views on Gender

Development

• Genetic, biochemical, and anatomical

differences are present.
• The direct/indirect influences suggest that
biology is not destiny.
• The brain’s plasticity allows
experiences to modify its growth.

5.18
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Sociological Views on Gender Development

Psychoanalytic Theory—By denying attraction to the

opposite-sex parent, the child identifies with the
same-sex parent and adopts his/her characteristics.

Social Cognitive Theory—A child’s gender occurs

through observation and imitation
of gender behavior as well as reinforcement
of the behavior.

5.19
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Cognitive Views on Gender Development

Cognitive Development Theory—Once a child

develops a consistent concept of gender, the child
organizes his/her world on the basis of gender.

Gender Schema Theory—A child’s attention and

behavior are guided by a motivation to conform to
gender-based standards and stereotypes.

5.20
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Gender Differences
Research has identified some substantial
gender differences in physical abilities,
reading and writing skills, aggression, and
self-regulation.

caution

Caution should be exercised because

gender stereotyping can have
significant consequences when it
diminishes social status and
acceptance in groups.

5.21
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Visuospatial Ability of Males and Females

5.22
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a form of power
and dominance of one person over another,
which can result in harmful consequences
for the victim.

Quid Pro Quo Hostile Environment

School employee A student is subjected
threatens to base an to unwelcome sexual
education decision conduct that is so severe
(grades) on a student’s and pervasive that it limits
submission to the student’s ability
unwelcome sexual to benefit from his or her
conduct. education.

5.23
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Enter the Debate

Should teachers treat boys and girls differently?

YES NO

5.24
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Crack the Case

These Boys

1. What are the issues in this case?

2. Based on the ideas and information presented in
your text to this point, discuss what you believe
to be happening in this classroom and the
possible influences on Mrs. Jones’ ideas of
gender. Cite research and theories of gender
development.
3. What influences do you believe Mrs. Jones’
behavior will have on her students? Why?

5.25
© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Santrock, Educational Psychology, Second Edition, Classroom Update

Crack the Case

These Boys
4. What should Mrs. Jones do at this point? Why?
What sort of outside assistance might help her?
5. If you were a student teacher in this classroom,
what, if anything, would you do? Why?
6. What will you do in your own classroom to
minimize gender bias?

5.26