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In this section I'm including the factors of religious background, sexual orientation, gender identity, culture, family unit, and economic status. These affect children's growth and the way that they develop.

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Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project

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7. How religion may affect educational attainment: scholarly theories and historical background

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Religion and education, two of humankind’s most ancient endeavors, have long had a close relationship. Historians and social scientists have written about

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What is sexual orientation?

Sexual orientation is about who you're attracted to and want to have relationships with. Sexual orientations include gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual, and asexual.

Sexual orientation is different from gender and gender identity.

Sexual orientation is about who you're attracted to and who you feel drawn to romantically, emotionally, and sexually. It's different than gender identity. Gender identity isn't about who you're attracted to, but about who you ARE - male, female, genderqueer, etc.

This means that being transgender (feeling like your assigned sex is very different from the gender you identify with) isn't the same thing as being gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Sexual orientation is about who you want to be with. Gender identity is about who you are.

There are a bunch of identities associated with sexual orientation:

People who're attracted to a different gender (for example, women who are attracted to men or men who are attracted to women) often call themselves straight or heterosexual.

People who're attracted to people of the same gender often call themselves gay or homosexual. Gay women may prefer the term lesbian.

People who're attracted to both men and women often call themselves bisexual.

People whose attractions span across many different gender identities (male, female, transgender, genderqueer, intersex, etc.) may call themselves pansexual or queer.

People who're unsure about their sexual orientation may call themselves questioning or curious.

People who don't experience any sexual attraction for anyone often call themselves asexual.

It's also important to note that some people don't think any of these labels describe them accurately. Some people don't like the idea of labels at all. Other people feel comfortable with certain labels and not others. It's up to you to decide how you want to label yourself, if at all.

What does queer mean?

The term queer can include a variety of sexual identities and gender identities that are anything other than straight and cisgender.

In the past, "queer" was a word used to hurt and insult people. Some people still find it offensive, particularly those who remember when that word was used in a painful way. Others now use the word with pride to identify themselves.

You may not want to refer to someone as "queer" unless you know that's how they identify themselves. When talking to someone about their sexual orientation, use the terms that they use. It's okay (and often encouraged!) to ask what labels folks prefer.

What's asexuality?

People who identify as asexual don't really feel sexual attraction towards anyone. They may think other people are physically attractive, or they may want to be in romantic relationships with people - but they're not interested in having sex or doing sexual things with other people. Asexual people sometimes use the word "ace" for short.

Asexuality has nothing to do with romantic attraction. Many asexual people feel romantically attracted to people - so they may identify as asexual, and also as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight. They just don't feel any desire to act on these feelings in a sexual way.

Asexual people have emotional needs just like everyone else. Some asexual people have romantic relationships, and others aren't interested in that. They get close to people or experience intimacy through ways other than sex.

There are also people who don't feel romantic attraction or want to be in romantic relationships - they may identify as aromantic. Being aromantic and being asexual are two separate things.

Some asexual people do get aroused (turned on), but they don't feel the desire to be sexual with other people. And some asexual people masturbate. But others may not feel arousal at all.

It's totally normal to go through times when you don't want to have sex, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're asexual. And asexuality is not the same thing as being celibate. Celibacy is a choice you make, and asexuality is a sexual identity - who you naturally are.

Like other sexual orientations, asexuality isn't always black and white. There's a spectrum between being sexual (having sexual attraction) and being asexual. Different people fall into different places on that spectrum. Some people who have very little sexual attraction to other people identify as gray-a. Some people who are only sexually attracted to people they're in relationships with identify as demisexual. Want to know how someone identifies? Ask them.

There is nothing "wrong" with people who are asexual, and there's no evidence to support that people are asexual because of any kind of mental health or trauma. It's actually kind of common - some research says that 1 out of 100 adults is asexual. You can find more information about asexuality at the Asexual Visibility and Education Network.

What if I don't want to be labeled?

It's okay if you don't want to be labeled. Only you can decide what sexual identity best describes you. But some people may feel that none of the common labels feel right to them.

Your sexual orientation and identity can remain the same throughout your life. Or it can vary depending on who you're attracted to, or romantically partnered or sexually active with. This is completely normal. Once you claim a label, there's no reason why it can't change as you change.

Changing how you identify doesn't mean that you're "confused." Many folks, old and young, experience changes in who they're attracted to and how they identify. This is called "fluidity."

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What is Sexual Orientation? | Sexual Orientation vs Gender

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Sexual orientation is about who you’re attracted to. Learn the differences between sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity.

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How do I make sure I use the right pronouns for someone? And what if I mess up? Language can change quickly. Here’s a guide to talking gender in its beautiful complexity.

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is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing language, , cuisine, social habits, music and arts.

The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition goes a step further, defining culture as shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs and understanding that are learned by socialization. Thus, culture can be seen as the growth of a group identity fostered by social patterns unique to the group.

"Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones and a million other things," Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London, told Live Science.

Many countries, such as , , , the , , and are noted for their rich cultures, the customs, traditions, music, art and food being a continual draw for tourists.

The word "culture" derives from a French term, which in turn derives from the "colere," which means to tend to the earth and grow, or cultivation and nurture, according to Arthur Asa Berger. "It shares its etymology with a number of other words related to actively fostering growth," De Rossi said.

Western culture

The term "Western culture" has come to define the culture of European countries as well as those that have been heavily influenced by European immigration, such as the United States, according to Khan University. Western culture has its roots in the Classical Period of the Greco- era (the fourth and fifth centuries B.C.) and the rise of Christianity in the 14th century. Other drivers of Western culture include Latin, Celtic, Germanic and Hellenic ethnic and linguistic groups.

Any number of historical events have helped shape Western culture during the past 2,500 years. The fall of Rome, often pegged to A.D. 476, cleared the way for the establishment of a series of often-warring states in Europe, according to Stanford University historian Walter Scheidel, each with their own cultures. The Black Death of the 1300s cut the population of Europe by one-third to one-half, rapidly remaking society. As a result of the , writes Ohio State University historian John L. Brooke, Christianity became stronger in Europe, with more focus on apocalyptic themes. Survivors in the working class gained more power, as elites were forced to pay more for scarce labor. And the disruption of trade routes between East and West set off new exploration, and ultimately, the incursion of Europeans into North and South America.

Today, the influences of Western culture can be seen in almost every country in the world.

Eastern culture

Eastern culture generally refers to the societal norms of countries in Far East Asia (including China, Japan, Vietnam, North Korea and South Korea) and the Indian subcontinent. Like the West, Eastern culture was heavily influenced by religion during its early development, but it was also heavily influenced by the growth and harvesting of rice, according to a research article published in the journal in 2012. In general, in Eastern culture there is less of a distinction between secular society and religious philosophy than there is in the West.

However, this umbrella covers an enormous range of traditions and histories. For example, Buddhism originated in India, but it was largely overtaken by Hinduism after the 12th century, according to Britannica.

As a result, Hinduism became a major driver of culture in India, while Buddhism continued to exert influence in China and Japan. The preexisting cultural ideas in these areas also influenced religion. For example, according to Jiahe Liu and Dongfang Shao, Chinese Buddhism borrowed from the philosophy of Taoism, which emphasizes compassion, frugality and humility.

Centuries of interactions - both peaceful and aggressive - in this region also led to these cultures influencing each other. Japan, for example, controlled or occupied Korea in some form between 1876 and 1945. During this time, many Koreans were pressured or forced into giving up their names for Japanese surnames, according to History.com.

Latin culture

The geographic region encompassing "Latin culture" is widespread. Latin America is typically defined as those parts of Central America, South America and where Spanish or Portuguese are the dominant languages. These are all places that were colonized by or influenced by or Portugal starting in the 1400s. It is thought that French geographers used the term "Latin America" to differentiate between Anglo and Romance (Latin-based) languages, though some historians, such as Michael Gobat, author of "The Invention of Latin America: A Transnational History of Anti-Imperialism, Democracy and Race" (American Historical Review, Voll 118, Issue 5, 2013), dispute this.

Latin cultures are thus incredibly diverse, and many blend Indigenous traditions with the Spanish language and Catholicism brought by and Portuguese colonizers. Many of these cultures were also influenced by African cultures due to enslaved Africans being brought to the Americas starting in the 1600s, according to the African American Registery. These influences are particularly strong in Brazil and in Caribbean nations.

Latin culture continues to evolve and spread. A good example is Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a holiday dedicated to remembering the departed that is celebrated on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. Day of the Dead dates back to before Christopher Columbus landed in North America, but was moved to its current celebration date by Spanish colonizers, who merged it with the Catholic All Saints Day.

Mexican immigrants to the United States brought the holiday with them, and in the 1970s, artists and activities brought focus to Día de los Muertos as a way of celebrating their Chicano (Mexican-American) heritage, according to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The holiday is now well-known in the United States.

Middle Eastern culture

Roughly speaking, the Middle East encompasses the Arabian peninsula as well as the eastern Mediterranean. The North African countries of Libya, Egypt and Sudan are also sometimes included, according to Britannica. The term "Middle Eastern culture" is another umbrella that encompasses a huge diversity of cultural practices, religious beliefs and daily habits. The region is the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and is home to dozens of languages, from Arabic to Hebrew to Turkish to Pashto.

While there is significant religious diversity in the Middle East, the predominant religion by numbers is Islam, and Islam has played a large role in the cultural development of the region. Islam originated in what is today Saudi Arabia in the early seventh century. An influential moment for the culture and development of the Middle East came after the death of the religion's founder, Muhammad, in 632, according to the Metropoliton Museum.

Some followers believed the next leader should be one of Muhammad's friends and confidants; others believed leadership must be passed through Muhammad's bloodline. This led to a schism between Shia Muslims, those who believed in the importance of the bloodline, and Sunni Muslims, who believed leadership should not pass through the family. Today, about 85% of Muslims are Sunni, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Their rituals and traditions vary somewhat, and divisions between the two groups often fuel conflict.

Middle Eastern culture has also been shaped by the Ottoman Empire, which ruled a U-shaped ring around the eastern Mediterranean between the 14th and early 20th centuries, according to Britannica. Areas that were part of the Ottoman Empire are known for distinctive architecture drawn from Persian and Islamic influences.

African culture

Africa has the longest history of human habitation of any continent: Humans originated there and began to migrate to other areas of the world around 400,000 years ago, according to the Natural History Museum in London. Tom White, who serves as the museum's senior curator of non-insect invertebrates, and his team were able to discover this by studying Africa's ancient lakes and the animals that lived in them. As of the time of this article, this research provides the oldest evidence for hominin species in the Arabian peninsula.

African culture varies not only between national boundaries, but within them. One of the key features of this culture is the large number of ethnic groups throughout the 54 countries on the continent. For example, Nigeria alone has more than 300 tribes, according to Culture Trip. Africa has imported and exported its culture for centuries; East African trading ports were a crucial link between East and West as early as the seventh century, according to The Field Museum. This led to complex urban centers along the eastern coast, often connected by the movement of raw materials and goods from landlocked parts of the continent.

It would be impossible to characterize all of African culture with one description. Northwest Africa has strong ties to the Middle East, while Sub-Saharan Africa shares historical, physical and social characteristics that are very different from North Africa, according to Britannica .

Some traditional Sub-Saharan African cultures include the Maasai of Tanzania and Kenya, the Zulu of South Africa and the Batwa of Central Africa. The traditions of these cultures evolved in very different environments. The Batwa, for example, are one of a group of ethnicities that traditionally live a forager lifestyle in the rainforest. The Maasai, on the other hand, herd sheep and goats on the open range.

What is cultural appropriation?

Oxford Reference describes cultural appropriation as: "A term used to describe the taking over of creative or artistic forms, themes, or practices by one cultural group from another."

An example might be a person who is not Native American wearing a Native American headdress as a fashion accessory. For example, Victoria's Secret was heavily criticized in 2012 after putting a model in a headdress reminiscent of a Lakota war bonnet, according to . These headdresses are laden with meaningful symbolism, and wearing one was a privilege earned by chieftains or warriors through acts of bravery, according to the Khan Academy. The model also wore turquoise jewelry inspired by designs used by Zuni, Navajo and Hopi tribes in the desert Southwest, illustrating how cultural appropriation can lump together tribes with very different cultures and histories into one stereotyped image.

More recently, in 2019, Gucci faced a similar backlash for selling an item named "the indy full turban" which caused considerable anger from the Sikh community, according to . Harjinder Singh Kukreja, a Sikh restaurateur and influencer, wrote to Gucci on Twitter, stating: "the Sikh Turban is not a hot new accessory for white models but an article of faith for practising Sikhs. Your models have used Turbans as 'hats' whereas practising Sikhs tie them neatly fold-by-fold. Using fake Sikhs/Turbans is worse than selling fake Gucci products."

Constant change

No matter what a culture looks like, one thing is for certain: Cultures change. "Culture appears to have become key in our interconnected world, which is made up of so many ethnically diverse societies, but also riddled by conflicts associated with religion, ethnicity, ethical beliefs, and, essentially, the elements which make up culture," De Rossi said. "But culture is no longer fixed, if it ever was. It is essentially fluid and constantly in motion."

This makes it difficult to define any culture in only one way. While change is inevitable, most people see value in respecting and preserving the past. The United Nations has created a group called The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to identify cultural and natural heritage and to conserve and protect it. Monuments, buildings and sites are covered by the group's protection, according to the international treaty, the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. This treaty was adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
Additional reporting by Live Science Contributors Alina Bradford, Stephanie Pappas and Callum McKelvie.

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Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music and is different all over the world.

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✉Correspondence regarding this manuscript should be addressed to rdcongerucdavis.edu

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Socioeconomic Status, Family Processes, and Individual Development

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Research during the past decade shows that social class or socioeconomic status (SES) is related to satisfaction and stability in romantic unions, the quality of parent-child relationships, and a range of developmental outcomes for adults and…

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In this section I will be defining implicit biases and the meaning of cultural competence.

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Implicit bias is defined by "Ohio State University" as the set of attitudes or stereotypes that affect our cognition, affect and behavior in an unconscious and automatic manner.

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Implicit bias, also known as implicit prejudice or implicit attitude, is a negative attitude, of which one is not consciously aware, against a specific social group.

Implicit bias is thought to be shaped by experience and based on learned associations between particular qualities and social categories, including race and/or gender. Individuals' perceptions and behaviors can be influenced by the implicit biases they hold, even if they are unaware they hold such biases. Implicit bias is an aspect of implicit social cognition: the phenomenon that perceptions, attitudes, and stereotypes can operate prior to conscious intention or endorsement.

Adapted from the APA Dictionary of Psychology and Wikipedia

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Implicit bias, also known as implicit prejudice or implicit attitude, is a negative attitude, of which one is not consciously aware, against a specific social group.

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Cultural competence refers to the ability to effectively interact with individuals from different cultural backgrounds, respecting their values, beliefs, and norms.

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NCCC: Curricula Enhancement Module Series

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Valuing diversity means recognizing and respecting the unique cultural backgrounds, perspectives, and contributions of all individuals. This foundation helps build up an inclusive community where members feel seen and heard.

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Regular self-assessment helps individuals and organizations identify personal biases and areas of growth in cultural competence. It ensures improvement in serving a diverse population.

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Effectively managing cultural differences involves acknowledging conflict or misunderstandings in addressing them constructively. This skill is crucial for building trust and maintaining responsible relationships across cultural lines.

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Willingness to Develop Cultural Knowledge

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Willingness to Develop Cultural Knowledge

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A genuine openness to learning about others cultures expands awareness and reduces cultural misunderstandings. It demonstrates respect and commitment to better communication collaboration.

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Ability to Adapt to Cultural Needs of the Community

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Ability to Adapt to Cultural Needs of the Community

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Being flexible and responsive to the cultural preferences and practices of a community ensures that services and interactions are relevant and respectful. This adaptation improves outcomes and strengthens community engagement.

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Implicit bias can lead to teachers to set lower expectations for students from certain cultural or socioeconomic backgrounds.

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Teachers may misinterpret culturally influenced students behavior as a defiance or disengagement due to unconscious biases.

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Biases can cause teachers to view some families as less involved or less supportive even when engagement styles differ.

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Students from marginalized groups may be disciplined more harshly or frequently based on biased perceptions.

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Implicit bias can result in some children being overlooked for advanced programs or enrichment activities.