EXERCISE 4
Lack of Research on Cultural Diversity:
Lack of enough information on cultural diversity due to lack of adequate social and academic researches on cultural diversity which is having an adverse impact on sport psychology regarding it progress and growth in American Society is my new learning point from the text book.
The world is a colorful canvas of people from all walks of life and backgrounds. In every corner of the globe, there exist people from different religions, racial identifications, ethnic identities who speak different languages, and celebrate different holidays. Culture brings people together equally in many ways. Cultural diversity is very popular in western countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. New immigrants move into these countries every day and become part of the community. A diverse community or environment welcomes diversity and logically when you are more open to more candidates regardless of their diversity. As it was proposed by Urry that, “Cultural diversity is an important challenge that is frequently encountered by sport and exercise psychology professionals. Increased globalization has fostered a wider exchange of people, objects, images, ideas, value systems, and information, which has thus changed the contemporary sporting landscape, signifying one of the most exciting and challenging movements in the globalized cultural field today.” (Urry,2000).
Every person is unique and the more someone is different than you, it is more likely their skills and knowledge will be different from you. Diversity widens viewpoints and takes different ideas and perspectives into account. This can translate into creating richer solutions, obtaining better results, and maximizing productivity, innovation, and creativity. However, lack of or not having enough research on Cultural Diversity in sports psychology means missing such important developmental resources. “AASP program content extends beyond the research to professional issues, but our finding suggests a continuing gap in applied sports psychology with little attention to the wider range of participants or multicultural issues.” (Kamphoff, 2010). According to Drs Robert Schinke and Zella Moore, “while other domains of professional psychology have long embraced the integration of cultural aspects, the field of sport psychology has been slow to join the dialogue or to learn from these relevant sources. Therefore, this special issue of the Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology was conceptualized and constructed with the intention of opening these lines of discussion to help ensure that sport psychologists are gaining a comprehensive understanding of the athletes with whom they work, demonstrating respect for and integration of cultural constructs in the treatment room, and maintaining personal and professional self-awareness.” (Schinke, R. & Moore, Z.E., 2011).
Another effect of lack of research on Cultural Diversity on sport psychology is lack of inclusive culture in the organization. Once you have a diverse organization with an inclusive culture, your organization’s culture will change without you even knowing it.
References:
Ryba, T.V., Stambulova, N.B., Si, G., & Schinke, R.J. (2013). ISSP position stand: Culturally competent research and practice in sport and exercise psychology. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 11, 123-142.
Schinke, R. & Moore, Z.E. (2011). Culturally informed sport psychology: Introduction to the special issue. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 5, 283-294.
Williams, J. M., & Krane, V. (2021). Applied Sport Psychology: Personal Growth To Peak Performance. McGraw-Hill Education.
