Diversity Impact on Individual Behavior

Diversity Impact on Individual Behavior

Behavior refers to the actions or reactions of an object or organism, usually in relation to the environment. Behavior can be conscious or unconscious, overt or covert, and voluntary or involuntary. Behavior is controlled by the nervous system; the complexity of the behavior is related to the complexity of the nervous system. Generally, organisms with complex nervous systems have a greater capacity to learn new responses and thus adjust their behavior. Human behavior is the collection of activities by human beings and influenced by culture, attitudes, emotions, ethnicity, gender, ethics, religion, authority, persuasion, and/or coercion. The behavior of people falls within a range with some behaviors being common, some unusual, some acceptable, and some outside acceptable limits. The acceptability of behavior is measured by social norms and regulated by various means of social control.

The impact that ethnicity has on behavior cannot be ignored. At work, school, and church we experience the influences of ethnicity every day. Behavior in Southern California is influenced by the Latino population. The Latino population in California has grown by a factor of ten since 1950, and now comprises 32 percent of the state's 33.8 million people. Between 1990 and 2000, Latinos accounted for three-fourths of the state's population growth and the numbers will triple by 2050, outpacing the growth of all other minority groups according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The impact, bilingual skills are becoming increasingly important in the widening workplace. This fact is especially noticeable in Spanish-language billboards and other advertising throughout the state. The African/American culture has impacted western society in the forms of speech, music and clothing. Regardless of ethnic back-rounds, society today has placed a placard on black culture and the trends that follow with “it’s cool to be black”. Hip-hop artists of today speak about their lives and the surrounding factors that impact them. Neighborhoods are identified and claimed territorially, tails of friends and family lost to senseless shootings, drug usage, diseases, and less opportunity present for them than that of other cultures. These words speak volume to the children and workers of today. We must keep in mind that music is not biased to age ethnicity or gender, it is for everyone. Words are heard and may even find there way to spot within people that is relevant. Regardless of ethnicity it is easy to except this urban/rap culture and exemplify characteristics in the form of attitude, clothing and speech.

Gender is another type of diversity that has impact on behavior. Whether you are male or female, there are roles that society places on gender. For many years the man the sole bread winner while the female was to stay at home and make home. This idea was not only in the minds of society but could be found in television programs. Some programs include; Leave it to Beaver (Ward & June), The Wonder Years and the Brady Bunch. In the late 60’s and early 70’s there was a woman’s movement, they liberated them selves. In today’s businesses and Armed Forces the female gender is very present. Females are no longer an oddity within the ranks of upper management or the hierarchy of the military.

Behavior is influenced by many facets today. It starts