Contributed by Aara'L Yarber, Pennsylvania State University and UCAR Diversity and Inclusion Fellow Show
If you were to ask 20 people "What is diversity?", it is likely that you will get 20 different answers. Diversity is an evolving concept that is rarely defined in the research literature. On the most fundamental level, diversity means "difference." Diversity is a characteristic of groups, not of individuals. You can talk about a member of a diverse community but not about a diverse individual. Diversity refers to all of the ways in which people differ, including primary characteristics, such as age, race, gender, ethnicity, mental and physical abilities, and sexual orientation; and secondary characteristics, such as nationality, education, income, religion, work experience, language skills, geographic location, family status, communication style, military experience, learning style, economic background, and work style.
Defining diversity becomes the first challenge for any institution. Institutions should develop their own definition for diversity that is dependent on their specific needs for creating a representative pool of participants. The idea of diversity can be further complicated and be mistaken for terminology such as equity, multiculturalism and inclusion. Inclusion exists when traditionally marginalized individuals and groups feel a sense of belonging and are empowered to participate in majority culture as full and valued members of the community, shaping and redefining that culture in different ways. Multiculturalism acknowledges and promotes the acceptance and understanding of different cultures living together within a community. As such, multiculturalism promotes the productive coexistence of different races, ethnicities, and other cultural groups in a given social environment.
Primary and Secondary Characteristics of DiversityPrimary characteristics of diversity are usually the most visible; for example, gender, race, sexual orientation, and age, although often these may not be apparent. The visibility of primary characteristics is critical to the assumptions made by the majority society about the presumed worth of minority group members. The values and judgements assigned to these attributes by the majority group may determine whether minority group members are accepted as full participants. Secondary characteristics are defined by way of experience. Secondary characteristics, such as family status, education, income, and communication style are vital in shaping one's educational and career trajectories. Secondary characteristics account for human agency and choice, so the influence of secondary characteristics is more variable and presumably less defining, although not always, than primary characteristics. In structurally inequitable societies where access to opportunities is not equal across populations, personal choice in secondary characteristics is not always fully realized. Read more:
What Does Diversity Look Like in the Geosciences?
For more readings and discussion about diversity, equity and access in the geosciences, check out GeoReadingForEquity, an initiative by a number of graduate students, faculty and researchers across multiple institutions. Sources for Geoscience
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Which of the following personal characteristics can be categorized as a secondary dimension?secondary dimensions, including language, income, marital status, parental status, hobbies, interests, geography, values, religion, and military experience, are characteristics that individuals can change. All of these dimensions are important in public relations, but not all dimensions constitute a culture.
Who suggested individual characteristics can be divided into primary and secondary dimensions?Psychologist Gordon Allport was one of the first to categorize these characteristics: He created a list of more than 4,000 personality traits. Allport grouped these traits into three different categories: cardinal traits, central traits, and secondary traits.
What are the 4 layers of Geert Hofstede's cultural Onion?On the basis of these manifestations he has created an onion diagram consisting of four layers, namely symbols, heroes, rituals and values.
Which of the following terms is defined as socially constructed and historically transmitted patterns of symbols meaning premises and rules?Stereotyping. Which of the following terms is defined as "socially constructed and historically transmitted patterns of symbols, meanings, premises and rules?" Culture.
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