Deck 14: Individuals and Families of European Descent

Question 1

In the Middle Ages, people were identified as "Europeans" based upon

A) physical characteristics.
B) cultural practices.
C) adoption of Christianity.
D) All of the above.

Answer 1

All of the above.

Question 2

Most early European immigrants came to North America

A) out of a sense of adventure.
B) to pursue religious freedom.
C) to avoid taxation without representation.
D) for economic reasons.

Answer 2

for economic reasons.

Question 3

English became the primary language for the colonies because

A) the English were the first to settle in the colonies.
B) English immigrants were the dominant social/political group.
C) the British throne decreed it.
D) the colonies voted for English to be the official language.

Answer 3

English immigrants were the dominant social/political group.

Question 4

Originally, the term "melting pot" was used to describe the United States as a

A) leading industrial nation.
B) place where everyone could live in peace.
C) utopia where various cultures would be combined to create a new culture.
D) hot spot for cultural events such as art, music, and theatre.

Question 5

The American Dream is, in many ways, the manifestation of the

A) melting pot.
B) rebellious nature of European immigrants.
C) White American ethnic cultural values.
D) philosophy of open immigration.

Question 6

The term ______ refers to individuals living in the U.S. who are recent immigrants from or identify closely with the European heritage in terms of values, traditions, and worldview.

A) Caucasian
B) European American
C) White American ethnic
D) All of the above

Question 7

The term _____ describes individuals of European decent who ethnically identify themselves as American, and who have adopted the culture, traditions, and values of the dominant culture in the U.S.

A) Caucasian
B) European American
C) White American ethnic
D) All of the above

Question 8

Which of the following metaphors have been suggested to replace the term "melting pot," in order to align more appropriately with multiculturalism, inclusion, and ethnic pride?

A) Salad bowl
B) Quilt
C) Both of the above
D) None of the above

Question 9

Which of the following is a necessary prerequisite for a true meritocracy to exist?

A) A level playing field regarding education and opportunity.
B) An egalitarian society.
C) Individual success being due to ability and work rather than external and/or systemic help.
D) All of the above.

Question 10

The National Heritage of the United States was developed in large part due to

A) a national commitment to separate from European cultural norms.
B) a grass roots effort to create a collective memory among U.S. residents.
C) the U.S. Department of Defense funding war monuments in the early 1900s.
D) a call for immigrants to assimilate more completely into U.S. culture.

Question 11

Referring to their own ethnic identity, many White American ethnics

A) do not see themselves as having an ethnicity.
B) are uncomfortable talking about ethnicity and ethnic differences.
C) describe themselves as "regular Americans."
D) All of the above.

Question 12

According to Sue (2004), ethnocentric monoculturalism refers to

A) White Americans' failure to recognize their own ethnocentric beliefs and values.
B) the national heritage of post-colonial immigrants.
C) the process of acculturation for European immigrants.
D) All of the above

Question 13

The idea of which individuals and groups are considered "White Americans"

A) has been consistent throughout the history of the United States.
B) has evolved over time in response to immigration patterns.
C) is based on biological differences between the races.
D) was expanded in the 1900s in response to official legislation.

Question 14

A growth in the American middle class following World War II is most clearly related to

A) a desire for education in light of the atrocities of the Nazi party.
B) women entering the workforce in record numbers.
C) more people being considered "White."
D) soldiers going to college under the GI Bill.

Question 15

The process of "becoming White" most closely refers to

A) marrying into European-descent families.
B) the process of accepting the privileges that are afforded to White Americans.
C) formally rejecting one's previous cultural heritage.
D) moving into middle class America.

Question 16

When conceptualizing a White American, which of the following within-group variables will be important to consider?

A) Geographic variables
B) European-American identity
C) Socioeconomic class
D) All of the above within-group variables are important to consider.

Question 17

Which European ethnicity makes up the largest percentage of European Americans today?

A) Irish
B) Italian
C) English
D) German

Question 18

Compared to non-European immigrants, the process of immigration to the United States for Europeans

A) is fundamentally different because language issues are not as much of a problem.
B) has many similar aspects, such as feelings of grief, underemployment, and difficulties adjusting to culture.
C) is much easier because they can become White.
D) is more difficult because of recent legislation.

Question 19

Overt discrimination against European immigrants is more likely to occur

A) against children and adolescents.
B) at the hands of other European immigrants.
C) when immigrants have noticeable differences compared to the majority culture.
D) All of the above.

Question 20

The belief in a meritocracy can contribute to mental health concerns by

A) creating a racist society.
B) putting an emphasis on adaptive fatalism.
C) creating a lower class.
D) leading to feelings of guilt and shame.

Question 21

Many European Americans and White American ethnics grew up in families that discouraged emotional expression in favor of

A) the family's welfare.
B) self-control and self-sufficiency.
C) a strong work ethic.
D) a collectivist society.

Question 22

Many White American ethnics, and in particular males, are less likely to seek counseling for emotional complaints, and more likely to seek counseling with concerns about

A) other people's emotions.
B) their ability to function autonomously.
C) family relations.
D) All of the above.

Question 23

Part of the power of many group counseling approaches with European American and White American ethnics is

A) the development of relationships with the group leader based on European American cultural norms.
B) the development of relationships with peers within the group that are very different from cultural norms.
C) identify behavior patterns that are not culturally appropriate.
D) All of the above.

Question 24

Which of the following is important in understanding a White American ethnic client from a multicultural perspective?

A) An understanding of the cultural worldview of White American ethnics.
B) A culturally based concept of the client's specific beliefs and values.
C) Understanding the role that cultural values may play in the client's presenting problem.
D) All of the above are important.

Question 25

From a multicultural perspective, a White American adolescent who experiences isolation from peers and feels that she does not fit in anywhere may be experiencing

A) a conflict between personal values and cultural values.
B) a loss of privilege due to rejecting his or her culture.
C) White guilt.
D) acculturation issues.

Question 26

Counselors of color working with White American clients may want to

A) instruct clients about the damage that privilege causes to society.
B) avoid talking about culture as much as possible.
C) help build client awareness of White American ethnic cultural values through self-disclosure and meaningful discussion within a strong working relationship.
D) All of the above.

Question 27

European immigrant children and adolescents often first receive counseling

A) at the request of their parents.
B) through school referrals in response to academic concerns.
C) for behavior problems.
D) in order to help their families cope with transitions.

Question 28

Counselors working with recent European immigrants can encourage clients to share stories from their home country so that

A) the counselor can better understand the client.
B) the client can rebuild and/or reconnect with his sense of identity.
C) the client can begin to construct a new story in the United States.
D) All of the above.

Question 29

Ethnocentric monoculturalism is

A) an overt form of racism.
B) easily detected by the dominant group.
C) more subtle and often invisible to the majority culture.
D) All of the above.

Question 30

The major difference between enculturation and acculturation is

A) enculturation is generally seen as positive, while acculturation is generally seen as negative.
B) enculturation occurs when a person learns the values, beliefs, and rituals of their primary culture, while acculturation results in acquisition of a secondary set of cultural norms.
C) enculturation is the choice of the person entering a new culture, where acculturation is forced on an individual by the dominant culture.
D) there is no practical difference.

Question 31

Most European refugees entering the United States in recent years come from

A) Russia.
B) former Soviet Union countries (e.g., Ukraine, Moldova).
C) Both of the above.
D) None of the above.

Question 32

Recent research on acculturation suggests that

A) acculturation follows very predictable developmental stages.
B) immigrants and refugees feel relieved when they are fully acculturated.
C) the acculturation process is a complex and cyclical process.
D) it should be a goal of counseling.

Question 33

When working with recent European immigrants, counselors should

A) attend to both pre-and post-migration stressors.
B) be aware of client factors related to identity deconstruction and reconstruction.
C) understand that stressors may have begun long before the relocation event.
D) All of the above.

Question 34

Meritocracy, or the belief that individual success is based on personal skills, abilities, and work ethic,

A) upholds equality.
B) justifies inequality.
C) exists for all cultures and groups of the American population.
D) considers external factors when determining success.

Question 35

_____ instills in members of a dominant group a belief in the superiority of the values and practices of that group, without making the individuals aware that their beliefs are culturally based.

A) Ethnocentric monoculturalism
B) Ethnocentic multiculturalism
C) Privilege
D) Oppression

Question 36

All of the following factors facilitate the invisibility of systemic and systematic oppression EXCEPT

A) the belief in a meritocracy.
B) rationalizations for civilizing communities deemed godless or uncivil.
C) the adoption of the salad bowl metaphor.
D) common teachings that racism only occurs through individual acts of meanness.

Question 37

A new, vast ______ class was created when soldiers attended college under the GI Bill.

A) lower
B) middle
C) upper
D) wealthy

Question 38

_______ are noncitizens of a host country who did not go through the procedures established by the host country's policies.

A) International students
B) Undocumented immigrants
C) Refugees
D) All of the above

Question 39

_____ are people who are living outside their native country who are granted permission to reside in a host country because they are unable to return to their native country.

A) International students
B) Undocumented immigrants
C) Refugees
D) All of the above

Question 40

An example of an immigration stressor is

A) isolation.
B) disconnection from community, family, and friends.
C) communication difficulties.
D) All of the above are immigration stressors.

Question 41

Ethnic identity reconstruction is

A) an interactional model in which individuals participate in a process of building ideas about one's identity through discourse with others within important social contexts.
B) a model of acculturation for recent European American immigrants.
C) a model commonly used in group counseling settings and in schools.
D) All of the above.

Question 42

Which of the following statements is true regarding mental health issues of White American ethnic clients?

A) The value on youth and the characteristics associated with youth contribute to emotional difficulties of older adults.
B) Individualism may play a role in marriage problems.
C) Due to the value placed on independence, failure to overcome an obstacle is perceived as personal weakness.
D) All of the above statements are true.

Question 43

All of the following counseling approaches stress the importance of European and White American values (e.g., individual responsibility, commitment to work hard) in the healing process EXCEPT

A) a psychodynamic approach.
B) a humanist approach.
C) Adlerian.
D) reality therapy.

Question 44

_____ describe values and beliefs within the White American cultural framework that are in conflict with one another or conflict with the reality of the situation.

A) Intracultural conflicts
B) Intercultural conflicts
C) Internalized conflicts
D) None of the above.

Question 45

Helping clients develop insight or deepen awareness is a concept known as

A) dream analysis.
B) the unconscious.
C) consciousness-raising.
D) autonomous thinking.

Question 46

The ______ approach to counseling may be particularly helpful for European immigrants because of its wellness orientation that emphasizes the human potential to continually learn.

A) psychodynamic
B) behavioral
C) narrative
D) solution-focused

Question 47

What physical, geographical, cultural, and religious factors contributed to the creation of the geographic region we now refer to as Europe?

Question 48

Although the early White American ethnicity was based primarily on British cultural norms, the geographic setting (e.g., open "unsettled" land, variety of landscapes) also influenced the developing culture. In what ways do you believe that geography of the North American continent influenced cultural norms and beliefs of the White American ethnic, and how might they be playing out today?

Question 49

The image of the United States as a great melting pot has been replaced by other metaphors, such as the salad bowl (Lee, 2013). Discuss the similarities and differences between these two metaphors, as well as social changes that contributed to the change in metaphors.

Question 50

The belief in a meritocracy can have both positive and negative effects on citizens. Describe how the belief in a meritocracy can help people succeed, and how it may provide additional barriers to success for others. Who do you think may benefit most from a meritocracy?

Question 51

The melting pot, the American dream, and national heritage were presented in this chapter as important components of the White American ethnicity. Although presented independently, they are clearly related and interrelated. What are some common factors of these concepts? How do you see them being related to each other?

Question 52

Ethnocentric multiculturalism can lead to a subtle yet pervasive form of oppression by convincing the majority culture that their beliefs are "universal truths." Identify some common culturally based beliefs and/or values that are often perceived as "universal truths" by the majority culture in the United States.

Question 53

How is the process of immigrating to the United States for Europeans similar to the immigration process for non-European immigrants? How is it different?

Question 54

Shame and guilt were discussed as a by-product of White American ethnic values. Describe how you see European American and White American ethnic cultural values contributing to feelings of guilt and shame, as well as the way feelings of guilt and shame may become manifest as mental health concerns.

Question 55

Multicultural counseling has not historically been presented as an approach to take when working with European Americans or White American ethnics. What advantages do you believe using a multicultural approach may have when working with clients of European descent?

Question 56

What role do you believe privilege plays in White American ethnics being largely unaware of their cultural values and uncomfortable discussing ethnicity?

Question 57

Discuss how the narrative approach to counseling and creative arts can be helpful for European immigrant clients.

Question 58

Discuss how the confusion over the meaning of ethnicity in the U.S. may contribute to many White Americans' resistance to the concept of multiculturalism.

Question 59

Discuss the role that the U.S. Department of Defense played in creating the beginning of a national American heritage.

Question 60

Discuss and explain the following statement: For a true meritocracy to exist, privilege must be denied.

Question 61

Identify the common mental health concerns of recent European immigrants, refugees, and international students.