essay on cultural humility

10 Cultural Humility Examples

Sourabh Yadav (MA)

Sourabh Yadav is a freelance writer & filmmaker. He studied English literature at the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University. You can find his work on The Print, Live Wire, and YouTube.

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Cultural humility is a “self-first” approach to sociocultural differences; it involves learning about one’s own biases and thereby becoming more accepting of others.

It is a practice of self-reflection combined with an openness to understanding other cultures. It also involves acknowledging the power imbalances that exist in society. The concept of cultural humility was first developed in physical healthcare.

It was later adapted to various fields, such as social work, occupational therapy, etc. Cultural humility is quite different from cultural competence, as we will discuss later. But first, let us learn about the concept in more in detail and look at some examples. 

Cultural Humility Definition

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines cultural humility as:

“…a lifelong process of self-reflection and self-critique whereby the individual not only learns about another’s culture, but one starts with an examination of her/his own beliefs and cultural identities.”

The concept was first developed by healthcare professionals Melanie Tervalon and Jann Murray-Garcia in 1998. Going against cultural competence—the prevailing sociocultural framework in healthcare at the time—they proposed a new way of addressing differences.

According to Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, cultural humility has three main aspects. First, a “lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique ” (1998). Self-reflection allows us to understand our implicit biases and treat others with a greater degree of openness.   

Secondly, it involves a desire to understand and address “power imbalances in the patient-physician dynamic”, and by extension, in the wider society. Finally, it encourages us to develop “mutually beneficial and non-paternalistic ” partnerships with communities. Cultural humility tells us to take our own lives as the starting point for understanding social differences. Once we understand the context of our life, we can begin to understand those of others by listening to their experiences. 

It also implies a historical awareness. Only by learning about the historic realities (such as the legacies of oppression and violence) faced by different groups can we truly become sensitive to their present experiences. 

Cultural Humility Examples

• Healthcare: The concept of cultural humility was first developed in the field of healthcare to provide more equitable treatment to all. A healthcare professional with cultural humility must listen to their patients with interest & curiosity while being willing to be taught by their patients. Tervalon (1998) gives the example of a nurse who felt that her cultural competency class had falsely allowed her to gain “expertise” in understanding people of Hispanic descent. This kind of stereotyping is precisely what cultural humility hopes to change.
• Social Work: After healthcare, the social work field began adopting cultural humility which serves as a strong self-reflection tool for workers. Cultural humility encourages social workers to learn about their own powers, privileges, and prejudices. It also makes them acknowledge that formal education and credentials alone are inadequate to address social inequality (Chavez, 2012). Cultural humility also teaches that clients (not service providers) are the authority when it comes to lived experiences. So, service providers must try to understand their worldviews (Moncho, 2013).
• Occupational Therapy: Cultural humility in occupational therapy allows a more effective approach to working with clients from diverse backgrounds. Occupational therapy promotes well-being by helping people pursue activities that are meaningful to them. Cultural humility in this field would mean respecting the clients’ integrity; learning about their lived experiences to determine best practices; building organizational support. The therapy would then become more effective, reduce culturally-based health disparities, and increase the global relevance of occupational therapy (Agner, 2020).
• Academia: In academia, cultural humility is a practice of self-reflection that helps to understand how one’s own background and the background of others impact teaching, learning, engagement, etc. (University of Oregon). A life-long commitment to self-reflection would allow academics to learn about their own biases, making them aware that they don’t have all the answers. It would also create a more inclusive environment for everyone. Finally, cultural humility involves understanding the systemic inequalities that impact academicians and advocating for policies that promote equity.
• Workplaces: Cultural humility at workplaces leads to a greater sense of belonging, improved collaboration, higher employee well-being, etc. Most marginalized social groups are heavily underrepresented in professional spaces. Cultural humility involves understanding that such imbalances exist and working towards rectifying them. Cultural humility is not a destination; instead, it is an orientation to the world & people around you (Cooks-Campbell, 2022). At workplaces, it can be promoted by investing in coaching, helping teams learn about each other, and letting others lead the conversation.
• Clinical Researchers: Cultural humility is necessary for clinical researchers, especially for those studying or working with someone different from themselves, whether in race, gender, religion, etc. The Tuskegee Syphilis Study is a tragic reminder of how African Americans (and most marginalized communities) have been abused and disrespected in clinical research. Such instances have led to mistrust between public health institutions and marginalized groups. Cultural humility can help address this mistrust by making clinical research more equitable and effective.
• Law enforcement: Cultural humility in law enforcement will lead to greater trust between police officers and communities. For police officers, cultural humility involves recognizing and challenging one’s personal biases. This can be done through training programs and ongoing engagement with community members. The murder of George Floyd is one of the many examples of racially-charged police violence, and cultural humility can mitigate such tragedies. It will lead to greater cultural sensitivity among the police officers, fostering trust between them and the people they serve.
• Schools: At the school level, cultural humility can help make students learn about themselves as well as others, making them more culturally sensitive. This can be implemented in numerous ways. Students can be encouraged to do personal reflection through journaling and engage in group discussions (including activities such as Think-Pair-Share). Teachers can also conduct immersive programs, such as role plays, site visits, event attendance, etc. Ultimately, these initiatives will help people learn about themselves from a young age while also learning about others.
• Media & Journalism: Historically, representations of marginalized communities in literature, art, and media have been severely biased; cultural humility can help change this. By promoting cultural humility, the media can move towards more accurate (and less stereotypical) representations. Moreover, there is a need for diverse perspectives. Cultural humility, by encouraging systemic changes, can lead to greater representation of marginalized voices, which would again lead to fairer depictions.
• Mental Health Care: In mental health care, cultural humility can help practitioners better understand and help their clients from diverse backgrounds. One excellent method of this is culturally adapted interventions, which means aligning treatments with the background of the client (Hwang, 2016). For example, while working with a Latino client, the therapist may include the client’s concepts of family & community, use Spanish-language materials for greater cultural relevance, etc.

Cultural Humility vs Cultural Competency

Cultural competency was the primary framework for dealing with sociocultural differences in the 1960s, but it had many limitations and was therefore replaced by cultural humility.

The concept of cultural competency arose in the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement during the 1960s and 70s. It meant the ability to engage with people from other cultures. It was a kind of “social fluency”—learning another culture and tailoring your communication/service accordingly. However, there were several problems with this framework. 

First, it suggests that there is a certain categorical knowledge that one can obtain to “figure out” a group of people. As Cooks-Campbell writes so precisely, it’s like American businessmen taking “etiquette classes” before meeting foreign investors (2022). 

It treats people of a certain social group as a monolith, caging them into stereotypes. Secondly, it takes the dominant culture as the “norm”, framing cultural incompetence as an inability to learn about the “other”. It doesn’t make us critically analyze our own selves.

Finally, it implies that there is an endpoint: follow these steps and will become culturally competent. In contrast, cultural humility is a lifelong commitment to self-reflection. It constantly tells us to look at our own lives, and then listen to others to learn from their experiences.

Cultural humility involves learning about one’s own biases and becoming more accepting of other cultures.

It is a lifelong commitment to self-reflection, which would allow us to constantly examine whether we are fair in our treatment of others or not. Unlike cultural competence, cultural humility is not an “achievable” set of skills. Instead, it is an orientation toward the world.

Agner, Joy (2020-06-09). “Moving From Cultural Competence to Cultural Humility in Occupational Therapy: A Paradigm Shift “. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy . 

Cooks-Campbell, Allaya. (2022). “How cultural humility and cultural competence impact belonging”. BetterUp . 

Chavez, Vivan. (2012). “Cultural Humility”. YouTube .

Hwang, W. C., Myers, H. F., Abe-Kim, J., & Ting, J. Y. (2016). “A conceptual paradigm for understanding culture’s impact on mental health: The cultural influences on mental health (CIMH) model”. Clinical Psychology Review .

Khan, Shamaila. (2021). “Cultural Humility vs. Cultural Competence — and Why Providers Need Both”. HealthCity / https://healthcity.bmc.org/policy-and-industry/cultural-humility-vs-cultural-competence-providers-need-both

Moncho, Craig. (2013). “Cultural Humility, Part I – What is it?”. The Social Work Practitioner .

Tervalon, M.; Murray-García, J. (1998). Cultural Humility versus Cultural Competence: A Critical Distinction in Defining Physician Training Outcomes in Multicultural Education . Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved . Johns Hopkins University Press.

University of Oregon. “What is Cultural Humility? The Basics”

Yeager, Katherine A., and  Bauer-Wu, Susan. (2013). “Cultural humility: Essential foundation for clinical researchers”. National Library of Medicine, NIH . 

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Division of equity and inclusion menu, division of equity and inclusion, what is cultural humility the basics.

University of Oregon Cultural Humility Working Definition

Cultural humility is a practice of self-reflection on how one’s own background and the background of others, impact teaching, learning, research, creative activity, engagement, leadership, etc.

More Definitions of Cultural Humility

“Cultural humility involves an ongoing process of self-exploration and self-critique combined with a willingness to learn from others. It means entering a relationship with another person with the intention of honoring their beliefs, customs, and values. It means acknowledging differences and accepting that person for who they are." *

* " Cultural Humility Vs. Cultural Competence ."  2021.  Soundscaping Source.  

Cultural Humility Is:

• A personal lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique whereby the individual not only learns about another’s culture, but one starts with an examination of her/his own beliefs and cultural identities
• Recognition of power dynamics and imbalances, a desire to fix those power imbalances and to develop partnerships with people and groups who advocate for others
• Institutional accountability*

*Yeager, Katherine A., and Susan Bauer-Wu. 2013. " Cultural Humility: Essential Foundation For Clinical Researchers" . Applied Nursing Research 26 (4): 251-256

  key attributes of cultural humility*.

• Self-Reflection/Awareness
• Lifelong learning
• Institutional accountability
• Empathy and compassion
• To be “other-oriented”
• Acknowledging Power Imbalances and Balancing power imbalances

Wheeler, Michael. “ Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility A Literature Review for Understanding and Action .” tripartners.com, March 20, 2018.

The importance of cultural humility.

Members of Pittsburgh University discuss the importance of cultural humility at the university in a short video.

Project READY Images of Practice: Cultural Humility*

Adilene Rogers, a bilingual Youth Services Librarian at Sacramento Public Library, discusses how cultural humility has improved her work with Spanish-speaking youth and their families and why “cultural competence” was not enough.

* Project READY Images Of Practice: Cultural Humility . 2019. 

The cultural iceberg .

*Bennett, Milton J. The Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, Summary. Intercultural Development Research Institute, Revised 2014.

“The portions we see of human beings is very small, their forms and faces, voices and words (but) beyond these, like an immense dark continent, lies all that has made them.” Freya Star

Dr. Milton Bennett notes, of the iceberg model below, that “it is important to realize that the iceberg is a starting point and that once our audiences have grasped the concept of culture, we must emphasize the fact that the iceberg is just one of the possible metaphors (including the onion, tree, atom) and that most likely, there is no perfect model that encompasses all aspects of culture."

Cultural Humility: People, Principles and Practices

This 30-minute documentary by San Francisco State Professor Vivian Chávez, that mixes poetry with music, interviews, archival footage, images of community, nature and dance to explain what "Cultural Humility" is and why we need it. 

Part i: Introduction 

Full Documentary

What Cultural Humility is Not

Cynthia L. Foronda explains that to understand what cultural humility is, one can look at what it is not : “.... prejudice, oppression, intolerance, discrimination, stereotyping, exclusion, stigma, inequity, marginalization, misconceptions, labeling, mistrust, hostility, misunderstandings, cultural imposition, judgmental, undermining, and bullying....” *

* Foronda, Cynthia, Diana-Lyn Baptiste, Maren M. Reinholdt, and Kevin Ousman. 2015. "Cultural Humility".  Journal Of Transcultural Nursing  27 (3): 210-217. doi:10.1177/1043659615592677.

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What is Cultural Humility?

Beyond competence, improve relationships through celebrating culture.

Posted May 16, 2021 | Reviewed by Hara Estroff Marano

• Why Relationships Matter
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• Cultural humility recognizes that within many disciplines, professionals must consider and address the biases they personally hold.
• Some experts believe that combining cultural humility and cultural competence helps practitioners work more effectively work with clients.
• We are better equipped to work with unfamiliar populations when we have prior knowledge about individual clients as well as their cultures.

You have heard about the concept on the news and have no doubt seen it in print, prefaced with a hashtag: #CulturalHumility. But what exactly does it mean?

Principles of cultural competence are incorporated within most workplace settings and embraced socially. Yet when we add the notion of humility, we acknowledge an additional dimension of cultural sensitivity.

Researchers refer to cultural competence and cultural humility as two different disciplines, linked by the emphasis on recognizing and celebrating differences between groups of people. Yet there are differences of opinion as to how these concepts work together.

The Difference Between Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility

Ella Greene-Moton and Meredith Minkler (2020), in discussing cultural competence and cultural humility, describe the belief that one needs to choose one over the other as a false choice.[i] They argue that both concepts have been generated as a result of increasing recognition that within many sectors, including medical, public health, social work, and other disciplines, professionals must consider and address the biases they personally hold.

Greene-Moton and Minkler recognize that both concepts can be productively used to prompt self-reflection as well as reflective practice when it comes to assessing and responding to things like sexual orientation , ability or disability, gender identity , as well as a variety of other dimensions that are unfortunately characterized by privilege, power imbalance, and injustice impacting health and well-being.

Peter V. Nguyen et al. (2020) examined cultural competence and cultural humility as a complete practice.[ii] They recognize the need for social work practitioners to have culturally responsive knowledge and skills to provide effective service to clients from diverse populations, and to incorporate professional humility in learning about cultural nuances that exist within different populations to avoid succumbing to personal biases or stereotypes.

Nguyen et al. note that although some people have advocated cultural humility over cultural competence, they believe that it is necessary to practice both. They recognize that because it can be challenging to work with diverse populations, combining the two concepts can equip practitioners to more effectively work with clients. They recognize that practitioners are better equipped to work with unfamiliar populations when they have prior knowledge about individual clients as well as their cultures.

Critical Comparison

Ransford Danso (2018), engaging in a critical comparison of the concepts of cultural competence and cultural humility,[iii] notes that cultural humility is often promoted for its “semantic appeal,” sparing it from being subjected to critical analyses. Regarding culturally competent practices, he argues that instead of dismissing potentially effective practice tools, adapting and updating them to be consistent with current developments would produce a higher level of informed relevance within a culture of diversity and difference.

In critiquing the strengths of cultural humility, however, Danso recognizes its ability to free practitioners from the burden of having to claim expert knowledge about other cultures. He describes this “liberating dynamic” as enabling practitioners to deliver services and meaningfully engage with clients, notwithstanding cultural differences. He notes that cultural humility puts a practitioner in learning mode instead of in a position of power, control, and authority, especially in terms of cultural experiences where the client possesses superior knowledge.

Apparently, both concepts are valuable, both separately and in combination, in a variety of different respects. Learning about how to incorporate culturally sensitive practices into our lives, both personally and professionally, is an increasingly important part of creating a culture of inclusion and respect.

[i] Greene-Moton, Ella, and Meredith Minkler. 2020. “Cultural Competence or Cultural Humility? Moving beyond the Debate.” Health Promotion Practice 21 (1): 142–45. doi:10.1177/1524839919884912.

[ii] Nguyen, Peter V., Matthias Naleppa, and Lopez Yeimarie. 2020. “Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility: A Complete Practice.” Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work: Innovation in Theory, Research & Practice, April. doi:10.1080/15313204.2020.1753617.

[iii] Danso, Ransford. 2018. “Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility: A Critical Reflection on Key Cultural Diversity Concepts.” Journal of Social Work 18 (4): 410–30. doi:10.1177/1468017316654341.

Wendy L. Patrick, J.D., Ph.D., is a career trial attorney, behavioral analyst, author of Red Flags , and co-author of Reading People .

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Cultural Humility, Essay Example

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Introduction

Cultural humility is a critical component of identifying with the challenges and vulnerabilities of people across the globe. If a group experiences adversity within their own community, they are likely to relate to others throughout the world who experience their own form of adversity within their surroundings. This is not always the case, however, and this practice requires some degree of maturity and realization that another person’s circumstances in a remote community may even be more difficult than one’s own. This is an important reminder of the development of new perspectives regarding cultural humility that will enable individuals in different nations to be cognizant of the challenges of others who face adversity and other difficult circumstances in other areas.

Emerging as a strong global citizen also provides a basis for expanding cultural humility in the desired fashion. This is behavioral in that it requires a strong sense of self in order to understand cultural competence and how it impacts patient care (Romney, 2013). However, the level of skill within the healthcare system is sorely lacking in many countries, thereby creating an environment in which it is difficult to provide high quality healthcare to patients in need when the resources and cultural knowledge are not readily available (Diallo & McGrath, 2013). This is a critical factor in understanding how to become a global citizen and to recognize the inequalities that exist within the healthcare system, along with the lack of cultural competency and humility that is required to experience greater compassion for those in need throughout the world (Diallo & McGrath, 2013). It is important to identify the issues that are most relevant to vulnerable and disadvantaged populations and to recognize the impact that these conditions have on individual community members (Diallo & McGrath, 2013).

At the same time, global citizenry requires a level of commitment and practical knowledge that is not readily available, particularly as nations are not fully cognizant of the practical daily circumstances that exist within a given country (Kuger, 2011). The health of populations throughout the world requires continuous evaluation and focus so that there are sufficient opportunities to achieve growth and to be aware of the needs of patients in many different environments; at the same time, this also requires a level of focus and understanding that requires a shared approach to governing so that all many communities throughout the world will benefit from these conditions, rather than a single community (Kuger, 2011). It is important to determine how to use foreign policy wisely so that the communities with the greatest set of needs are supported by those with the tools and resources that are required to provide high level support (Kickbusch, 2011). Although there may be some resistance to the idea of developing a framework to support many communities throughout the world, it is nonetheless a welcome challenge that requires a high level commitment and focus in order to achieve the desired results (Kickbusch, 2011).

Organizations must utilize their resources wisely in order to emerge as effective global citizens who recognize the cultural competency and humility are critical to the success that might occur when working with others and advancing objectives to support a variety of communities in need. However, in communities where resources are sorely lacking, those providing support must be aware of their approach to communication and in recognizing how they respond to the needs of people in other countries in an effective manner. This practice is instrumental in enabling people to be global citizens and to be aware of cultural differences as a critical component of this process.

Diallo, A. F., & McGrath, J. M. (2013). A Glance at the Future of Cultural Competency in Healthcare. Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews , 13 (3), 121-123.

Kickbusch, I. (2011). Global health diplomacy: how foreign policy can influence health. BMJ , 342 (d3), 154.

Romney, M. (2013, November). Teaching cultural humility and competency: The integration of self into the process. In 141st APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 2-November 6, 2013) . APHA.

Ruger, J. P. (2011). Global health governance as shared health governance. Journal of epidemiology and community health , jech-2009.

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Cultural Humility and Social Inclusion

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• First Online: 06 May 2021
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Cultural humility is a commitment to critical self-reflection, redressing power imbalances, and developing mutually respectful partnerships for a more inclusive society. As such, cultural humility is an embodied practice that addresses hierarchy, challenges organizational policies, and builds community capacity. This chapter starts with an open definition and a historical framework that serve as a reference point, or conceptual map, for the practice of cultural humility in promoting social inclusion among socially excluded people. Cultural humility levels of impact are explored with attributes at the personal, interpersonal, and organizational levels. The author shares a personal experience that informs her work teaching and learning cultural humility with multicultural multilingual college-aged students. The intention is to question conventional sites of knowledge production and contribute with conocimiento , a form of autobiography used as a strategy to make transparent the dynamics of power and privilege that often reinforce mainstream, white/European, abled-bodied, cisgendered heteronormative standards. The chapter concludes with recommendations for teaching cultural humility, developing awareness, recognizing bias, and bringing interpersonal and organizational cultural humility for balanced action.

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Vivian Chávez

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Chávez, V. (2021). Cultural Humility and Social Inclusion. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Social Inclusion. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48277-0_7-1

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Cultural humility: Essential foundation for clinical researchers

Katherine a. yeager.

a Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA

Susan Bauer-Wu

b Tussi and John Kluge Professor in Contemplative End-of-Life Care, University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0826, USA

Cultural humility is a process of self-reflection and discovery in order to build honest and trustworthy relationships. It offers promise for researchers to understand and eliminate health disparities, a continual and disturbing problem necessitating attention and action on many levels. This paper presents a discussion of the process of cultural humility and its important role in research to better understand the perspectives and context of the researcher and the research participant. We discern cultural humility from similar concepts, specifically cultural competence and reflexivity. We will also explore ways to cultivate cultural humility in the context of human subjects research. Mindfulness is one approach that can be helpful in enhancing awareness of self and others in this process. With a foundation in cultural humility, nurse researchers and other investigators can implement meaningful and ethical projects to better address health disparities.

1. Introduction

Understanding and eliminating health disparities requires a close examination of our past work and future focus in health care research across settings. How we approach the many factors that contribute to health disparities and social inequities requires an examination of the environment, context, and culture of those experiencing these disparities. Attention has been given to role of culture in the health care field recently. As the different parts of the world become increasingly diverse and multicultural, health care providers have been encouraged to become aware of cultural differences and their impact on health. Much focus has been given to be preparing health care providers, such as nurses and physicians, to give culturally competent care at the bedside ( Waite & Calamaro, 2010 ). However, minimal attention has been on researchers to conduct culturally competent research. Nurse researchers are trained to view health and illness from a holistic approach and therefore should lead the way in this area to address the role of culture in the conduct of research. Papadopoulos and Lees (2002) acknowledge the need for culturally competent researchers in order to produce valid research and improve practice; they also note that for too long, research has been unicultural although generalized to a multicultural world.

Initially discussed in the context of clinical practice, cultural humility is a process of self-reflection and discovery to understand oneself and then others in order to build honest and trustworthy relationships ( Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998 ). It is a promising approach with utility for researchers as well and can play a role in addressing health disparities in research. The purpose of this article is to provide a thoughtful examination of cultural humility with practical relevance for investigators involved in human subjects research. The concepts discussed are applicable to any clinical researcher who is studying someone different from her/himself—different in race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual preference, socioeconomic status, and geographic location—in any cultural context and in any part of the world.

2. Cultural humility - what it is and what it’s not

As we learn to appreciate the value of cultural humility in research, it’s important to explore the foundations of this concept and to clearly describe it. There are also related concepts (i.e., cultural competence and reflexivity) that may be inappropriately used interchangeably, so it’s important to understand the subtle differences among them.

3. What it is

Cultural humility, originally described as a tool to educate physicians to work with the increasing cultural, racial and ethnic diversity in the United States, is useful for all researchers involved in human subjects research. Cultural humility is a lifelong process of self-reflection and self-critique whereby the individual not only learns about another’s culture, but one starts with an examination of her/his own beliefs and cultural identities ( Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998 ). This critical consciousness is more than just self-awareness, but requires one to step back to understand one’s own assumptions, biases and values ( Kumagai & Lypson, 2009 ). Individuals must look at one’s own background and social environment and how it has shaped experience. Cultural humility cannot be collapsed into a class or education offering; rather it’s viewed as an ongoing process. Tervalon and Murray-Garcia (1998) state that cultural humility is “best defined not as a discrete end point but as a commitment and active engagement in a lifelong process that individuals enter into on an ongoing basis with patients, communities, colleagues, and with themselves” (p. 118). This process recognizes the dynamic nature of culture since cultural influences change over time and vary depending on location. Throughout the day, many of us move between several cultures, often without thinking about it. For example, our home/ family culture often differs from our workplace culture, school culture, social group culture, or religious organization culture. The overall purpose of the process is to be aware of our own values and beliefs that come from a combination of cultures in order to increase understanding of others. One cannot understand the makeup and context of others’ lives without being aware and reflective of his/her own background and situation.

4. What it’s not—related concepts

4.1. cultural competence.

In cultural competence training programs, the focus is to learn and examine the patient or research participant’s belief system. Many institutions have made cultural competency training required for clinicians to sensitize them to the special needs and vulnerabilities of different populations. The programs often focus on caring for racial and ethnic minorities and on traits and practices of these groups, with the goal to break down cultural barriers to quality health care. Unfortunately the traditional approaches of cultural cross-training have been criticized for potentially promoting stereotyping ( Kumagai & Lypson, 2009 ). Also despite the emphasis on cultural competence in health care, a national survey of over 3,000 physicians found that one in five felt unprepared to deal with socio-cultural issues—such as patients with religious beliefs that impact treatment decisions, patients that mistrust the health care system, new immigrants, and patients with health beliefs at odds with conventional medicine ( Weissman et al., 2005 ).

Despite many resources devoted to cultural competence education, shortcomings have been identified. Kumas-Tan, Beagan, Loppie, MacLeod, and Frank (2007) systematically reviewed the most frequently used cultural competence measures and identified assumptions embedded in these measures: culture is usually equivalent to ethnicity and race, and little attention is given to other components of culture such as gender, class, geographic location, country of origin, or sexual preference. These instruments assume that culture is possessed by the patient or client or the ‘other’. In many of the measures, for example, whiteness is understood and represented as the norm. Cultural incompetence is due to a lack of knowledge about the ‘other’ and maybe related to the provider’s discriminatory attitudes toward the ‘other’. Education about the ‘other’ is the key to developing cultural competence. Therefore, cultural competence does not incorporate self-awareness since the goal is to learn about the other person’s culture rather than reflection on the provider’s background. Finally cultural competence is about the provider being confident and comfortable when interacting with the ‘other’. The authors conclude that the assumptions taken together create a worldview that culture is a confounding variable that white providers must control when they care for people of different races than themselves ( Kumas-Tan et al., 2007 ). The goal of cultural competence is to produce confident, competent health care providers with a specialized knowledge and skills that can then serve the communities of ethnic or racial minority groups. Other terms such as cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural sensitivity often are supported by these same assumptions of cultural competence ( Table 1 ).

Difference between cultural competence and cultural humility.

4.2. Reflexivity

Reflexivity, a technique used in qualitative research, calls on the researcher to explore personal beliefs in order to be more aware of potential judgments that can occur during data collection and analysis ( Jootun, McGhee, & Marland, 2009 ). Being reflexive often requires an awareness and reflection of what is happening while being present to one’s perceptions and internal experience in the moment. Reflexivity by the researcher is done by placing her/himself within the experience and meaning of the study participant and then examining the participant-researcher relationship ( Hofman, 2004 ). In the absence of such contextual information, researchers and study participants are engaged in an impersonal and, often, hierarchical relationships. Reflexivity is often used with qualitative studies where sample sizes are small and the researcher and the research participant interaction is often somewhat intimate, however this process can be beneficial in all types of studies, including large quantitative trials, whenever researchers study groups different from themselves.

5. Cultivating cultural humility in research

Cultural humility is a process of reflection to gain a deeper understanding of cultural differences in order to improve the way vulnerable groups are treated and researched. Cultural humility does not focus on competence or confidence and recognizes that the more you are exposed to cultures different from your own, you often realize how much you don’t know about others. That is where humility comes in. Ideas of ethnocentrism and racism, where the underlying idea implies that the problem is due to the difference, are abandoned. Humility requires courage and flexibility. Strengths and challenges of individuals and groups are explored as well as the advantages and privileges of certain group membership.

When used by the researcher, this process of reflection includes the unpeeling of the layers that make up a person and incorporates an examination of personal, professional, and research values that may guide the researcher’s actions. In order to continue the process of cultural humility, this personal review is followed by an inspection of the research participant’s perspective.

6. Inventory of values

6.1. reflection of person.

In the process of cultural humility, personal values, beliefs, and biases that are derived from your own culture must be examined. Beliefs about race, ethnicity, class, religion, immigration status, gender roles, age, linguistic capability, and sexual orientation are explored. Family experiences and values, peer influences, relationships with different types of people are also reviewed. Where you live or grew up matters (i.e., rural, urban, suburban, affluent, or impoverished) and shapes your views of others. What neighborhood you live and work in influences who you deal with on a day-to-day basis and how you define community. Everyday activities such as where you shop, how you travel to work, and what you eat tell something about your values. Political views and the way you express them are important. All of these attributes and the value given to them are important to examine.

Examining and defining one’s culture is a complex process especially since today most individuals in the United States and other countries are a combination of more than one culture with many different variations and mixtures. Group identities often define our cultural perspective but these groups, whether based on religion, race, or ethnic classification, are broad categories. Minority groups such as American Indians, Alaska Natives, African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, or Pacific Islanders are often given certain cultural characteristics, but those descriptions can miss the mark. Within each group, many subpopulations exist with very different cultures, historical experiences, and views on health and illness. An individual’s culture is not a single identity; rather it’s a rich mixture of many influences and values. Thus understanding oneself and others is a complex and lifelong process.

6.2. Reflection of profession

Professional identity of the clinical researcher is also an important area to reflect on. Specifically nurse researchers first must identify that their own values, perspectives, and biases are derived not only from their own cultural origin, but also from the biomedical world view of their professional training. Health care itself is a cultural system with its own specific language, values, and practices that must be translated, interpreted, and negotiated with patients and family members. Training in Western medicine using a bio-medical framework often influences how one sees the world. This perspective often defines ‘normal’ as the modern Western culture. In the stereotypical perspective, difference is generally defined as anyone who is non-white, non-Western, non-heterosexual, non-English speaking, and non-Judeo-Christian. Often the values of medical training, and to some degree nursing training, reflect a strong inclination toward medications, procedures, and cure, and less focus on psychosocial and spiritual influences. In addition, health care providers and clinical researchers must consider the privilege and power of their profession and its effect on practice and research.

6.3. Reflections of researcher

An additional set of values worthy of examination are the values embedded in research often guided by ethical principles. Autonomy, beneficence, and justice are the basic ethical principles that should underlie the conduct of biomedical and behavioral research ( The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, 1979 ). Every clinical researcher must have at least basic training in these values and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) ensure that researchers incorporate these values in their studies. Researchers need to keep these principles in mind when they select participants, obtain consent, and conduct research.

How researchers define and operationalize these ethical principles in their research is important since research values may be conceptualized differently from person to person. At each step of the research process, thoughtful consideration of these values and principles is needed. For example, during informed consent, how does a researcher proceed when a patient is capable of making decisions for her/himself yet instead prefers that the family decides? For some, value is given to family-centered decision making instead of individual autonomy. In addition, the very definition of family is variable and evolving, sometimes including self-selected family members rather than the traditional family. The standard consent form that an individual reads and signs is only one part of the process and should take decision-making into account, which varies between cultures. The timing and flow of the research process may need to be adapted to allow for discussions of the risks and benefits based on a study participant’s personal values. The scientific values that the researcher brings to the potential participant may not be appreciated by others whose values are grounded in other areas such as religious teachings. Research procedures involving informed consent, confidentiality, and patient safety may look differently when dealing with different groups. A researcher must consider how a participant’s cultural values align with the values of research and to be wary not to make assumptions about the values of others.

In health research, cultural stereotypes and assumptions derived from notions of difference find their way into explanations of study findings ( Hunt, 2005 ). Researchers often explain their findings and base their conclusions by making assumptions about cultural groups. It is problematic when researchers use cultural and racial stereotypes based on someone’s ethnic identity or national origin to explain study findings. For example, researchers have explained their study findings by saying that the reason foreign-born Mexican Americans had less mental illness compared to U.S. born Mexican Americans was due to (the researcher’s belief that) Mexican families being close knit; no measure of family structure or quality was included in the study measures ( Grant et al., 2004 ; Hunt, 2005 ). Using cultural stereotypes in this way disregards the heterogeneity of groups and wrongly assumes that cultural beliefs and behaviors always go along with ethnic identity. In another example, a study about amniocentesis decision-making, clinicians described Latinos as part of large extended families, being especially family-oriented, and highly influenced by opinions of family members ( Hunt & de Voogd, 2005 ). In contrast, the sample of Latino women in this study did not behave as expected. The women made independent decisions about the testing and the clinicians seemed to steer the patients in certain direction due to the assumptions made about the patients’ cultural values. Therefore, when research results are reported, the bias of the researcher must be acknowledged.

Research values also come from the larger research community, which has traditionally taken a paternalistic approach and sometimes denied participants the opportunity to evaluate the cost and benefits of research participation in light of their own goals and values. Also, unfortunately researchable questions go unanswered because researchers shy away from doing research with vulnerable groups because of bureaucratic complexities, such as IRB policies created to protect vulnerable individuals. Regrettably, such well-intentioned protections may have compounded the issue. After some groups had experienced coercion, deception and disrespect, policy makers found it was easier to exclude or limit research participation of entire groups in order to prevent any further violations against them ( List, 2005 ). These policies can be problematic because they exclude groups from participating in research and therefore also exclude groups from reaping the benefits of research. For example, many have voiced concern about conducting research with individuals at the end of life ( Gysels, Shipman, & Higginson, 2008 ). Despite these concerns, a study of patients at the end of life showed that the majority reported no burden associated with participation in research and noted benefits of participating including social interaction, sense of contributing to society, and opportunity to discuss their experiences ( Pessin et al., 2008 ). End-of-life research certainly has some limitations and necessary precautions, yet it is a high priority topic ( National Institute of Nursing Research, 2011 ), particularly with our current aging population. These examples highlight the importance of examining the values of the larger research community.

7. Mindfulness as a tool to enhance awareness and insight

Mindfulness is both a mental practice and a trait that involves paying attention to present-moment experience with an attitude of receptivity and acceptance ( Bauer-Wu, 2011 ; Kabat-Zinn, 1990 ). Shapiro and Carlson (2009) define it as “the awareness that arises through intentionally attending in an open, caring, and nonjudgmental way” (p. 4). Through mindfulness practices one can cultivate self-awareness through noticing bodily cues, thoughts, and emotions, and awareness and sensitivity to others, to context and circumstances, and to the environment. Mindfulness is essentially seeing and experiencing things more accurately (as they are)—without mental filters, self-narratives and judgments—in order to see clearly and respond thoughtfully. In this process, such mental processes are not pushed away or ignored. Rather, they are recognized as opportunities to learn about oneself and one’s biases. It is in this way that mindfulness has a role with developing cultural humility.

Typically, busy researchers and clinicians go about their days on autopilot, going from one task to another, with little if any acknowledgement of their attitudes, assumptions, and biases or how their words and actions are affecting others. More often than not, these individuals are overextended and running short on time, so they may quickly proceed with their activities with little awareness of what they are doing or considering another’s perspective and how their actions (or lack of) have consequences on others. Mindfulness interrupts “automatic pilot” and allows for more thoughtful consideration leading to wise action ( Bauer-Wu, 2011 ; Kabat-Zinn, 1990 ).

Evidence is burgeoning on the effects of mindfulness training in areas such as:

• brain function, including perceptual acuity ( MacLean, Ferrer, Aichele, Bridwell, & Saron, 2010 ), working memory and attention ( Jha, Krompinger, & Baime, 2007 ; Lutz et al., 2009 ;
• self-regulation of emotions ( Wadlinger & Isaacowitz, 2011 );
• interpersonal attributes of empathy ( Krasner et al., 2009 );
• recognizing others’ emotions ( Kemeny et al., 2012 ).

It has been shown to be helpful to clinicians and can lead to being more mindful in the clinical setting and other aspects of everyday life ( Krasner et al., 2009 ; Galantino, Baime, Maguire, Szapary, & Farrar, 2005 . While no studies have specifically explored if clinical researchers can benefit from mindfulness practices, one can extrapolate such a role based on the evidence to date coupled with the theoretical underpinnings ( Brown, Ryan, & Creswell, 2007 ) ( Fig. 1 ).

Example of mindfulness as a tool for cultural humility in clinical research.

8. Building relationships with research participants

After the researcher has an opportunity to explore his/her own issues related to culture, she/he next considers the culture of the research participant. Who is the person, who has a life and story of her own, on the other side of the consent form or the survey or lab specimen? Consider the dynamics at play during a dialogue between a person of privilege (i.e., an educated, middle class, healthy clinical researcher) and the vulnerable research participant who may be living in poverty with advanced disease and multiple co-morbidities. The power imbalance between the researcher and participant must be recognized and minimized in the research process ( Kvale & Brinkmann, 2009 ). Cultural humility calls on individuals to be flexible and humble enough to let go of the false sense of security that stereotyping brings and to explore the cultural dimensions of the experiences of each person. Humility is needed to check the power imbalances that exist in the dynamics of researcher-participant communication. In order to build productive relationships with the participant, the researcher must explore the values, beliefs, and biases of the research participant specific to health care and research participation.

9. Understanding the past and present

In order to understand how research participants may view research, one must be aware of history. Historically some groups have already been deprived of quality health care and have a long history of not being treated fairly and equitably ( Smedley, Stith, & Nelson, 2003 ), and have experienced abuse and disrespect, as is the case with African Americans ( Baker, Brawley, & Marks, 2005 ). The Public Health Service’s Syphilis Experiment at Tuskegee is an unfortunate landmark example that illustrates the worst of research with vulnerable groups. For forty years, the U.S. Public Health Service conducted an experiment on black men in the late stages of syphilis who were never told what disease they were suffering from or of its seriousness ( Jones, 1993 ).

This history of mistrust by vulnerable populations has led to skepticism about the purpose and outcomes of research thereby necessitating conscientious effort to build trust ( Douglas et al., 2009 ). In order to build trust, the reasons for mistrust must be uncovered. Some point out that the focus should not be on the participants’ mistrust, rather the focus should be on the trustworthiness of the system ( Corbie-Smith & Ford, 2006 ). The lack of trustworthiness in the system is rooted in history as well as the current state of health disparities. The history of slavery, racism, and segregation, and the continuing shortage of minority providers and researchers contribute to mistrust. In addition, poor patient-provider communication and a lack of true cultural understanding by health care providers and researchers influence level of trust ( List, 2005 ). Health disparities and lack of access to quality health care can add to mistrust. How do you answer a potential study participant when he says, “you want me to help you with this research study but I cannot get health care coverage that I can afford.”

Equally important to the recognition of historical influences is the need to understand the heterogeneity of groups. All racial and ethnic groups are heterogeneous and may have different histories and follow different lifestyles. Education, religion, sociocultural factors, geographic location, gender, sexual orientation, and age affect attitudes toward research as much as historical events. Also values, beliefs and attitudes may differ based on age and generational factors, need to also be considered ( van Ryn & Burke, 2000 ).

10. Breaking down stereotypes

Relationships between the study team and study participants must be thoughtfully and courageously examined along with barriers imposed by the use of stereotypes to classify individuals. For example, many stereotypes exist about the poor and are often communicated with little hesitancy or shame ( Lott, 2002 ). Common descriptors used to describe the poor include: uneducated , lazy , dirty , stupid , immoral , criminal , abusive , and violent ( Cozzarelli, Wilkinson, & Tagler, 2001 , Kemeny et al., 2012 ). Health care providers may also hold these stereotypes. For example they may perceive patients with lower socioeconomic status as having more negative personality characteristics, lower level of intelligence, less likely to be adherent, and less likely to want active lifestyle even when controlling for other demographic factors ( van Ryn & Burke, 2000 ). Clinical researchers must be cautious to avoid stereotyping groups and must consider the individual who may be distinctly different than others in a similar group. Beyond being a study “subject”, the research participant is a partner who is an expert in her/his own experience. Paternalistic behaviors and gate keeping activities specifically in research recruitment need to be replaced with honest communication and respect.

11. Conclusion and recommendations

Cultural humility, a process of reflection and lifelong inquiry, involves self-awareness of personal and cultural biases as well as awareness and sensitivity to significant cultural issues of others. Core to the process of cultural humility is the researcher’s deliberate reflection of her/his values and biases. Looking toward the future, cultural humility and practices that cultivate it, like mindfulness, ought to be an essential component of the training of clinical researchers. Given that nursing naturally espouses a holistic perspective, it is logical that nurse researchers take a lead in this area. With a foundation in cultural humility, nurse researchers and other investigators can implement meaningful and ethical projects to better address and minimize health disparities.

Acknowledgments

Funding statement: Dr. Yeager was a recipient of the Doctoral Scholarship in Cancer Nursing from the American Cancer Society and also supported by training award, F31NR011383, from the National Institute of Nursing Research during the time that this work developed. The content of this manuscript is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Nursing Research or the National Institute of Health.

Conflict of interest statement: No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors.

Dr. Bauer-Wu was a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Cancer Scholar during the period of development of this manuscript.

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Cultural Humility and Ethical Competence Essay

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Cultural humility is a concept that helps to provide culture-sensitive ethical care in a wide variety of settings. Cultural humility is not something that can be achieved; instead, it is a life-long commitment to learning about different aspects of cultures, connected to ability/disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, ethnic background, and numerous other dimensions (Greene-Moton & Minkler, 2020). The primary area of improvement is learning that cultural humility is not a goal that you can reach. The immersion project made me confident that I will be able to provide ethical services according to the principles of cultural humility. However, after I went online, I realized that there was still much to learn and understand, as there are thousands of confessions within the Hindu culture that may differ in their core. Thus, I always need to be prepared to learn from my clients (Greene-Moton & Minkler, 2020). Additionally, I need to be more aware of my own culture to understand what biases I may impose on my clients, which is crucial, according to the National Organization of Human Services (2015).

Cultural humility and ethical competence can facilitate social change in a wide variety of ways. For instance, cultural humility can promote social justice in schools, which is crucial for me, as I am a teacher. According to Fisher (2020), “cultural humility can serve as a link between cultural diversity and social justice, providing a deep awareness that allows school psychologists to understand themselves and their interactions with diverse students and families” (p. 53). Utilization of the principles of cultural humility can help to be proactive in defining culture-inflicted problems and finding correct ways of addressing them (Fisher, 2020). For instance, a school can detect that school practices impose biases on sexual minorities or promote Christianity worldwide, which is inappropriate. Cultural humility can help to learn from students and parents about things that can be changed to improve the situation.

Fisher, E. S. (2020). Cultural humility as a form of social justice: Promising practices for global school psychology training. School Psychology International , 41 (1), 53-66.

Greene-Moton, E., & Minkler, M. (2020). Cultural competence or cultural humility? Moving beyond the debate. Health Promotion Practice , 21 (1), 142-145.

National Organization of Human Services. (2015). Ethical standards for human services professionals . Web.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Character Traits — Humility

Humility Essays

Brief description of humility.

Humility is the quality of being modest and respectful, understanding one's limitations and recognizing the contributions of others. It is a virtue that promotes empathy, open-mindedness, and self-improvement. Embracing humility allows individuals to foster harmonious relationships and achieve personal growth.

Importance of Writing Essays on This Topic

Essays on humility are crucial for academic and personal exploration as they encourage critical thinking, self-reflection, and the development of empathy. They offer an opportunity to explore the impact of humility on personal relationships, leadership, and societal harmony. Additionally, writing on this topic promotes a deeper understanding of one's values and beliefs.

Tips on Choosing a Good Topic

• Reflect on personal experiences: Consider moments where humility played a significant role in your life.
• Explore societal implications: Investigate how humility influences community dynamics and social justice.
• Research historical and cultural perspectives: Delve into how humility is valued and practiced in different cultures and time periods.

Essay Topics

• The role of humility in effective leadership
• The impact of humility on interpersonal relationships
• Cultivating humility in a competitive society
• The connection between humility and emotional intelligence
• Overcoming pride: A personal reflection on embracing humility
• The influence of humility on conflict resolution
• Humility in religious and spiritual traditions
• The importance of humility in ethical decision-making
• Humility and success: Exploring the relationship
• The portrayal of humility in literature and art

Concluding Thought

Essays on humility offer a valuable opportunity for introspection and intellectual exploration. By delving into this topic, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world, ultimately fostering a more empathetic and harmonious society. Embracing humility in writing allows for personal growth and the development of critical thinking skills.

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The Importance of Cultural Humility in Times of Social Inequality

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Definition of a Humble Beast

Humility and values.

Humility is the quality of being humble. Dictionary definitions accentuate humility as a low self-regard and sense of unworthiness. In a religious context humility can mean a recognition of self in relation to a deity (i.e. God) or deities, and subsequent submission to said deity as a member of that religion.

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