Asian Culture. Nicole Hank. California Southern Univers

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Asian Culture
Nicole Hank
California Southern University
PSYCH 8708; Cultural Diversity
Dr. Trent Nguyen
July 12, 2022

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Asian Culture
Culture has been long divided into two portions; Western and Non-Western. When
looking at Asian culture, it encompses the Non-Western portion. However, in Asian culture, it
does not include every country not covered in the Western portion. In Non-Western Asian
culture, we are looking at Eastern Asia, which includes Japan, China, Thailand, Indonesia, India,
and Korea (Chang et al., 2005). In researching a new culture for knowledge, understanding and
growth, it’s important to look at how that culture is reflected in your current country, the
historical background, family structure for treatment plans, concerns that may impact family
dynamics, implications of cultural dynamics for therapists, and suggestions for practice as a
family therapist.
Asian culture in America
America’s fascination with Asian culture started in the early 1800’s. The earliest
immersion of Asian culture could be found in what was known as the urban class cities, such as
Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. Asian culture was brought to America in the form of art
and placed in museums.
Lee (2005) listed shifts of accumulation in transportation, communication, and the
mobility of capital and labor as globalization in the movement of immigration from Asia to
North America. This huge influx of Asian immigrants; Chinese, Japanese, and Filipinos, took
place in the early nineteenth century. This movement led to growth in products and ideas from
the Asian culture. “The captains of industry and trade built pavilions in the Chinese style in their
formal gardens or constructed Japanese tea gardens where elaborate Oriental-themed parties
were held. Women would also consume the Orient, donning silk kimonos, sticking chopsticks in

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their hair and setting their dining tables with tableware etched with Japanese-themed designs”
(Lee, 2005).
Changes didn’t just happen in art, building structures, cuisine and clothing, but also in the
world of medicine and mental health. Since Asian culture is Non-Westernized, it brings to the
table a different viewsight into the world of psychology. Asian culture encompases a collective
mentality rather than a self concept mentality. In the beginning of Asian-Americans receiving
support in mental health issues, most clinical tests were utilized with caution due to Asian’s
somatzing their symptoms, which at that time was new to understanding in the world of
psychology. Through research, data showed the impact of a collectivist culture on American
psychological understanding. The U.S. adapted to immigration and started building changes in
mental health and society to fit a more diverse culture.
History of Asian Culture
“History of the two earliest groups to arrive in the United States in significant numbers,
were the Chinese and the Japanese” (Ling, 2005, pg. 3). Even though they shared the same
geographical location, once in the United States, they went separate ways economically. The
Chinese Americans went a more urban route whereas the Japanese Americans pursued
opportunities in agriculture. As immigrants, it wasn’t easy try to become accustomed to another
way of life in a very different culture.
Hardships came into play where only a portion of the Asian culture were allowed to
migrate to the United States, but only up to 1924 due to the National Origins Act which barred
all Asians from migrating to the United States. Around 1952, after World War II, as a
partnership with Asia, the McCarran-Walter Act was put in place to allow the re-immigration of