Cultural Ancestry and Communication Assignment
Assignment Instructions:
Identify your cultural ancestry. If you have more than one cultural ancestry, choose the
one with which you most closely associate.
Explore the willingness of individuals in your culture to share thoughts, feelings, and
ideas. Can you identify any area of discussion that would be considered taboo?
Explore the practice and meaning of touch in your culture. Include information regarding
touch between family members, friends, members of the opposite sex, and health‐care
providers.
Identify personal spatial and distancing strategies used when communicating with others
in your culture. Discuss differences between friends and families versus strangers.
Discuss your culture’s use of eye contact. Include information regarding practices
between family members, friends, strangers, and persons of different age groups.
Explore the meaning of gestures and facial expressions in your culture. Do specific
gestures or facial expressions have special meanings? How are emotions displayed?
Are there acceptable ways of standing and greeting people in your culture?
Discuss the prevailing temporal relation of your culture. Is the culture’s worldview past,
present, or future-oriented?
Discuss the impact of your culture on your nursing and/or health care.
, Cultural Ancestry and Communication: United States Perspective
The cultural ancestry with which I most closely associate is U.S. American culture. The
United States is a diverse nation shaped by centuries of immigration, indigenous
traditions, and social change. While no single definition captures every American
experience, there are shared cultural norms regarding communication, family interaction,
and professional conduct. These norms influence how Americans express themselves,
interact in health care settings, and manage interpersonal relationships.
Willingness to Share Thoughts, Feelings, and Taboos
In general, U.S. culture values individual expression and openness, particularly when
compared to collectivist societies (Gudykunst, 2018). Many Americans are comfortable
sharing opinions, ideas, and feelings directly, even in public or professional contexts.
This openness reflects cultural values of independence and free speech. However, there
are areas considered more private or taboo. Discussions about personal finances, politics,
and religion may be avoided in mixed company, as they can generate conflict or
discomfort. Additionally, some health-related topics—such as mental health or
reproductive health—were historically considered taboo, although social attitudes are
shifting toward greater openness. Overall, while Americans are often direct
communicators, sensitivity remains around controversial or highly personal subjects.
Touch Practices
The meaning of touch in U.S. culture varies by context and relationship. Family members
frequently hug, pat on the back, or shake hands as signs of affection and support. Among
friends, hugs and casual touches are common, though the extent depends on regional and
personal preferences. Touch between members of the opposite sex, especially in public,
is generally acceptable but still moderated by social norms around consent and
appropriateness. In professional healthcare settings, touch is understood as a necessary
part of examination and treatment, but providers are expected to communicate clearly,
maintain professionalism, and respect patient boundaries (Burgoon et al., 2016). As such,
touch in American culture is contextual—expressive within families and friendships, but
structured and regulated in professional contexts.
Spatial and Distancing Strategies
Proxemics, or the use of personal space, plays an important role in American
communication. According to Hall’s (1966) cultural dimensions, the U.S. is a low-
contact culture, meaning that individuals prefer more personal space during interactions
compared to cultures in Latin America or the Middle East. Among family and close
friends, Americans may stand close or embrace. With acquaintances or strangers,
however, maintaining a distance of about two to four feet is considered polite and
Assignment Instructions:
Identify your cultural ancestry. If you have more than one cultural ancestry, choose the
one with which you most closely associate.
Explore the willingness of individuals in your culture to share thoughts, feelings, and
ideas. Can you identify any area of discussion that would be considered taboo?
Explore the practice and meaning of touch in your culture. Include information regarding
touch between family members, friends, members of the opposite sex, and health‐care
providers.
Identify personal spatial and distancing strategies used when communicating with others
in your culture. Discuss differences between friends and families versus strangers.
Discuss your culture’s use of eye contact. Include information regarding practices
between family members, friends, strangers, and persons of different age groups.
Explore the meaning of gestures and facial expressions in your culture. Do specific
gestures or facial expressions have special meanings? How are emotions displayed?
Are there acceptable ways of standing and greeting people in your culture?
Discuss the prevailing temporal relation of your culture. Is the culture’s worldview past,
present, or future-oriented?
Discuss the impact of your culture on your nursing and/or health care.
, Cultural Ancestry and Communication: United States Perspective
The cultural ancestry with which I most closely associate is U.S. American culture. The
United States is a diverse nation shaped by centuries of immigration, indigenous
traditions, and social change. While no single definition captures every American
experience, there are shared cultural norms regarding communication, family interaction,
and professional conduct. These norms influence how Americans express themselves,
interact in health care settings, and manage interpersonal relationships.
Willingness to Share Thoughts, Feelings, and Taboos
In general, U.S. culture values individual expression and openness, particularly when
compared to collectivist societies (Gudykunst, 2018). Many Americans are comfortable
sharing opinions, ideas, and feelings directly, even in public or professional contexts.
This openness reflects cultural values of independence and free speech. However, there
are areas considered more private or taboo. Discussions about personal finances, politics,
and religion may be avoided in mixed company, as they can generate conflict or
discomfort. Additionally, some health-related topics—such as mental health or
reproductive health—were historically considered taboo, although social attitudes are
shifting toward greater openness. Overall, while Americans are often direct
communicators, sensitivity remains around controversial or highly personal subjects.
Touch Practices
The meaning of touch in U.S. culture varies by context and relationship. Family members
frequently hug, pat on the back, or shake hands as signs of affection and support. Among
friends, hugs and casual touches are common, though the extent depends on regional and
personal preferences. Touch between members of the opposite sex, especially in public,
is generally acceptable but still moderated by social norms around consent and
appropriateness. In professional healthcare settings, touch is understood as a necessary
part of examination and treatment, but providers are expected to communicate clearly,
maintain professionalism, and respect patient boundaries (Burgoon et al., 2016). As such,
touch in American culture is contextual—expressive within families and friendships, but
structured and regulated in professional contexts.
Spatial and Distancing Strategies
Proxemics, or the use of personal space, plays an important role in American
communication. According to Hall’s (1966) cultural dimensions, the U.S. is a low-
contact culture, meaning that individuals prefer more personal space during interactions
compared to cultures in Latin America or the Middle East. Among family and close
friends, Americans may stand close or embrace. With acquaintances or strangers,
however, maintaining a distance of about two to four feet is considered polite and
