Diversity 1
RUNNING HEAD: DIVERSITY
Diversity Paper
Shae Lewis
June 24, 2006
Diversity 2
Diversity Paper
This paper will discuss four types of diversity which has an impact on individual behavior. These four types of demographic characteristics are ethnicity, gender, geographical differences, and personality traits.
Ethnicity is a subgroup within a culture. It is also defined as an ethnic quality or affiliation resulting from racial or cultural ties. (Smith 1987). Ethnicity can also be a particular descent such as Caucasian, African, Hispanic, or Native American. A subgroups individual behavior impacts demographic characteristics because it defines who these different cultures are. Their individual behavior reflects who they are. Ethnicity is a demographic characteristic that an individual is born with and they actually have no control over the group of which they belong. How ethnicity impacts individual behavior can be either acceptable or unacceptable behavior. It all depends on their geographical location and what society states as being the acceptable behavior in the individuals geographic location. Gender is defined as being either male or female. If the sex can not be determined or defined then it will be considered missing or neither. (Cowan1987) It is just a state of being male or female. Some people tend to confuse gender with sex. Sex is a reproductive organism or an activity whereby a living organism either procreates or stimulates the related pleasure-causing nerve impulses or possibly both simultaneously. (Smith 1987). Gender is established b ...