TALKING ACROSS DIFFERENCE Tips for Engaging in Open Communication With Individuals of Different Socioeconomic Backgrounds Liam Neilson
BE INCLUSIVE.
Studies suggest that people tend to communicate with people of similar socioeconomic status. This idea contributes to the problematic nature of lacking a connection with others from different backgrounds. Individuals of lower socioeconomic status being excluded from networks of people of higher socioeconomic status has the ability to contribute to stunting the likelihood of upward social mobility. For these reasons, being inclusive in conversation is essential for a growing society (Leo et. al, 2016, p. 7).
LET YOUR GUARD DOWN SOMETIMES.
Self-protecting oneself to avoid being hurt is reasonable and understandable; however, sometimes it's necessary to let these walls down. One study suggests that individuals of lower socioeconomic status tend to emotionally self-protect themselves compared to people of higher socioeconomic status. They found that this creates dissatisfied relationships and inaccurate evaluations of the feelings of their partners (Emery et. al, 2022, p. 684-686). This being said, sometimes it is important to break those barriers in order to maintain and develop healthy relationships.
LISTEN WITH HIGH AWARENESS.
A study conducted about doctor-patient relationships found that there is a difference in how patients feel about their doctor's communicative behavior depending on either their social class or their race. This study highlighted many of the discrepancies, which are essential to understand on a social level because a lack of attentiveness from healthcare providers on the basis of race or social class has the ability to perpetuate these discrepancies (Johnson 2019, p. 19-23). Keeping this in mind, listening to others with high awareness in all settings, especially if you are in the field of healthcare, is crucial to reducing the negative impacts of social injustices.
RECOGNIZE YOUR INTERNAL BIASES. A study was conducted on teachers' communicative patterns and their correlation to their student's academic performance. The findings suggest that the teacher's biases based on socioeconomic status were reflected in their student's performance, and often had negative implications (Ankrum, 2016, p. 170). Recognizing these biases can help diminish their negative effects, and thus be helpful for those affected. References Emery, L. F., & Finkel, E. J. (2022). Connect or protect? Social class and self-protection in romantic relationships. Journal of personality and social psychology, 122(4), 683-696. Leo, Y., Fleury, E., Alvarez-Hamelin, J. I., Sarraute, C., & Karsai, M. (2016). Socioeconomic correlations and stratification in socialcommunication networks. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 13, 1-8. Johnson, O. (2019). Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Physician-Patient Communication and Perceived Health Care Treatment: Implications for Health Maintenance. Conference Papers -- American Sociological Association, 1–23. Ankrum, R. J. (2016). Socioeconomic Status and Its Effect on Teacher/Parental Communication in Schools. Journal of Education and Learning, 5(1), 167-175.