Diversity Characteristics Definitions
Culture: The set of ideas, values and understandings which people deploy within a specific network of social relationships; and the principal basis on which human beings give meaning and purpose to lives; which ideas, values and understandings are socially transmitted behaviors.
Cognitive style: Differences in perspective or by factors such as gender, ethnicity, or age. E.g., Which team members visualize the task before starting? Approach learning and teaching sequentially or randomly? Work quickly or deliberately?
Education: Broadly considered any 1, 2, or 4 year or higher education.
Ethnicity: Shared social, cultural, and historical experiences, stemming from common national or regional backgrounds (formed particularly during situations of political and/or economic competition), that make subgroups of a population different from one another. A particular region may include many ethnicities.
Gender expression: External appearance of one’s gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, haircut or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.
Gender identity: One’s innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One’s gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.
Generation/Age: Categorization based on year of birth Ex: Boomers, Gen-X, Millennials, Gen-Z.
Interests: Personal or professional interests within or outside of their job function.
Nationality/Geographic origin: A set of people who are classified by a defined political boundary.
Neurodiversity: The infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning within our species. Examples include dyspraxia, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, autistic spectrum, Tourette syndrome, and others.
Parenting/Caretaking: Childcare, dependent care, spousal care, pet care, elderly care, and the like.
Personality: Enduring patterns in a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors across situations. Personality traits are behavioral predispositions.
Physical ability/Body type: This does not necessarily mean physically disabled. Consider a wide range of health considerations (such as marathon athlete) and abilities. This also can also include “non-visible” physical limitations, such as being hearing impaired or auto-immune diseases.
Political Views: Can be defined by party affiliation or no affiliation – also consider differing political views based on national and/or geographic origin.
Race: A social construct invented to define physical differences between people, which construct has historically been fluid and often used as a tool for oppression.
Relationship status: Partnered or single. Partnerships can include many types of committed partnership arrangements.
Religious affiliation (or no affiliation): Examples: Christianity, Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Folk religions, etc. Also consider no religious affiliation such as atheist or agnostic.
Sexual orientation: An inherent or immutable enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people.
Skills & abilities: Technical and non-technical skills and other talents.
Socioeconomic/Class status: Differing levels of economic affluence and economic upbringing. Note that a person may move through different socioeconomic stages in a lifetime.