Acculturation (W10) Flashcards
What is acculturation? What can this change for majority/minority individuals?
Acculturation is when individuals have to adapt and change in response to a new cultural system: intercultural contact.
This can result in a change of cultural identity, values, beliefs and behaviours (for minorities), and provide insight for other cultures which can combat negative stereotypes/increase diversity (for majority individuals).
Who goes through acculturation? Why?
Many individuals undergo acculturation, especially immigrants and international students. Additionally refugees, asylum seekers, etc.
They may do this to escape war, unfair treatment, or poverty back home.
What are the types of intercultural contact?
- Direct: Involves in-person interaction between individuals of different culture.
- Indirect: Does not require personal interaction, can be through media, movies, books.
These can either be:
- Continuous: ongoing, continuous, regular contact.
- Intermittent: occasional, sporadic contact.
How are the two components to acculturation?
Intercultural ADAPTATION and Intercultural ADJUSTMENT.
What is intercultural adaptation and adjustment?
Intercultural adaptation = the change/adaptation of behaviour.
Intercultural adjustment = how individuals feel about the changes.
What is the Acculturation model (Berry et al., 1988; 1997)?
Model in which measures the strategies that individuals possess in response to acculturation.
- Do I value and want to maintain home culture (identity and characteristcs)?
- Do i value and want to maintain relationships with people from the host culture as well?
What are the individuals who say yes or no to the acculturation model questions?
YES to wanting to identify with home culture, and NO to wanting relationships with those in host:
- Separators = Stay within their own community (kinda like big green ppl).
Say NO to wanting to identify with home culture, and YES to wanting relationships with those in host:
- Assimilator = they reject their home culture and adapt to the host culture as their own.
Those who say NO to both:
- Marginalisers = do not do well in either.
Those who say YES to both:
- Integrators = Able to change cultural contexts easily. Are typically bilingual, bicultural, etc.
Which outcome in the acculturation model is the best? Why?
There have been studies that indicate integrators (bilinguists) experience the best outcomes:
- Greater creativity.
- Greater success.
- Happier.
This falls in line with the Cultural Fit Hypothesis and Integration Hypothesis.
However, adaptation strategies are different in everyone, as even separators (those who stay within their community) experience large amounts of happiness by staying within themselves and with minimal contact from host individuals.
What do these acculturation outcomes have to say about Psychological and Sociocultural outcomes (Integration hypothesis)?
Psychological = wellbeing and satisfaction.
Sociocultural = ‘fitting’ in, adjusting skills to fit host environment.
Integrators experience the best of both as they receive resources and support from host and heritage culture.
What are some limitations of the integration hypothesis?
Correlational link between acculturation and adaptation is much weaker.
Longitudinal evidence is miniscule.
What is acculturation stress?
Acculturation stress is an alternative concept to culture shock, which extends to the line of daily stressors in life:
- Language barriers.
- Cultural and Ethnic conflicts.
- Changes in family values.
Shock = sudden.
- However, acculturation stress is not sudden or immediate.
Pros of acculturative stress?
- Stress-related growth: Enables development of new ways to strategise around struggles.
- Personal strength.
- Strengthening meaningful relationships.
What are some negative outcomes of acculturation stress?
Poor psychological wellebing:
- Feeling helpless and isolated.
- Frustration.
- Anxiety.
Limitation of acculturation stress?
Not all experiencing acculturation experience acculturation shock:
- Some differ on different levels of intensity.
- Some, none at all.
What supports/hinders acculturation?
Cultural distance: When norms, views, attitudes, ideas differ between countries.
Social support: those who perceive more social support go through better adjustment.
Acceptance of diversity:
- Environments where prejudice is prominent, individuals have a stronger loyalty towards their heritage culture.
- Multiculturism: Having policies and practices that support cultural diversity to elimiate discrimination (e.g., having a Chinese New Year celebration).
