Acculturation
Acculturation
Acculturation is the process people go through when coming into contact with a new culture, which usually involves adaptation.
Acculturation strategies include:
- Integration: Adopting the new culture while retaining one's original cultural identity.
- Assimilation: Abandoning the original culture to fully embrace the new culture.
- Separation: Maintaining the original culture and rejecting the new culture.
- Marginalization: Losing connection with both the original and new cultures.
Berry et al. (2006)
Aim
To investigate how acculturation strategies affect psychological well-being.
Method
Survey study with immigrant youth in Canada.
Procedure
- Participants completed questionnaires measuring their acculturation strategies and psychological well-being.
- Data were analyzed to identify correlations between strategies and well-being.
Results
- Integration was associated with the highest levels of well-being.
- Marginalization was linked to the lowest levels of well-being.
- Acculturation can lead to acculturative stress when individuals struggle to balance cultural adaptation and identity preservation.
- This may lead to mental and physical health disorders.
Critical Thinking
- How would integration be affected by discrimination?
- Acculturation is incredibly important for people who move to a different area.
Compliance Techniques
- Compliance refers to changing one's behavior in response to a direct request.
- Compliance techniques are strategies used to increase the likelihood of agreement.
Foot-in-the-Door Technique
- This technique involves making a small request first, followed by a larger request.
Freedman and Fraser (1966)
Aim
To test the effectiveness of the foot-in-the-door technique.
Method
- Participants were first asked to sign a petition (small request).
- Later, they were asked to display a large sign in their yard (large request).
Results
Participants who agreed to the small request were more likely to comply with the larger request.
Door-in-the-Face Technique
- This technique involves making a large request that is likely to be refused, followed by a smaller, more reasonable request.
Cialdini et al. (1975)
Aim
To test the effectiveness of the door-in-the-face technique.
Method
- Participants were first asked to volunteer for two hours per week for two years (large request).
- After refusal, they were asked to volunteer for a single two-hour session (small request).
Results
Participants were more likely to agree to the smaller request after refusing the larger one.
Compliance techniques are often used in marketing and fundraising to increase participation.
Critical Thinking
- How may people use compliance techniques responsibly?
- If it is not possible, should we use compliance techniques at all?
Conformity
- Conformity is the tendency to adjust one's behavior or attitudes to align with group norms.
- It is driven by the desire for social acceptance and fear of rejection.
Normative Social Influence
- Normative social influence occurs when individuals conform to be liked or accepted by the group.
Asch (1951)
Aim
To investigate the extent of conformity in a group setting.
Method
- Participants were asked to match the length of a line to one of three comparison lines.
- Confederates in the group intentionally gave incorrect answers.
Results
75% of participants conformed at least once, even when the correct answer was obvious.
Informational Social Influence
- Informational social influence occurs when individuals conform because they believe the group has more accurate information.
- Conformity may be prominent among adolescents, where peer opinion is more valued.
- People may change aspects of their personality to 'fit in'.
Critical Thinking
- Many people stick to their own culture and are not welcoming to outsiders.
- Does this still play a role in an increasingly globalized world?
Cultural Dimensions
- Cultural dimensions are frameworks for understanding cultural differences.
- They influence how individuals perceive relationships and social roles.
Individualism vs. Collectivism
- Individualistic cultures prioritize personal goals and independence.
- Collectivistic cultures emphasize group harmony and interdependence.
Hofstede (1980)
Aim
To identify cultural dimensions that influence behavior.
Method
- Participants completed questionnaires on work-related values.
- Data were analyzed to identify cultural patterns.
Results
Individualism and collectivism emerged as key dimensions influencing social behavior.
According to Xiao (2021), collectivist cultures were more likely to comply to COVID-19 regulations.
You can use https://www.theculturefactor.com/country-comparison-tool to compare cultural dimensions across countries.
Critical Thinking
- Are there any behaviours that may be universal across cultures?
- Cultural dimensions may be too reductionist.
- Is individualistic behaviour caused by individualism or is it the other way around?
Social Identity Theory
- Social Identity Theory (SIT) explains how individuals derive a sense of identity from their group memberships.
- It emphasizes the role of in-groups and out-groups in shaping behavior.
- People tend to favor their in-groups and look down on out-groups to shape self-esteem.
Think about sports fans. How competitive are they with fans of rivalling teams? How could this be linked to social identity theory?
Tajfel et al. (1971)
Aim
To investigate the minimal conditions required for discrimination.
Method
- Participants were randomly assigned to groups based on arbitrary criteria.
- They were asked to allocate points to members of their own group and an out-group.
Results
Participants favored their own group, even when group membership was meaningless.
- Identities may be more salient in certain situations.
- This may include if someone is a minority or if their identity is being disrespected.
Critical Thinking
- May be from a Western perspective.
- Explains prejudice and stereotyping.
Social Learning
- Social Learning Theory (SLT) posits that behavior is learned through observation and imitation.
- It emphasizes the role of modeling in shaping social behavior.
- Vicarious reinforcement occurs when individuals observe the consequences of another person's behavior.
Bandura et al. (1961)
Aim
To investigate whether children imitate aggressive behavior.
Method
- Children observed an adult model behaving aggressively or being nice toward a Bobo doll.
- They were then placed in a room with the same doll.
Results
Children were more likely to model the behaviour that they observed.
Seeing someone rewarded for helping others increases the likelihood of imitating that behavior.
Critical Thinking
- Has applications in education, parenting, and much more.
- May ignore social and emotional motivations for behaviour.
- How does modeling contribute to social learning?
- If a Singaporean moved to the UK, how may social identity play a role in their behaviour?
- Is your culture more collectivistic and individualistic? How does this show in people's behaviour?
