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.
TipCompliance techniques are often used in marketing and fundraising to increase participation.
NoteCritical 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'.
