Acculturation
The process of psychological and cultural change that occurs when individuals from one culture come into prolonged contact with another. It involves adapting to the norms, values, and behaviors of the host culture, while also influencing the dominant culture through mutual transformations.
Difference Between Enculturation and Acculturation:
- Enculturation focuses on heritage culture and maintaining cultural identity, primarily occurring within one’s own culture.
- Acculturation involves cultural adaptation, emphasizing changes in behavior and beliefs when interacting with a different culture.
- Enculturation is generally about preservation, whereas acculturation is about adjustment to a new cultural environment.
Berry’s (1997) Two-Dimensional Model of Acculturation
Berry proposed a model of acculturation strategies based on two dimensions:
- Maintenance of Heritage Culture: The degree to which individuals wish to retain their cultural identity.
- Seeking Relationships with Other Groups: The extent of integration or interaction with the host culture.
Based on these dimensions, Berry suggest 4 acculturation strategies:
- Assimilation: Adopting the dominant culture while abandoning one's heritage culture.
- Integration: Maintaining one's heritage culture while actively engaging with the host culture.
- Separation: Retaining one's heritage culture and avoiding interaction with the host culture.
- Marginalization: Losing connection with both the heritage and host cultures.
Some key ideas of the model of acculturation include:
- Acculturation gaps: Generational differences in acculturation, which often leads to conflict within families.
- Acculturative stress: Stressors associated with not fitting into a new culture, not being able to adapt, having difficulty with language, etc.
- Protective factors: Factors that decrease acculturative stress (support, positive relationships, etc.).
- Risk factors: Factors that increase stress and may prevent assimilation or integration (mental health issues, substance use, etc.).
Key Studies
Case studyShah et al. (2015)
Aim: To investigate the relationship between acculturation and obesity among South Asian migrant workers in the UAE.
Participants: 1,375 South Asian male migrants.
Method: Random sampling with BMI assessments.
Results:
Longer residence correlated with higher BMI.
Migrants showed higher obesity rates than locals and their non-migrant counterparts.
Conclusion: Acculturation to the UAE's dietary patterns contributed to increased obesity rates.
Evaluation:
- The study uses random sampling, which reduces selection bias and increases the reliability of the findings.
- The use of BMI assessments provides an objective measure of obesity.
- Findings support acculturation theory.
- The study is correlational–it identifies a relationship between acculturation and obesity but does not establish a direct causal link.
- The sample consists only of male migrant workers, limiting generalizability.
- Cultural and dietary influences were not directly measured, making it unclear whether changes in were due to diet alone or other factors.
- BMI as a measure of obesity has limitations as it does not differentiate between fat and muscle mass.
Ishizawa and Jones (2016)
Aim: To identify protective factors against obesity in second- and third-generation Asian migrants in the USA.
Method: Correlational study.
Participants: Asian migrants across generations.
Results:
Obesity rates increased across generations.
Retaining cultural ties, such as language, acted as a protective factor.
Conclusion: Cultural retention can mitigate the negative effects of acculturation on health.
Evaluation:
- Longitudinal design demonstrates how acculturation impacts health behaviors over time.
- This study is correlational.
- Individual differences are not accounted for. For example, not all migrants within a generation may experience the same level of acculturation.
Da Costa, Dias, and Martins (2017)
Aim: To explore the correlation between residence duration and obesity in Portugal.
Method: Correlational study using self-reports.
Participants: 31,000 individuals, including 4.6% migrants.
Results:
Longer residence led to increased obesity rates among migrants.
Migrants gradually adopted the host culture's dietary habits.
Conclusion: Acculturation leads to lifestyle changes that may increase health risks.
Evaluation:
- Large sample size provides strong statistical power and enhances generalizability of findings.
- Aligns with studies like Shah et al. (2015), strengthening the evidence.
- Establishes a correlational relationship between acculturation and obesity but does not prove causation.
- Reliance on self-reported measures increases the risk of social desirability bias and inaccuracies in data reporting.
Lyons-Padilla et al. (2015)
Aim: To examine the relationship between marginalization, discrimination, and extremism among Muslim immigrants in the USA.
Participants: 200 first- and second-generation Muslim immigrants.
Method: Questionnaires measuring significance loss and cultural adaptation.
Results:
- Marginalization increased feelings of significance loss, correlating with support for radical ideologies.
- Discrimination amplified these effects.
Conclusion: Marginalization can negatively influence identity and behavior, potentially increasing the risk of extremist behavior.
Evaluation:
- The study provides valuable insights into how marginalization and discrimination impact identity, contributing to research on social integration.
- The focus on Muslim immigrants, a group often underrepresented in psychological research, improves understanding of their acculturation challenges.
- Establishes relationships between marginalization, significance loss, and extremism but does not confirm causation.
- Using questionnaires often results in social desirability bias and may not fully capture participants' true feelings or behaviors.
Critical Thinking
Methodological Critiques
- Many acculturation studies rely on correlational designs, making it challenging to establish causal relationships.
- For instance, observed outcomes might be influenced by confounding factors such as socioeconomic status, education levels, or pre-existing mental health conditions.
- The use of self-report measures introduces potential biases, including social desirability bias, where participants provide socially acceptable responses, and recall bias, where individuals may inaccurately report past experiences.
- These issues can limit the reliability of findings and generalizability across populations.
Cultural Bias
- Much of the research focuses on migration from poorer to wealthier countries, such as studying migrants to North America or Europe, while reverse migration (e.g., from wealthier to less affluent regions) and lateral migration (between countries of similar economic status) remain underexplored.
- This creates an incomplete understanding of acculturation processes in diverse contexts.
- The host culture's characteristics, such as its inclusivity, social norms, or policies on immigration, can significantly shape acculturative outcomes.
- These factors are often overlooked in studies, despite their critical role in influencing stress levels, social integration, and mental health.
Practical Applications
- Findings from acculturation research can guide policies to reduce acculturative stress and promote well-being among migrants.
- For example, fostering integration strategies that balance adaptation to the host culture with the preservation of heritage culture can improve both mental health and social cohesion.
- Recognizing protective factors, such as maintaining cultural traditions or social support networks, helps enhance migrant health outcomes.
- These insights can shape community programs and interventions that support smoother transitions and build inclusive societies.
