Cultural Values Predicting Acculturation Orientations: Operationalizing a Quantitative Measure

Abstract

This article proposes that acculturation orientations are related to two sets of cultural values: utilitarianism (Ut) and traditionalism (Tr). While utilitarian values enhance assimilation, traditional values support language and identity maintenance. It is proposed that the propensity to either end of this value opposition can be measured by an index (U) calculated as a differential of utilitarianism and traditionalism (U = Ut–Tr). To measure Ut and Tr, a survey questionnaire was designed. The validity of the internal structure of the instrument, as well as its ability to differentiate between subgroups with different acculturation orientations, was tested in a large scale (N = 448) survey in the Russian community in Estonia. The results indicate that the performance of the U-index was superior to both of its subcomponents in revealing correlations to sociodemographic indicators, as well as acculturation attitudes. Cluster analysis was used to bring out distinct subgroups from the sample relating to prototypical acculturation types.