Pre-migration acculturation attitudes among potential ethnic migrants from Russia to Finland

Abstract

Abstract This study investigates factors predicting acculturation strategies among potential ethnic migrants prior to their migration. 325 potential migrants from Russia to Finland were surveyed at the pre-migration stage. Factors studied included perceived acculturation expectations of the members of the receiving society, values, cultural identities, general well-being, self-efficacy, cultural knowledge, social networks in the new home country, language proficiency, perceived cultural similarity, support for multicultural ideology and perceived discrimination in the country of origin. In line with the hypotheses, the respondents preferred integration over assimilation, separation and marginalisation strategies. Discriminant analysis was computed to distinguish integrationists, assimilationists and separationists, resulting in two functions that discriminated between the groups. The most important predictors explaining pre-migration acculturation attitudes were the perceptions potential migrants have of future hosts’ preferences for immigrants’ cultural maintenance and contacts with hosts. In addition, general well-being, Russian identity and support for multicultural ideology significantly predicted acculturation attitudes in the pre-migration stage. The study highlights the importance of acknowledging that acculturation begins already at the pre-migration stage. It contributes to our understanding of pre-acculturation in general and factors affecting the formation of pre-migration acculturation attitudes in particular.