Sociodemographic and Psychological Variables Related to Sociocultural, Acculturative Orientation of North African Immigrants in France

Abstract

We analysed two fields of the sociocultural, acculturative orientation of North African immigrants in France. The first is Immersion within the Society of Origin (ISO), which has two facets: “Orientation towards Members of the Ingroup” (OMI) and “Orientation towards the culture of origin” (OCO). The second, “Immersion within the Host Society” (IHS) also comprises two facets: “Orientation towards People of French Origin” (OPFO) and “Orientation towards French Culture” (OFC). The aim was to analyse the relationship between these four facets of sociocultural acculturative orientations and various socio-demographic and psychosocial variables. Two-hundred-and-ten North African immigrants in France answered a questionnaire adapted from Stephenson's Multigroup Acculturation Scale (SMAS). Stepwise multiple regression analyses show that OMI is linked to the country of origin and cultural identity, and OCO to satisfaction with life, family situation, sex and cultural identity. OPFO is linked to participation in club activities, and OFC to work/student activity and family situation. These results illustrate the relevance and value of studying immigrants' sociocultural, acculturative orientation on the basis of ISO vs. IHS models, and in the fields of their social relations and their relationship with the culture. They highlight the importance of looking at acculturation as a composite process, the various facets of which are related to different variables that can therefore be regarded as relevant indicators of immigrants' intercultural adaptation.