The Role of Early Immersive Culture Mixing in Cultural Identifications of Multiculturals

Abstract

Becoming multicultural through early immersive culture mixing (EICM)—i.e., growing up with a mix of cultures that coexist and interact to form an emergent hybrid culture within one’s home—is a rapidly rising phenomenon in many parts of the world. This phenomenon calls for new research that recognizes the possibility of identification with a hybrid culture as well as the distinct cultures from which the hybrid culture derives. This article extends previous research into psychological variation among multiculturals based on the process of EICM, by investigating how EICM influences hybrid cultural identification and distinct cultural identification. In addition, we examine how EICM relates to the components of identity integration—blendedness and harmony. Across two studies of Chinese-Australian multiculturals, we found that whereas EICM was positively associated with multicultural participants’ identification with a hybrid culture and Australian culture, it was not related to their identification with Chinese culture. Findings also indicated that EICM positively predicted identity blendedness, but EICM did not show a clear link with identity harmony. We discuss the implications of our research for advancing EICM theory and helping to forge new research directions in cultural identification.