Understanding Acculturation Strategies Through Intergroup Social Interaction: A Case Study of Thai Workers in Japan

Abstract

Most studies of Thai workers in Japan are oriented towards low-skilled groups of workers. Unlike low-skilled workers, highly skilled migrant workers experience intense social interaction with Japanese colleagues, resulting in dynamics and degrees of intergroup relationships and acculturation process. This article therefore identifies acculturation strategies dominant among highly skilled Thai workers in Japanese working societies through the lens of intergroup contacts. It also explores the intergroup social interactions between Thai and Japanese people in workplaces and uncovers the effects of intergroup contact on the acculturation process. Narratives from interviews with 12 highly skilled Thai workers led to three findings. First, integration is predominantly identified as the most advantageous acculturation strategy. Second, positive intergroup social contact prevails on the condition that Thai workers strictly follow the norms and values in the workplaces, particularly behaviors which demonstrate a sense of selflessness. Finally, positive social contact between highly skilled Thai workers and Japanese people facilitates the integration process of highly skilled Thai workers. Based on the findings, some implications are discussed.