Acculturation Strategies Research Articles

The Acculturation of Pakistanis in Singapore

ABSTRACT This article explores the process of acculturation for Pakistanis in Singapore and their later generation descendants from the country’s colonial period to the present day, focusing on the complexities brought about by migration, colonialism, and nationhood. It analyses how the historical context, namely Singapore’s unique position as a multicultural British colony situated in the Malay peninsula has shaped the experiences of this diaspora community in a variety of ways. Using qualitative research methods and employing cross-cultural psychologist John Berry’s acculturation strategies and multicultural adaptation hypothesis, the article argues that the acculturation process has been facilitated by the sense of cultural and socio-economic security among Pakistani immigrants and their families, amidst evolving political developments and top-down policies during Singapore’s transition from a British colony to an independent nation. The findings of this study will contribute to our understanding of diaspora experiences in multicultural societies and provide insights into the complex dynamics of acculturation in a rapidly changing social context.

Greek Cypriot and immigrant students’ attitudes and perceptions of acculturation, ethnic identity and self-esteem in the Republic of Cyprus

Abstract The multicultural Cypriot society is called upon to face its increasing diversity and manage the relations between its inhabitants (locals and immigrants) for peaceful coexistence. The present study compared acculturation processes of Ιmmigrant students to those of local primary school students aged 11–12 years regarding social adjustment, ethnic identity and self-esteem. Results showed a stronger orientation toward their Country of Origin for both Cypriot and Ιmmigrant students regardless of the nationality of immigrants’. Furthermore, Cypriots and Ιmmigrant students had more group contact with their compatriots than children from other countries. Lastly, the strategies of acculturation and the stages of forming ethnic identity were correlated to Ιmmigrants’ self-esteem levels. The findings highlight the need for new directions in educational policies in the country. The educational system must become flexible and effectively adaptable to the recent changes to form the foundation of cultural coexistence of all the island’s inhabitants, ensuring social cohesion.

Exploring Resilience and Its Determinants in the Forced Migration of Ukrainian Citizens: A Psychological Perspective

This study enhances the understanding of resilience in forced migration through a psychological lens, highlighting the importance of identifying resilience determinants and evidence-based interventions. By fostering resilience, policymakers and practitioners can support the well-being and adaptive capacities of forcibly displaced Ukrainians, promoting psychological recovery, social integration, and positive long-term outcomes for affected individuals and communities. To determine the key resilience indicators, survey data were collected in 2023 from n = 502 Ukrainian refugees living in the U.S. (M age = 27 years). Individuals reported various psychological factors and cultural experiences, revealing high resilience and low-stress tolerance among forced Ukrainian migrants in the U.S., along with a strong correlation between their adopted acculturation strategies and their resilience and levels of traumatization.

Academic adaptation of international students in the chinese higher education environment: A case study with mixed methods

Although the number of international students (ISs) studying in Chinese higher education institutions is growing, their academic adaptation experiences remain under-investigated. This study employed a case study with a convergent design to understand how ISs experienced academic adaptation. It was found that ISs’ academic adaptation is related to a series of individual (motivation, language proficiency, acculturation strategies) and sociocultural (support resources, intercultural training) factors as well as the interplay of the factors over time. At the group level, academic adaptation was positively associated with motivation, bilingual proficiency (Mandarin and English), the integration strategy, perceived support from Chinese teachers, and intercultural training, and negatively related to the marginalization strategy. Further qualitative findings through reflective journals explained how ISs’ motivational adjustments, their improvement in Mandarin and English proficiency, the adoption of integration in different situations, and the use of heterogeneous functions of intercultural training and support resources contributed to individual ISs’ academic journey in China. Informed by these empirical findings, this study offers implications for the support and training of ISs.

The relationship between ego identity status and acculturation strategies (comparative study)

The present study aims to investigate the acculturation strategies employed by Yemeni students in Turkey and China, and their relationship with Ego identity status and perceived cultural distance. The study involved 506 Yemeni students enrolled in Turkish and Chinese universities, with 290 participants studying in Turkey (57.3 %) and 216 studying in China (42.7 %). The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 42 years, with a standard deviation of 5.45 and a mean of 27.34 years. The results indicated that the strategies adopted by Yemeni students were similar in both countries. Ego-identity states were found to be predictors of acculturation strategies. Identity achievement was found to predict integration strategy, while foreclosure identity predicted separation strategy. Additionally, identity moratorium and identity diffusion predicted the marginalization strategy. Knowledge of the host country's language was a predictor of willingness to integrate into the host society. The immigrant's lack of knowledge of the host country's language led them to adopt a separation strategy. Cultural distance was also found to be highly predictive of the assimilation and separation strategy. Furthermore, the presence of family members with the immigrants led to the adoption of tendencies to preserve the native culture, while immigrants living without their families in the host country tended to adopt the assimilation strategy.

Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake Through the Lens of Diaspora Literature

Abundant papers have been written on Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake, endeavoring to elaborate on alienation, ecologic overtones, cross-cultural conflict, feminism, existentialism, and identity crisis, to name a few. However, navigating through a labyrinth of complexities, this study, in addition to cultivating the results found hitherto, aims to crack the case of two acculturation strategies opted by Gogol, namely assimilation and integration. To further the point, this qualitative research which has been done based on a close reading approach, will reveal Gogol’s shift of strategy from assimilation to integration. In the second place, the lights are to be shed on the remarkable traces of re-orientalizationin the selected work, especially during the arrival of Gogol in Maxine’s house where binary opposition, i.e., the Occidental Culture/ Oriental Culture will be visible. Furthermore, this paper sets out to lay bare Moushumi as a foil character for Ashima, who, unlike Ashima’s vigorous allegiance to her husband, Bengali roots, and Patriarchal norms, is a Byronic-like character with intelligence, selfishness, refractoriness, complacency, and penchant for infraction of patriarchal rules. Last but not least, this study aims for a deeper understanding of the kernels of this diasporic novel including alienation, uprootedness, nostalgia, and search for genuine identity.

Analyzing Acculturation Strategies and Psychological Outcomes in Post-Colonial Narratives: A Study of "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" and "An American Brat" Using Berry's Acculturation Theory

Analyzing Acculturation Strategies and Psychological Outcomes in Post-Colonial Narratives: A Study of "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" and "An American Brat" Using Berry's Acculturation Theory

Sociocultural adaptation process of international graduate students at a university in southern Chile

ABSTRACT Chile has a growing migrant presence, including at universities. As migration involves adjusting to new demands, this study aims to understand international graduate students’ sociocultural adaptation in a southern Chilean city using qualitative phenomenological research. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were analyzed via interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings show migration decisions are influenced by home country social factors and academic/cultural growth objectives in Chile, impacted by contextual, cultural, social, and intrapersonal elements. Students manage threats using emotional regulation, acculturation strategies, and sense-making coping. Supportive social environments also protect, offering valued conditions. In conclusion, adaptation involves individual coping strategies and host society social factors. The paper discusses recommendations for future research.

Acculturation Strategies and Their Impact on Psychological Health

The dramatic rise in migration during this decade has sparked many questions regarding migrant’s choices and how these choices determined or altered their lives. This study explores the impact of various acculturation strategies—assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalization—on the mental well-being of migrants. Our research strategy involves employing a literature review to synthesize quantitative data from psychological assessments and qualitative insights from migrant interviews. Findings indicate that marginalization, characterized by a lack of engagement with both the host and origin cultures, correlates with the poorest mental health outcomes, including heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Conversely, integration, where migrants maintain their cultural heritage while also participating in the host culture, is associated with the most favorable psychological health, reflecting lower stress levels and higher life satisfaction. While some migrants report a sense of security and identity preservation, others experience isolation and limited social support, leading to mixed mental health outcomes. Ultimately, this research sheds light on how migrants’ approach to cultural ties can be pivotal in their lives by directly impacting their psychological health. We aim for this paper to be a didactic source of information for policy makers, migrants and even citizens to use in order to create societies that promote collectivity and cultural diversity. Keywords: Acculturation, psychological health, mental health, migration

Acculturation in China: acculturation strategies, social support, and self-assessment of Mandarin learning performance of international students in Chinese universities

ABSTRACT Acculturation strategies contribute to international students’ self-assessment of Mandarin learning (ML) performance, but the mechanism remains unclear. This study employed a convergent design of mixed methods and explored the roles of acculturation strategies and local support resources in international students’ (ISs) self-assessed ML performance in Chinese universities. The quantitative findings based on the questionnaire survey (N = 520) found that ISs’ Mandarin level was positively associated with the integration strategy and local support resources (i.e. Chinese teachers and Chinese friends). Besides, integration and marginalisation mediated the relationship between support resources and self-assessed ML performance, with integration acting as a more positive mediator compared with marginalisation. Further qualitative findings based on the longitudinal data (i.e. reflective journals) supported the positive roles of integration and local support resources in self-assessed ML performance. Moreover, this study identified how ISs improved their Mandarin through positive adjustments in their acculturation strategies (e.g. from separation to integration) and active mobilisation of local support resources. These findings provide a richer understanding of the complexity and dynamism of ISs’ self-assessed ML performance. Implications were provided for ISs and Chinese universities concerning ML and support services.

Neighbourhood diversity and acculturation profiles of Mexican‐origin adolescents

AbstractMore than 20% of US youth are immigrants or the children of immigrants, and Mexicans represent the largest immigrant group. In an increasingly pluralistic society, research is needed to elucidate how risk and protective/promotive factors in immigrants' life contexts are associated with their acculturation. Within the Integrative Risk and Resilience framework, we examined the mediating role of discrimination in the association between neighbourhood diversity and acculturation strategies of 334 Mexican‐origin youth over a five‐year study (Mage = 12.80; 44.3% female). Neighbourhood diversity was computed using American Community Survey data. Perceived discrimination was self‐reported. Acculturation profiles, including transition profiles, were adopted from a previous study. Findings indicated that Mexican‐origin youth living in more diverse neighbourhoods were more likely to demonstrate an Integrated than a Moderately Assimilated profile. Over time, they were more likely to develop a Stable Integrated or Progressive than a Regressive transition profile. No mediating effect of discrimination was found. These findings imply that diverse neighbourhoods promote integrated acculturation strategies, benefiting both Mexican‐origin youth and the evolving pluralistic US society.

Appreciation and production of different forms of humor according to acculturation strategy

Appreciation and production of different forms of humor according to acculturation strategy

The relation between self-efficacy, resilience, acculturative stress and mental health problems in Syrian youth: the mediating role of acculturation strategies

The relation between self-efficacy, resilience, acculturative stress and mental health problems in Syrian youth: the mediating role of acculturation strategies

Analyzing the impacts of cultural backgrounds on migrants' acculturation strategies in mobile phone social networks

By employing a large-scale mobile phone dataset and constructing a social network with 6,351,033 nodes and 14,735,425 ties, this research empirically studies how the individualistic and collectivistic (I-C) cultural backgrounds of migrants influence their acculturation strategies under different contexts. We introduced the rice theory and developed new network-based constructs to measure their acculturation strategies, I-C cultural backgrounds, and socioeconomic status. We found that migrants with more collectivistic cultural backgrounds tend to interact more with people from their hometowns rather than locals of their host societies. Surprisingly, this relationship is contingent on cultural distance: when a migrant's cultural background is similar to the host society, this migrant tends to interact more with local friends than people from her hometown. Moreover, higher socioeconomic status is found to decrease the cultural conservatism tendencies of migrants with more collectivistic cultural backgrounds. These findings can help stakeholders to devise more refined policies to better integrate migrants with diverse backgrounds and reduce potential cultural conflicts.

Decoding the Dynamics of Cultural Change: A Cultural Evolution Approach to the Psychology of Acculturation.

Acculturation describes the cultural and psychological changes resulting from intercultural contact. Here, we use concepts from "cultural evolution" to better understand the processes of acculturation. Cultural evolution researchers view cultural change as an evolutionary process, allowing them to borrow tools and methods from biology. Cultural evolutionary mechanisms such as conformity (copying the numerical majority), anti-conformity (copying the numerical minority), prestige bias (copying famous individuals), payoff bias (copying successful people), and vertical cultural transmission (copying your parents) can cause people to adopt elements from other cultures and/or conserve their cultural heritage. We explore how these transmission mechanisms might create distinct acculturation strategies, shaping cultural change and diversity over the long-term. This theoretical integration can pave the way for a more sophisticated understanding of the pervasive cultural shifts occurring in many ethnically diverse societies, notably by identifying conditions that empower minority-group members, often marginalized, to significantly influence the majority group and society.

Identity Formation and Acculturation in Smith’s White Teeth and Adichie’s Americanah: Critiquing the Immigrants’ Generational Experiences

This paper examines the relationship between identity formation and acculturation in Zadie Smith’s White Teeth and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah by unpacking the behaviours and experiences of the first-generation immigrant characters Samad (White Teeth) and Ifemelu (Americanah), and the second-generation immigrant characters Millat (White Teeth) and Dike (Americanah). These two generations of immigrants represent two-fold aspects of acculturation process. For the first-generation immigrants, integration serves as a vital acculturation strategy. However, the second-generation immigrants experience an in-between condition because of their weaker ties to their home country and culture, coupled with the experiences of discrimination in their new cultural environment. To analyze these themes of acculturation within the novels, this study integrates John W. Berry's and David L. Sam's concepts of acculturation, acculturation strategies, and acculturation stress. Additionally, Stuart Hall's concept of cultural identity is borrowed to elucidate the notions of culture and identity within the narratives. Furthermore, Homi K. Bhabha’s notion of hybridity is employed to examine the in-between state of second-generation immigrants in the novels. By highlighting the connection between identity formation and acculturation in the novels, this study underscores the importance of understanding the complexities of identity formation and acculturation among immigrants across generations in diverse cultural contexts.

Intercultural relations among Filipino immigrants living in Macau

As society becomes increasingly diverse over time, the interaction among different cultural groups is an essential topic in intercultural research. Berry (2017) proposed three hypotheses of intercultural relations: multiculturalism, contact, and integration, in trying to answer the question, “How shall we all live together?”. Since most studies on intercultural relations are conducted in the context of Western culture, less empirical evidence about the three hypotheses examination is drawn from the plural societies other than Western ones. Therefore, this study evaluates three hypotheses on intercultural relations with regards to Filipino immigrants in Macau, and expects to provide new empirical research support for testing relevant hypotheses on intercultural relations and enrich the existing literature. A total of 233 community samples (58.5 % females; Mage= 28.24) were recruited and employed scales from the MIRIPS questionnaire to collect data on co-ethnic contact, host contact, perceived discrimination, acculturation strategies, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Path analysis revealed that: (1) With respect to the multicultural hypothesis, perceived discrimination was positively related with integration and separation; (2) With respect to the contact hypothesis, co-ethnic contact was positively related with perceived discrimination; co-ethnic contact was positively related with integration and separation, and host contact was positively related with assimilation; (3) With respect to the integration hypothesis, integration was the most preferred strategy for the participants and was associated with better psychological adaptation (termed self-esteem and life satisfaction). These findings partially support the validity of the hypotheses. Finally, future research directions and empirical implications are discussed.

Study of the value sphere of migrants from Central Asia as a factor of socio-psychological adaptation

The key direction of the state national policy of the Russian Federation is the successful social and cultural adaptation of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation, and their integration into Russian society. The article presents the results of a study of the value sphere of personality of young migrants from Central Asian countries. Both personal values and cultural values have been studied. The methodological framework of the study was the theoretical approach to the study of values by S. Schwartz and the cross-cultural approach to the study of the characteristics of different cultures by G. Hofstede. A comparative analysis of the value profiles of Russian youth and migrants from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan was carried out. The empirical study found that the dominant values of young migrants are: kindness, safety, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation. When comparing the values of individual values, it was found that among young migrants all values are more pronounced than among young people from Russia. Comparing cultural values, it was found that uncertainty avoidance and masculinity among young migrants are lower than among young people from Russia. Taking into account these features of the value sphere of Central Asian migrants, as well as their connection with psychological acculturation strategies, the authors come to the conclusion that it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the value profile of migrants as a factor of psychological adaptation when providing socio-psychological assistance.

Acculturation strategies and language attitudes in shaping heritage language proficiency in children of Turkish descent in the United States

Acculturation strategies and language attitudes in shaping heritage language proficiency in children of Turkish descent in the United States

Understanding Acculturation Factors to Ensure Well-being Among Ethnic Minorities in Georgia

This comprehensive article provides a deep dive into Georgia’s intricate and diverse cul-tural landscape. With a particular focus on the country’s ethnic minorities, specifically Armenians and Azeris, the research examines the various acculturation strategies these groups employ. The purpose of the research is to identify and thoroughly understand the multitude of factors that influence the se-lection of these acculturation strategies amongst these ethnic minorities. Acculturation strategies can take several forms, including integration, separation, marginalization, and assimilation. Each strategy has different implications for individuals and groups, influencing their cultural identity, social relation-ships, and overall psychological well-being. The research presented in this article pays special atten-tion to the integration strategy. Integration as an acculturation strategy has been linked to numerous positive outcomes. Among these are the successful coexistence of diverse ethnic groups within a single society and improved psychological well-being among ethnic minorities. This research aims to contribute to understanding how integration as an acculturation strategy can foster harmonious multicultural societies. The exploration of these complex dynamics of cultural integration within Georgia aims to shed light on the country’s multicultural fabric. This understanding can be used to inform policy decisions and foster a more inclusive society that respects and values its diverse ethnic groups.