Bicultural Individuals Research Articles

To Whom Thou Art Bound: Bicultural Identity Integration Moderates the Influence of Conspiracy Beliefs on Chinese Americans’ Ingroup Bias

Endorsing conspiracy beliefs about an outgroup typically fosters ingroup bias. However, the response of bicultural individuals to conspiracy theories about one of their ingroups remains understudied. We posited that bicultural individuals’ display of ingroup bias in such situations hinges on their levels of bicultural identity integration (BII). Two studies involving Chinese American participants revealed that conspiracy beliefs about China were associated with lower Chinese ingroup bias among those with higher BII levels. In Study 1, high BII Chinese Americans who endorsed conspiracy theories about China reported less favorable perceptions of the Chinese ingroup, but not among low BII Chinese Americans. Study 2 replicated findings in Study 1 in that high (vs. low) BII Chinese Americans with higher conspiracy beliefs about China were less willing to allocate monetary resources to a fictitious Chinese charity and reported lower Chinese patriotism. This research contributes to the identity integration literature by illustrating how bicultural individuals with varying BII levels respond differently to geopolitical tensions in the context of conspiracy beliefs.

Checking Multiple Boxes: Themes Associated With Bicultural Identities

Multicultural individuals frequently feel they must check multiple boxes when responding to identity questions. In this investigation, we collected narratives from 402 bicultural individuals about their experiences with multicultural identities and used automated text-analytic tools to examine the valence of the narratives (sentiment analysis) and the most prevalent themes used (Meaning Extraction Method). In addition, we examined the relationships between the narratives and the two dimensions of Bicultural Identity Integration (BII) scales, Harmony and Blendedness. Findings suggested that the narratives were more emotionally positive than negative, and there were six most common themes. Furthermore, themes were significantly associated with BII scales. Our analyses provide deeper insights into the nature of bicultural identity using naturalistic language data.

The motivation to integrate and perceived discrimination as antecedents of cultural identity styles.

The research examined the motivation to integrate and perceived discrimination as antecedents of cultural identity styles, the cognitive and behavioral strategies that bicultural individuals use for decision making in managing and maintaining their ethnic and national identities. Two major cultural identity styles have been distinguished: the alternating identity style (AIS, changing cultural identities depending on the circumstances) and the hybrid identity style (HIS, blending selected aspects of these identities in a unique way). Based on earlier cross-sectional research, we tested the hypotheses that the motivation to integrate would predict greater use of both styles and that perceived discrimination would predict greater use of the AIS, but not the HIS, over time. A community sample of 493 Chinese Americans (56% female, 51.5% first generation, Mage = 53.27 years) completed an online survey at two points in time with approximately a 1-month interval. Path modeling controlling for demographic factors (age, generation) and cultural identity style (AIS and HIS at T1) was used to test our hypotheses. Analyses revealed that younger Chinese Americans made greater use of the AIS and that both the motivation to integrate and perceived discrimination were significant predictors of the AIS at T2. In contrast, only the motivation to integrate predicted the HIS at T2, confirming our hypotheses. The results demonstrate that both personal and situational factors affect the management of cultural identities. The findings are discussed in relation to research on acculturation and integration and theories of social and situated identity identities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

“It’s the Best of Both Worlds!”: Investigating Bicultural Stress in Adult Bicultural Canadians

This study delves into the ecological factors that predict bicultural stress among bicultural adult Canadians while uncovering common themes surrounding their bicultural identity and developmental journey. A sample of bicultural Canadians (N = 147; 88% female, Mage = 20.72) participated in an online survey consisting of standardized self-report measures and open-ended inquiries about their bicultural experience. The study identified factors contributing to current levels of bicultural stress through regression analysis. Additionally, thematic analysis was conducted to explore participants’ narratives about their bicultural experiences. Participants were of diverse racial/ethnic Canadian backgrounds (Middle Eastern, n = 50; East and Southeast Asian, n = 22; South Asian, n = 27; Black, n = 21; multiple ethnicities, n = 22; Latin, n = 5). The regression results demonstrated that ethnic identity, family cultural socialization towards heritage culture, perceived discrimination, and generational status contributed to feelings of bicultural stress. Thematic analysis revealed a developmental trajectory encompassing participants’ realization of their bicultural identity, navigating bicultural stress, and cultivating an appreciation for their dual cultures. Findings suggest that bicultural individuals’ interactions with their social environment may develop their bicultural identity towards more positive outcomes as they approach adulthood.

Dialektics of Bicultural Identity in Intercultural Communication: A Phenomenological Study Approach

This study aims to understand and analyze the ways in which bicultural individuals identify as Betawi people in building meaning about their identity in situations of intercultural communication. This study uses a qualitative approach that in its implementation uses a type of understanding. The subjects of the study were bicultural individuals in Jakarta who identified themselves as Betawi people. This study concludes that, first, the meaning of identity to be a Betawi Person is implemented by bicultural individuals by internalizing Betawi cultural values in their daily lives. Local wisdom "openness and equality", "living beneficially for others" and avoiding primordialism are values that are widely applied by bicultural individuals in all situations. Second, in the situation of intercultural communication, Betawi becomes the main identity used by informants. Meanwhile, occupational identity becomes the main identity in the context of intracultural meetings (ingroups). Third, this study also found differences in the ethos of figures caused by differences in age and types of daily activities carried out by the study subjects. This study recommends further research to explore the experiences of other subgroups such as the Betawi millennial generation.

Managing the unexpected: Bicultural identity integration during the COVID-19 emergency

Unexpected and sudden emergency situations such as COVID-19 may render ethnic minorities particularly vulnerable to experiencing negative outcomes. Yet, we put forward that Bicultural Identity Integration (BII) – the degree to which bicultural individuals perceive their cultural identities as compatible and overlapping – may represent a resource in times of emergencies, since it may positively influence, through enhancement of psychological well-being, how bicultural individuals respond in terms of distress and coping strategies. Based on this assumption, the present study aimed at examining the relationship between BII and responses to COVID-19. N = 370 bicultural individuals (mean age = 26.83, SD = 8.74) from different cultural backgrounds were recruited online and completed measures of BII, psychological well-being, COVID-19 distress and coping strategies (positive attitudes, avoidance, social support seeking) during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. We tested a model in which BII was the predictor, psychological well-being was the mediator and reactions to the COVID-19 emergency (distress, use of coping) were the outcomes. This model was tested against two alternative models. The proposed model showed a better fit to the data compared to the alternative models. In this model, psychological well-being mediated the relationship between BII (harmony) and coping strategies, except social support seeking. These findings highlight the important role played by BII in emergency situations, as it may indirectly, through enhancement of psychological well-being, contribute to enhance biculturals’ adaptive reactions in terms of distress as well as affect coping strategies during highly stressful events.

Two Cultures, One Identity: Biculturalism of Mexican American Undergraduate Students

ABSTRACT While the number of Hispanic undergraduate students enrolled in higher education has more than doubled in the past 15 years, graduation rates for this population continues to be well below that of white students. Understanding the unique life experiences of bicultural Hispanic undergraduate students becomes vital for higher education professionals to better support this unique population. The purpose of this study was to explore life experiences of undergraduate Mexican Americans through a phenomenology design specifically to highlight how biculturalism is reflected in their lives, how they navigate two cultures, and the way they construct their bicultural identity. By using rich qualitative data including interviews, photo elicitation, and document analysis, this study paints a descriptive picture of biculturalism within eight Mexican American college students. Results indicate that bicultural individuals organize and respond to their culture in terms of behavior and cognition independently from the feelings they experience while engaging in cultural frame switching. Even when participants were able to organize their dual cultures and compartmentalize them in their life, they still struggled with conflicting feelings. When cultures and ideologies of the participants clash and at times feel contradictory, these students still manage to respond and function in both cultures.

Emotion Word Processing in Immersed Spanish-English/English-Spanish Bilinguals: An ERP Study

We conducted a lexical decision task to measure Spanish-English/English-Spanish bilinguals’ behavioral (RT) and electrophysiological (EPN, Early Posterior Negativity and LPC, Late Positive Complex) responses to English emotion words and their Spanish translation equivalents. Bilingual participants varied in age of acquisition (AoA of Spanish/English: early, late), language status (L1 Spanish, L1 English) and language dominance (English-dominant, Spanish-dominant, balanced) but were all highly immersed bicultural individuals, uniformly more proficient in English than Spanish. Behavioral data showed faster and more accurate responses to English than Spanish targets; however, the emotion effect was only present for Spanish, with positive Spanish words recognized significantly faster than those that were negative or neutral. In the electrophysiological data, the emotion response was affected by language of the target stimulus, with English targets eliciting larger EPN amplitudes than Spanish targets. The reverse effect was found on the LPC component, where Spanish targets elicited a higher positivity than English targets. Dominance did not turn out to be a significant predictor of bilingual performance. Results point to the relevance of proficiency in modulating bilingual lexical processing and carry implications for experimental design when examining immersed bilinguals residing in codeswitching environments.

The Rhizomatic Arab American Identity in Laila Halaby’s West of the Jordan

This paper is an exploration of Arab American identity in Laila Halaby’s novel West of the Jordan in relation to postcolonialism. The purpose of this paper is to trace Arab American identity development West of the Jordan and to negotiate how the Arab American identity manifested itself in the diaspora to create a rhizomatic identity whose multiplicity denies singularity. The process of identity negotiation for bicultural individuals is psychologically challenging. Arab Americans in particular deal with this process in an environment where they are continuously viewed as “The Other.” Using the concepts of Homi Bhabha, Edward Said, and Stuart Hall in relation to the postcolonial theory, as well as Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari’s concepts of the rhizomatic identity, the study analyzes how Arab American identities are represented in the work of Halaby.

The neural processing of social norms in biculturals: The relation between cultural tightness and semantic processing

Perceptions of the appropriateness and inappropriateness of social norms across three ethnic groups in the U.S. were investigated using event-related potentials. N400 measures were elicited for appropriate versus inappropriate social scenarios from Asian American, Latinx, and European American participants along with self-reported perceptions of cultural tightness (Gelfand et al., 2011). As hypothesized, inappropriate scenarios elicited larger N400 responses compared to appropriate scenarios and the N400 was correlated with self-reported tightness in frontal electrodes. No differences across ethnic groups emerged in either self-reported tightness or in N400 response to norm deviations. Implications for norm adoption in bicultural individuals, replicability of previous findings, and culturally “embrained” processes of acculturation are discussed.

Feeling at Home in Two Cultural Worlds: Bicultural Identity Integration Moderates Felt Authenticity

Bicultural individuals navigate and identify with two cultures. Biculturals differ in levels of Bicultural Identity Integration (BII)—how much their two cultural identities are combined and compatible (high BII) versus divided and conflicting (low BII). We hypothesized that during conformity in cultural ingroup contexts, biculturals with low BII feel inauthentic (being untrue to themselves), whereas biculturals with high BII feel authentic (being true to themselves). Across four experiments with Asian-Americans, expressing cultural conformity (vs. non-conformity) in Asian or American contexts produced felt inauthenticity among participants with low BII but not high BII (Studies 1–3). Felt inauthenticity was due to cultural identity threat (perceived identity exclusion) (Study 2). Activating self-kindness counteracted felt inauthenticity for low BII participants during cultural conformity (Study 3) and produced felt authenticity (Study 4). Our findings imply that responding kindly to the self makes biculturals at ease in their cultural homes, at least temporarily.

Zahra or Zoe, Arjun or Andrew? Bicultural baby names reflect identity and pragmatic concerns.

Ethnic first names are a visible product of diversity in the West, yet little is known about the psychological factors that influence naming preferences and choices among bicultural individuals. Participants in Studies 1a (South Asian Canadians; N = 326) and 1b (Iranian Canadians; N = 126) were prospective parents who completed an online survey with measures of naming (consequences of ethnic naming, naming preferences) and psychological factors related to naming: heritage and mainstream acculturation, ethno-cultural continuity. Study 2 participants (N = 211) were parents of an Indian background living in three English speaking countries (Canada, United States, UK). They completed an online survey with measures of naming (consequences of ethnic naming, names as markers of cultural identity, actual naming choices) and psychological factors: heritage and mainstream cultural identifications, ethno-cultural continuity. Across all 3 studies we observed a strong preference for ethnic over mainstream names. In Studies 1a and 1b heritage acculturation and motivation for ethno-cultural continuity predicted stronger preference for ethnic names. In contrast, a preference for mainstream names was predicted by mainstream acculturation and expectations of negative consequences of ethnic names. In Study 2 choice of an ethnic name was positively related to beliefs about names as markers of ethnic identity, and negatively related to expectations of negative consequences of ethnic names. Baby naming among ethnic minorities is a complex cultural decision, reflecting both identity and pragmatic concerns. Implications for studies of acculturation and identity, and future research directions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Adaptation, integration and acculturation of foreign athletes in sports organizations in Romania and France

We live in an increasingly globalized and culturally diverse society, in which individuals with different cultural backgrounds, different education, different personalities and different values must work together and achieve optimal results. Moreover, these cultural differences are noticeable even within a group of people of the same nationality. At the same time, lately there are more and more bicultural individuals, who belong simultaneously to different cultures. Nowadays, sport has an enormous impact on society, being an extremely popular phenomenon on a global scale and which has become a business in which huge sums are spent. Sport can have both a unifying effect, bringing together different individuals, but at the same time it can emphasize cultural differences and deep ethnic differences. All these arguments justify the increased interest in multiculturalism in general, and in multiculturalism in sport in particular. Using SPSS software, this study proposes a quantitative comparative analysis of how the country in which athletes evolve, namely Romania and France, influences adaptation, self-confidence, team integration and market share of athletes.

Bolstering biculturals: Self-affirmation reduces contrastive responses to identity primes

Bicultural individuals often must select between different responses to a task implied by their dual identities. When one identity has been situationally primed, one strategy is to assimilate to the situational demand. However, another strategy is contrastive, to express their other identity. This second strategy has been called ethnic affirmation (Yang & Bond, 1980) and cultural contrast (Mok & Morris, 2013). It has been primarily explained as a defense against perceived threat to the specific identity that is excluded. The present studies posit that contrastive responses to cultural priming also may reflect a defense of biculturals' global self-integrity. We provide the first direct test of this mechanism by examining the effect of self-affirmation on the contrastive response tendency. In two experiments that varied self-affirmation and cultural priming, non-affirmed Chinese Americans showed contrastive responses—they exhibited greater extraversion in response to Chinese primes than to American primes in Study 1 or than to neutral primes in Study 2, but this pattern was significantly attenuated among Chinese Americans who engaged in self-affirmation. Theoretical implications are discussed.

Canadian identity attenuates the negative impact of familial rejection on psychological distress

Bicultural individuals generally maintain their heritage cultures and live in accordance with mainstream culture with relative ease. However, when the two cultures hold incompatible values, beliefs, and social norms over what is considered appropriate, bicultural individuals may face unique challenges. One such challenge is potentially experiencing rejection from their families for transgressing their heritage cultural norms, which can cause psychological distress. The present study explored the association of familial rejection for transgressing heritage cultural norms and psychological distress in situations where those norms are incompatible with mainstream Canadian norms, and the role that Canadian group identification plays. Results revealed that familial rejection for transgressing heritage cultural norms may be associated with psychological distress; however, that association can be attenuated for those who strongly identify as Canadian. Results of the present study provide empirical support for the widely held but untested assumption that bicultural individuals’ experiences of familial rejection for transgressing heritage cultural norms is associated with psychological distress. Additionally, results of the present study suggest that Canadian group identification can assist bicultural Canadians to better cope when their familial relationships are threatened as a result of their heritage cultural norm transgressions.

Nostalgia and Biculturalism: How Host-Culture Nostalgia Fosters Bicultural Identity Integration

Individuals who have been exposed to and internalized two cultures vary in the degree to which they perceive their cultural identities as compatible (bicultural identity integration; BII). An experiment tested whether nostalgia, an emotion that is prevalent among bicultural individuals, influences BII and does so via acculturation orientation toward the host culture. Participants were originally from Greece, living in other European countries. We instructed them to recall nostalgic or ordinary events either from their host country or home country. We then assessed acculturation orientation and BII. We hypothesized and found that host-nostalgia increased BII both directly and indirectly via a more positive acculturation orientation toward the host culture. The findings extend the literature on factors that facilitate BII, and showcase the potential of nostalgia to improve biculturality.

Implicit Biculturalism Theories: How Bicultural Individuals Perceive Others and Organize Their Own Cultures

ABSTRACT Bicultural individuals who blend their two cultures and identities (i.e., subscribe to a mixed culture) may assume that other bicultural individuals blend their cultures and identities too. Here, we introduce the concept and assessment of implicit biculturalism theories: beliefs about how two cultures reside within one individual. We hypothesized that bicultural individuals would perceive and think about others’ biculturalism based on how they organize and structure their own two cultures and identities (i.e., cultural blendedness). Taking a person-specific (rather than variable-centered) approach, we examined the associations among variables within each of 54 Asian Americans who completed the Role Construct Repertory Test and subjected the data to multiple-group confirmatory components analysis, conducted for each participant. We found that bicultural identity and person perception are linked: Participants with higher levels of cultural blendedness expressed the implicit biculturalism theory that cultures are also blended for other people. This suggests that bicultural individuals engage in egocentric processes to perceive others and interpret their biculturalism. These findings may have implications for social interactions, such that implicit biculturalism theories may affect how perceivers act toward targets, the targets’ reciprocal perceptions of the perceivers, and their subsequent relationship.

Examining the role of majority group attitudes and bicultural identity integration on bicultural students' behavioral responses toward White Americans.

Across a correlational cross-sectional and experimental study, we investigate how contextual variables, such as majority group perceptions, interact with individual variables, such as the relationship between ethnic and national identity, to ultimately influence intergroup relations between bicultural individuals and White Americans. Across 2 studies (Study 1, n = 187; Study 2, n = 176), bicultural participants completed a battery of surveys measuring bicultural identity integration, impressions of majority group attitudes, and behavioral intentions targeted at majority group members. Additionally, majority group attitudes were experimentally manipulated in Study 2. Individuals with integrated bicultural identities were more likely to approach and less likely to avoid majority members. Although perceptions of negative majority group attitudes are typically associated with negative intergroup relations, individuals with greater harmony (Study 1) and blendedness (Study 2) between their ethnic and national identities were buffered from these adverse effects. These findings highlight the importance of both individual and contextual factors in intergroup relations. The distinct effects of blendedness and harmony across self-report and experimental studies have theoretical and practical implications for our understanding of bicultural identity integration. Finally, implications for encouraging more positive intercultural relationships between majority and minority group members will be discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

The better, the worse, and the bicultural: examining bicultural competence and bicultural liability in elite football teams

Researchers have argued that biculturals have performance and behavioural advantages over their mono-cultural peers within multi-cultural teams. We test this claim with performance data from 442 association football players that participated in the 2012-2013 English Premier League season. As expected, bicultural individuals were found to exhibit higher levels of creativity and manifest leadership behaviour more often than monoculturals did; however, biculturals were also found to exhibit higher levels of stress susceptibility and were regarded as less effective leaders by their teammates. We use these findings to develop the construct of bicultural liability and identify how biculturalism can affect individual skills.

Forms of Blended Bicultural Identity: Identity Conflict and Harmony in Culturally Diverse Mauritius

This study used a person-centered approach to distinguish groups of bicultural (national and ethnocultural) individuals in culturally diverse Mauritius. We focused on experiences of harmony or conflict among blended bicultural individuals and used representative data from the three numerically largest ethnocultural groups (Hindus, Creoles, and Muslims; Ntotal = 1,768). Cluster analyses indicated three groups of individuals with different identity profiles: conflicted blends (50%), harmonious blends (41%), and low blends (9%). Conflicted compared with harmonious blends were more concerned about keeping their ethnic group distinct and about the societal recognition of cultural diversity. In addition, higher social distance vis-à-vis outgroups was found among conflicted blends compared with harmonious blends. The findings for the three identity profiles are discussed in relation to existing theories on bicultural identity, Mauritius’ approach to ethnocultural diversity, and the country’s three main ethnocultural groups.