Acculturation Perceptions Research Articles

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.

Being specific: Exploring acculturation in work and private settings.

Adopting a comprehensive approach, we examined immigrants' actual and ideal acculturation, as well as host-country nationals' (HCNs) immigrant acculturation perceptions and preferences in terms of behaviors, values, and identities in work and private settings. We examined any differences within and across settings for each group. Participants included 428 Hispanic immigrants and 662 HCNs in the United States. We used a 2 × 2 × 2 repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to examine whether differences for each group exist within and across work and private settings. Both within and across settings, Hispanic immigrants' actual and ideal acculturation did not differ. The only exception to this pattern involved heritage practices and identities across settings. In contrast, HCNs perceived and preferred Hispanic immigrants to acculturate differently both within and across work and private settings. The only exception to this pattern involved preferences of adopting U.S. national values and identities across settings. Taking a more comprehensive approach to study acculturation allows a more accurate picture on how immigrants acculturate and HCNs' perceptions and preferences of such acculturation, which is critical in understanding intercultural relations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Which immigrant acculturation strategies are perceived as (im)moral? Consequences on the emotions and behavioral intentions expressed by host populations

IntroductionNorth Africans immigrants in France are devalued and discriminated. Research suggests that the acculturation strategy they adopt impacts the way they are perceived on the stereotype content model's warmth and competence dimensions and the emotions and behavioral intentions they elicit (BIAS map model). ObjectiveConsidering that the warmth dimension consists of two sub-dimensions — sociability and morality — the present study explores how perceived morality influences the BIAS map's predictions as a function of perceptions of acculturation. MethodWe randomly assigned 343 participants to one of four groups. Participants in each group read extracts from an interview with a male North African immigrant who expressed one of four acculturation strategies (integrationist, assimilationist, separationist, marginalist). They then expressed their perceptions of the immigrant (stereotypes) and the emotions and behavioral intentions he inspired. ResultsAs hypothesized, the assimilationist target was attributed more sociability than the separationist and marginalist targets and less morality than the integrationist and separationist targets. Unexpectedly, participants expressed strong active facilitating behavioral intentions (help and protect) both toward the least moral target (assimilationist) and toward the most moral targets (integrationist and separationist). ConclusionFirst, considering morality in addition to sociability and competence can enrich the BIAS map model's predictive capability. Second, although host populations may perceive assimilationist and separationist acculturation strategies as differing in terms of morality, these different perceptions may lead to similar helping and protection behavioral intentions. Some explanations are suggested.

Acculturation, Work-Related Stressors, and Respective Coping Strategies among Male Indonesian Migrant Workers in the Manufacturing Industry in Taiwan: A Post-COVID Investigation.

Globalization has prompted cross-cultural migration in search of employment opportunities, and poor adaptation during acculturation is widely known to cause additional psychosocial stress. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate migrant workers’ perceptions of acculturation, identify work-related stressors, and understand the respective coping strategies among male Indonesians in the manufacturing industry, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen workers were recruited and interviewed on their acculturation experiences. We found that the workers were susceptible to forced adaptation to stressful conditions relating to work organization, economic distress, interaction with the manpower agencies, language barriers, and so on. During the pandemic, workers experienced overload, economic hardship, suspended home visits, isolation, discrimination, and fear of cluster infection in the crowded dormitory. We also found that workers were able to adopt coping strategies by capitalizing on resources at the individual, institutional, and governmental policy levels to actively solve problems, increase emotional support, and fortify self-appraisals. The identified coping strategies could inform policy development to assist with positive adaptation and promote the well-being of the migrant worker population.

Using LEGO® Serious Play® Methodology in supporting Nigerian nursing students' sociocultural transitions to UK higher education: A phenomenological research study

IntroductionFrom an historical perspective the United Kingdom (UK) has been the first European country of choice for Nigerian students wishing to study overseas. As an international contingent, Nigerian students continue to represent the UK's third largest international student body. This paper provides an insight into research undertaken to examine students' capacity to transition into the UK Higher Education system from a sociocultural perspective. Across the UK Higher Education Institutions (HEI's) have addressed issues surrounding internationalisation and decolonisation of the portfolio of programmes available to overseas students, with strategic curriculum design and justification processes evident in the extant literature. This project uses an innovative approach for the facilitation of dialogue with international students about their experiences of transitioning into UK systems of learning and teaching using a social constructivism approach. AimsThe aim of the research was to explore sociocultural perspectives which impacted on self-reported transitions to UK HEI's by Nigerian students. The objectives of the study were to a) provide a reflective lens of perspective on international student transitioning experiences for HEIs, educators and policymakers b) illuminate the challenges and barriers faced by Nigerian students during their transition from Nigerian to UK HE systems and infrastructures and c) to co-construct authentic and pragmatic knowledge of how best Nigerian students can be supported in their transition to UK HEI's. MethodsSmith (2010) interpretive phenomenological analysis, integrating qualitative research methods was implemented as a means of undertaking research facilitated using LEGO® Serious Play® Methodology as an innovative method of data collection. Twenty participants were recruited purposively to the study from an annual cohort of nursing students at a satellite Higher Education Institution (HEI) campus in Metropolitan city. Quirkos was used as a software package in analysing the data and establishing the salience as well as the commonality of emergent themes. ResultsFindings reveal the extent to which sociocultural acclimation is of importance in the process of transition to UK HEIs. The perception of complex ambiguity surrounding the design and delivery of UK academic curricula was also reported as challenging by Nigerian students. Self-reported comments from Nigerian nursing students revealed the priori existence of negative learning experience, including lack of IT facilities, culturally rooted family expectations and responsibilities which then influenced perceptions and experiences of learning and teaching in the UK. Negative experiences included perceptions of racism regarding skin colour, fashion sense and UK practice focused on authentic assessment opportunities. ConclusionThe small purposive sample of participants who engaged in this study, illuminated that students' prior experiences have the potential to influence their current pedagogical experience, in accordance with the principles of social constructivism. Most participants reported their experience of the transition period of entry to UK education varied between individuals, perhaps most significantly that perceptions of acculturation, acclimatisation and overall transition to the UK took between four and six months for a programme that may only have one year's duration.

The Way We See Others in Intercultural Relations: The Role of Stereotypes in the Acculturation Preferences of Spanish and Moroccan-Origin Adolescents.

Although the relationship between stereotypes and acculturation preferences has been previously studied from the majority perspective among adults, the perspective of adolescents and minority groups is understudied. This research analyzed the contribution of four stereotype dimensions (i.e., morality, immorality, sociability, and competence) to the acculturation preferences of Spanish adolescents and adolescents of Moroccan-origin, the moderating role of stereotypes in intergroup acculturation discrepancies, and the interaction of stereotypes with acculturation perceptions on acculturation preferences. A sample of 488 Spanish adolescents and 360 adolescents of Moroccan-origin living in Spain, from 12 to 19 years old, reported how moral, immoral, social, and competent they perceive each other to be. Spanish adolescents reported their perception about how Moroccan youth were acculturating in terms of maintaining their original culture and adopting the host culture, and their acculturation preferences in the same dimensions. Adolescents of Moroccan-origin reported to what extent they were maintaining their original culture and adopting the host culture, their acculturation preferences, and their ethnic and national (Spanish) identity. Results showed that adolescents of Moroccan-origin reported more positive perceptions of Spanish youth than conversely. The perceived immorality of the outgroup was important for understanding the preferences for adopting the host culture of both groups, but in the opposite direction. The four stereotype dimensions modulated the majority-minority discrepancies in preferences for cultural adoption. An analysis of the interaction between stereotypes and perceived adoption on acculturation preferences showed that when Spanish adolescents perceived that Moroccan youth were not adopting the Spanish culture, perceived morality and sociability played a role in their preferences for adoption. The less moral and sociable Moroccans were perceived, the more preference for cultural adoption. These findings support the importance of considering stereotypes in acculturation studies of majority and minority groups, as well as the relevance of including these perceptions in interventions aimed at improving intercultural relations.

Variants of biculturalism in migrant and host adolescents living in Italy and Spain: Testing the importance of life domains through the Relative Acculturation Extended Model.

Several variants of biculturalism have recently been proposed (Schwartz, Birman, Benet-Martínez, & Unger, 2016). Nevertheless, few studies have identified different types of bicultural individuals, and no one has addressed the possibility that these types could depend on acculturation domains. By using the Relative Acculturation Extended Model (RAEM), this study aimed to explore if different variants of biculturalism could be individuated, and if some of these variants were sensitive to life domains. Four samples of migrant and host adolescents living in Italy (n = 173 and n = 186) and Spain (n = 139 and n = 156) answered a questionnaire about acculturation perceptions and preferences in central and peripheral life domains. Together with acculturation options consistent with Berry's (1997) model (full-assimilation, full-separation and full-marginalisation), some variants of biculturalism emerged from the latent class analysis: full-high and full-low integration, which were not sensitive to life domains; and "alternate" acculturation options that were sensitive to life domains, with participants switching from their original culture to the host culture according to the peripheral and central domains. Acculturation options varied across the four samples, with Italians switching more from one culture to another, and Spanish adolescents being more full-high or full-low integrated.

The majority's perceptions about adaptation to the host society of different immigrant groups: The distinct role of warmth and threat

The main objective of this research was to show that majority members differ in their perceptions of different immigrant groups as regards their warmth, competence, similarity, and triggered threat, and that these differences might explain why majority members vary in their perception of adaptation and the perceived need to adapt for different immigrant groups. Particularly, the study aimed to test the distinct role of stereotypes (especially the warmth dimension) and perceived threat (especially realistic threat) in predicting the majority's perception of adaptation and the need for immigrants to adapt. Spanish participants (N=307) responded to a questionnaire assessing Moroccan, Romanian, and Ecuadorian immigrants, reporting their perceptions of adaptation and the need for immigrants to adapt to the host society, on two dimensions of stereotypes (warmth and competence), perceived (realistic and symbolic) threat, and intergroup similarity. Results showed that the majority's perceptions about immigrants were specific to the immigrant target assessed. The psychosocial variables that predicted perception of adaptation and need to adapt differed depending on the immigrant target assessed, although warmth generally predicted perception of adaptation, and perceived threat generally predicted need to adapt. Accordingly, warmth was found to be a mediator in predicting perception of adaptation, whereas perceived realistic threat was a mediator when predicting the need to adapt. Intergroup similarity was a reliable mediator in both perception of adaptation and need to adapt. Overall, warmth seemed to be more closely related with acculturation perceptions, whereas perceived threat was more related with acculturation preferences.

Explaining majority members’ acculturation preferences for minority members: A mediation model

Two studies were conducted to integrate processes described in the literature on acculturation, stereotype content, and intergroup threat. Spanish majority members filled out questionnaires about their views of Moroccan immigrants (Study 1) and Ecuadorian immigrants (Study 2). They reported their perception of the immigrants’ endorsement of culture maintenance and adoption, their preferences for immigrants to maintain the original culture and adopt the host culture, their positive stereotypes about immigrants, and perceptions of threat. Results showed that ‘perceived culture adoption’ had an effect on ‘stereotypes’, which in turn had an effect on ‘perceived threat’, which in turn had an effect on ‘preference for culture maintenance’ (Studies 1 and 2) and ‘preference for culture adoption’ (Study 1). Moreover, results confirmed that there were significant indirect effects of the majority's acculturation perceptions on majority members’ acculturation preferences, yielding further support that ‘stereotypes’ and ‘perceived threat’ are important mediators in the process. Stereotypes and perceived threat were both consequences of majority members’ acculturation perceptions and predictors of majority members’ acculturation preferences.

Majority Children's Evaluation of Acculturation Preferences of Immigrant and Emigrant Peers

Using an experimental design, native majority group children (8-13years, N=842) evaluated acculturation strategies (assimilation, integration, and separation) adopted by immigrant and emigrant peers. There were medium to large effects of the perceived acculturation strategies on children's peer evaluations. Overall, assimilation was valued most, followed by integration and separation. These effects were in part mediated by perceived national belonging. In addition, the effects were stronger for lower status compared to higher status immigrant groups, and for children with higher compared to lower national identification. For emigrants, separation was valued most, followed by integration and assimilation. This indicates that the intergroup processes rather than migration per se are important for children's acculturation perceptions and evaluations.

The impact of a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education on university lecturers appointed for their professional expertise at a teaching-led university: ‘It’s made me braver’

This article explores the impact of a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education (PG Cert.) on new lecturers, appointed for their professional expertise. It focuses on staff perceptions of acculturation into the discourses of university learning and teaching. Drawing on a literature review which reveals (at best) ambivalent evidence of impact, the authors developed a case study investigating impact on staff changing careers into university teaching on the basis of their professional expertise. The data reveal positive outcomes, including the transition into confident and competent higher education professionals.