A Review of “Rethinking the Concept of Acculturation” (Schwartz, Unger, Zamboanga, & Szapocznik, 2010)
Previous Models of Acculturation
Receiving-culture
Heritage-culture
Bina Ali
Emily Blevins
CAPER Meeting 11/4/2013
Originally conceptualized as a unidimensional process
- Limitation: heritage culture retention and receiving culture acquisition as opposing ends of a continuum
Berry’s bidimensional model of acculturation
- Two dimensions creating four categories:
- Limitations: arbitrary cut points, questionable validity of marginalization, and “one size fits all” perspective (i.e., lack of contextual and demographic consideration)
Discussion
- How strong is the empirical evidence for the three dimensions of acculturation (practices, values, identifications)? Do these categories seem complete? Is anything missing?
- Schwartz et al. (2010) argue that demography and context moderate acculturation. Should these factors be included in the multidimensional model?
- How could this multidimensional model be incorporated into research on immigrant health outcomes?
Rethinking the "One Size Fits All" Model
Demography
Context
- Language
- Country of origin
- Location of resettlement
- SES
- Category of migrant
(voluntary, refugees, asylum seekers, sojourners)
(attitudes of receiving-culture)
Multidimensional Model of Acculturation
- Acculturation: a complex phenomenon consisting of distinct components in terms of heritage and receiving cultural dimensions and in terms of practices, values, and identifications.
Background: Acculturation
"What changes during the process of acculturation"
- Acculturation: changes as a result of contact with culturally dissimilar, people, groups, and social influences
- Associated with health outcomes
- Study’s purpose: propose an expanded, multidimensional model of acculturation that takes into account demography & context