An ecological approach to psychological adjustment: A field survey among refugees in Germany

The situation of refugees in Germany and other countries is a current and important matter. The present study adopts an ecological approach to investigate how refugees perceive the welcoming climate in Germany and the consequences of this perception. To further explore the refugees’ situation, we examined several predictors of their psychological adjustment and acculturation attitudes. In a field study in Eastern Germany with N= 94 refugees as participants, we assessed the perceived context of reception, and perceived acculturation attitudes as contextual variables, discrimination and contact as intergroup variables and, on the individual level, psychological adjustment as well as the personal acculturation attitudes as dependent variables. The results revealed that more perceived discrimination resulted in an increase in reported psychological problems. Refugees living in asylum centers reported more psychological problems and more perceived discrimination than those living in independent housing. The perceived context of reception positively predicted refugees’ desire for maintenance of intergroup relations with the host society. Positive intergroup contact lowered their desire for cultural maintenance. In sum, this study gives us rare and valuable insight into refugees’ perspectives in the context of recent immigration to Germany. In doing so, it emphasizes the importance of a welcoming climate. The study shows how meaningful the assessment of the perceived context of reception is. Practical implications for fields such as the accommodation of refugees are discussed.     

An Exploratory Study of Part-Time Minorities: Finding Home as a Minority Member

This study examines an atypical population of immigrants in Taiwan who immigrated in search of home, self-discovery, and career opportunities. Many of these immigrants sit at the nexus of privilege and othering with their ability to pass as Caucasian. Through the participatory method Photovoice and semi-structured interviews, I investigate the fluid nature of identity processes, the extent that acculturation hinges on predetermined factors, and the benefits and costs of biculturalism, which include cultural fusion and liminality. Additionally, I investigate the impact of context on acculturation strategies and the experience of transformation.     

Villagers’ acculturation in China’s land expropriation-induced resettlement neighborhood: A Shanghai case

Land expropriation-induced resettlement (LEIR) is an emerging land phenomenon manifested in Chinese cities to accommodate urban transformation and outward expansion. The resettlement has forced affected rural dwellers to leave their villages and be resettled to high-density urban neighborhoods. By employing surveys with relocated villagers from two different types of LEIR neighborhoods in suburban Shanghai, this paper extends the acculturation discourse to examine villagers’ life transformation in resettlement neighborhoods. Our study addresses three research questions. First, what are the general acculturation patterns manifested among resettled villagers during their life transformation in LEIR neighborhoods? Second, how do individual acculturation outcomes vary by socio-demographic attributes of resettled villagers? Third, how do villagers’ acculturation outcomes influence their current residence preferences? The results indicate villagers’ stronger inclination toward rural village culture than urban neighborhood culture. For the socio-demographic attributes, we find that older villagers are more likely to maintain their original culture; villagers with higher education levels better adapt to urban neighborhood culture; multi-generation living benefits intercultural learning and exchange; and pre-resettlement conditions influence villagers’ acculturation. We further contend that an increase in the probability of a villager’s residence preference for LEIR neighborhoods aligns with an increase in that person’s adherence to urban neighborhood culture and/or a decrease in that individual’s continuity of rural village culture. Comparing the results collected from the two types of resettlement neighborhoods, we posit that socio-spatial mixture and diversity facilitates villagers’ urban integration. Finally, we suggest long-term institutional supports to be continuously provided to resettled villagers for building adaptive resilience.     

Testing a modified Interactive Acculturation Model in Japan: American–Japanese coworker relations

Japan is the world's fastest “graying society.” Numerous experts advocate expanding the non-Japanese workforce to prevent a debilitating labor shortage. To promote positive intercultural relations between Japanese and incoming non-Japanese workers, it is prudent to examine which factors have contributed to creating a smooth acculturation process so far for both groups vs. those which have not. This research aimed to do so by assessing how the acculturation strategy compatibility between Japanese and American coworkers affected their quality of intercultural relations (N = 194). Bourhis and colleagues’ Interactive Acculturation Model (“IAM”) was used to predict which acculturation strategy combinations were most likely to produce positive intercultural relationships. With the independent variable of acculturation strategy alignment (i.e., Consensual, Problematic, and Conflictual acculturation strategy combinations, or “IAM types”), five dependent measures of quality of intergroup relations were employed. Statistical analyses revealed that Conflictual IAM types often scored lower on the dependent measures than Consensual or Problematic IAM types—as predicted by the IAM. However, Consensual IAM types did not score significantly higher than Problematic ones on any of the dependent variables, which contradicted one of the IAM's fundamental premises. Problematic IAM types’ constructive use of stress, as well as their deeper acculturation to their cultural outgroup, likely resulted in them posting comparable scores to Consensual types. Consequently, Consensual and Problematic types were expanded to four subtypes to better explain these findings. Finally, recommendations were made for modifying acculturation expectations among Japanese and Americans to better integrate both groups into their work organizations.     

Relationship between perceived acculturation expectations and Muslim minority youth's acculturation and adaptation

Acculturation strategies have frequently been used to describe how members of ethnic minorities reconcile their heritage culture with the culture of their society of residence. Recently, studies have started to pay increased attention to the fact that the choice of acculturation strategy does not take place in a social vacuum. In the present study, we test whether the perception of assimilation expectations held by the societal majority (PSAE) as well as separation expectations held by ethnic peers (PESE) may be related to individuals’ own acculturation strategy. Furthermore, we investigate whether these perceived expectations are directly related to stress and indirectly to adaptation, mediated by acculturation strategies. All relationships were investigated using multi-group structural equation modeling with members from three Muslim minority groups: 301 German-Turks, 302 French-Maghrebis and 262 British-Pakistanis. Across the samples, PSAE was associated with higher degrees of stress. PESE was negatively related to integration, while it was positively related to separation. In addition, PESE was indirectly and negatively related with self-esteem and/or socio-cultural adaptation in all samples. The impact of societal assimilation expectation appears to be limited in this regard. In all, the present study suggests that perceived acculturation expectations may influence ethnic minorities’ acculturation strategy. The results also suggest that perceived expectations that contrast with individuals’ personal acculturation preference could result in higher levels of stress and lower levels of psychological and socio-cultural adaptation, mediated by acculturation strategies.     

Team cohesion and ethnic–cultural identity in adolescent migrant athletes

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of sport participation in the social integration of adolescents with non-dominant ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In particular, this study investigated the relationship between team cohesion and ethnic–cultural identity. Participants were 83 young migrant athletes (mean age 15.60 years). Participants completed the Ethnic/Cultural Identity Salience Questionnaire and the Youth Sport Environment Questionnaire. Regression analyses showed that cohesion negatively predicted feelings of fringe and lack of interaction. Our findings suggest that sport participation, particularly in cohesive teams, can facilitate the development of adaptive identity toward the goal of social integration in migrant adolescents.     

Is multiculturalism a viable path in Chile? Intergroup and acculturative perspectives on Chilean society and Peruvian immigrants

Many Western democracies have implemented multiculturalism to integrate different minority groups, including immigrants. What happens with countries that are recently experiencing an increasing growth in their immigration rates? This is the case of Chile. As a consequence of continuing economic growth, it has become an attractive destination to people from neighbouring nations. Among these immigrants, Peruvians are the largest group. Since in Chile multiculturalism has started to become an issue of public opinion, the current study analyzed levels of endorsement of multiculturalism and differences in Socioeconomic Status (SES) among Chileans (N = 300) and Peruvian immigrants (N = 400). Based on the Instrumental Model of Group Conflict and Social Identity Theory, we tested predictors of multiculturalism. In addition, we analyzed the relationship between acculturation and intergroup variables in both samples. Findings showed Chilean endorsement of multiculturalism. This was negatively associated with perceived threat and Social Dominance Orientation, especially among people of low SES. Moreover, permeability and legitimacy proposed by Social Identity Theory emerged as important predictors of desire for separation among Peruvian immigrants. These results are discussed in terms of its conceptual and public policy implications in Chile.     

Whither multiculturalism? Global identities at a cross-roads

Technological advancement and the quantum leap in global trade had enabled many countries to enter an era of multiculturalism where intergroup contact with members of another ethno-cultural community is the norm rather than the exception. While this phase of economic development is considered progressive by many, it is also regarded as a perilous stage in nation building. Immigration, acculturation, and intergroup tensions will form the nexus of all future contestations with the various social groups negotiating with and/or vying against one another for political rights and status. At the same time, the notion of culture has become increasingly blurred given the multiplicity and interwoven nature of social identity arising from the transnational human movement and the transmission of values. With these considerations in mind, this chapter explores and extrapolates the emerging fabric of multiculturalism across various continents using a historical, socio-political, and psychological lens. Contemporary acculturation and intergroup frameworks are re-visited with the aim to discover new theoretical insights, while keeping in mind the possible trajectory of multiculturalism and how diversity will be managed in the decades to come.     

Acculturation orientations and religious identity as predictors of Anglo-Australians’ attitudes towards Australian Muslims

Poll studies have shown an increase in Anglo-Australians’ negative attitudes towards Australian Muslims. Such studies, however, by their nature present Anglo-Australians as a relatively unified group, making a limited scientific contribution to the understanding of intergroup relations. The present study aimed at revealing differences within Anglo-Australians by examining the extent to which their acculturation orientations and religious identity play a role in differentiating the levels of positive and negative attitudes they hold towards Australian Muslims. A total of 170 second year University students (116 females and 54 males) with a mean age of 22.09 (SD = 5.98) participated in the study. Generally, findings revealed that while Integrationist and Individualist were the most endorsed acculturation orientations, Assimilationist and Segregationist emerged the least, and participants recorded more positive attitudes towards Muslims than negative attitudes. Additionally, Integrationist and Individualist orientations were positively related to positive attitudes and negatively related to negative attitudes; the reverse was the case for Assimilationist and Segregationist orientations. Religious identity of Anglo-Australians predicted positive attitudes towards Australian Muslims but did not predict negative attitudes.     

引入用户情感偏好矩阵的ItemCF算法研究

传统基于物品的协同过滤算法（ItemCF）利用物品间的相似性为用户提供个性化推荐,然而该方法仅考虑了评分数据,而未关注用户情感偏好。基于从评论中的emoji表情提炼出的用户情感偏好,提出一种引入用户情感编号矩阵的ItemCF算法。该方法利用物品共现矩阵与用户情感偏好矩阵计算物品相似度,进而进行个性化推荐。根据某在线互联网教育实证数据集的实验结果表明,该方法相比于传统基于物品的协同过滤算法,在准确率和召回率上都有所提升,在Top1-5推荐均值上分别提高了0.02和0.03。