Cultural adaptation and societal context: The role of historical heterogeneity in cultural adaptation of newcomers |
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| Institution: | 1. University of Denver, United States;2. University of Dayton, United States;3. University of Michigan, United States;4. University of Victoria, Canada;1. School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia;2. Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia;1. Department of Social Science, Springfield College, 263 Alden Street, Springfield, MA 01109, USA;2. JSI Research & Training Institute, Arlington, VA, USA;3. Department of Anthropology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA;4. Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA;1. Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081, United States;2. George Mason University, 310 Enterprise Hall, Fairfax, VA 22030, United States;1. University of Bologna, Department of Psychology, Berti Pichat 5, Bologna, Italy;2. Social Sciences University of Ankara, Department of Sociology, 06050, Ulus, Alt?nda?, Ankara, Turkey;1. School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, Singapore;2. University of Dayton, United States;3. University of Michigan, United States |
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| Abstract: | In today’s global world, it has become increasingly important for individuals moving to a different country for work, study, or permanent relocation to successfully adapt to this new culture. Responding to recent calls in the literature for more ecological approaches to the study of cultural adaptation, we examine the effect of host country historical heterogeneity—or, the extent to which a country’s current inhabitants descended from a diverse pool of ancestors—on newcomers’ cultural adaptation to that country. Across two studies, we find that higher levels of host country historical heterogeneity predict higher rates of cultural adaptation among newcomers. This relationship persists even when accounting for individual characteristics of the newcomers and sociocultural/economic characteristics of the home and host countries. These results suggest that a country’s historical levels of diversity may contribute to the successful adaptation of newcomers above and beyond their personal characteristics, their home country environment, or current conditions in the host country, including current levels of diversity. These results have practical implications for facilitating newcomers’ successful cultural adaptation. |
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| Keywords: | Cultural adaptation Historical heterogeneity Culture |
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