Acculturation

Acculturation has been broadly defined as any change that results from contact between individuals, or groups of individuals, and those from different cultural backgrounds. The conflict and stress that arises adversely affects the health and status of the immigrant, although native populations may also be affected. Current research focuses mainly on behaviors, beliefs and attitudes found in different social, ethnic, religious, age, and other groups. However, there is no general consensus as to the components or characteristics of acculturation, or how they should be measured and assessed. Other fundamental concerns include the wide variability in the measurement of human thought and response, the lack of generalizability and uniformity evidenced by the many survey instruments and scales used for different groups and populations today, and the difficulty in demonstrating a clear relationship between components of acculturation and health and other outcomes. This book discusses the psychology, processes and global perspectives of acculturation.