Assessing the Effect of Learning Knowledge About Canadian Values and Social Axioms for Newcomers’ Adapting to Canada
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Understanding the Understanding Through Intervention: Assessing The Effect of Learning Knowledge About Canadian Values and Social Axioms for Newcomers’ Adapting to Canada by Stryker Shay Calvez A Thesis presented to The University of Guelph In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology Guelph, Ontario, Canada © Stryker Shay Calvez, July, 2014 ABSTRACT UNDERSTANDING THE UNDERSTANDING THROUGH INTERVENTION: ASSESSING THE EFFECT OF LEARNING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CANADIAN VALUES AND SOCIAL AXIOMS FOR NEWCOMERS’ ADAPTING TO CANADA Stryker Shay Calvez Advisor University of Guelph, 2014 Dr. Saba Safdar Through three studies, the effect that knowledge of Canadian values and social axioms has on immigrants’ and sojourners’ adaptation to Canadian society was examined. Values and social axioms have been found to be important descriptors of sociocultural behaviour. The learning approach to acculturation, how people manage and learn through the acculturation process, is an important theoretical perspective in cross-cultural research and the cross-cultural training literature. Study 1 established representative value and social axiom scores for a community sample of 448 participants living in the Southern Ontario region. Study 2 examined the role that values and social axioms of 143 immigrants and sojourners had on their adaptation to Ontario society. Both constructs were found to uniquely explain the variance in psychological and behavioural adaptation, but values were a stronger predictor than social axioms. The specific values that explained participants’ psychological adaptation to Ontario society were the same values that Ontario people rated as the most important (i.e., Tradition, Power, Conformity, and Stimulation). Value and social axiom fit variables were not found to explain any variance. Study 3 used a quasi-experimental design to assess if teaching 38 immigrants and sojourners (i.e., the experimental group) about Canadian culture, specifically Ontarian values and social axioms, would positively impact their psychological and behavioural adaptation more than what was found for 35 newcomers (i.e., the control group) who received no training. No support was found for the hypotheses. All three studies contributed in their own way to a better understanding of how cultural knowledge might impact immigrants’ and sojourners’ adaptation to a host culture. The main findings were an increased understanding in the accurate assessment of cultural values and social axioms, the role that values play in psychological adaptation, and the importance of finding community based approaches for cross-cultural training with community samples. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have been fortunate to meet many dedicated and hardworking people who are invested in helping newcomers to make Canada their new home. Their depth of knowledge and compassion was both humbling and inspiring. While there are countless people who I am grateful to for their help, I would like to acknowledge several people who were instrumental in making this research possible. First, it was Josie from COSTI who was able to see my vision, provide support, and introduce me to George, Olga, Katherine, and Mirella at the Welcome Centre Immigrant Services. These people were my biggest sources of support. No less important, Surabhi and Margaret from Community Matters Toronto were two courageous and hardworking people who offered so much assistance and asked for so little. Next, Aimee from ACCES Employment and Jim from The Centre for Education and Training were both quick to provide enormous support. Romin and Marc from the University of Toronto were instrumental in helping me find my last few participants, which allowed me to move one step closer to defending my dissertation. Finally, Cynthia, my RA, was a daily support. Thank you all. To my supervisor, Saba Safdar, from the beginning you respected my research goals and helped me to find my way. Your intelligence, indomitable and adventurous spirit, and compassionate wisdom always showed me the way. There are no kinder words that I can say to you than I hope to be like you one day and inspire and support others to explore the field of cross-cultural psychology. To my friends, Howie, David, Ren, Joe, Kim, Rachelle, Darcy, Mat, Rich, Dave, and Mike, thank you for listening to all my rants while supporting all my efforts. To my mom and dad, you both provided me with different strengths that were crucial for my journey. Mom, you are fierce and stubborn and you never let anyone stand in your way. Dad, v you are a sensitive soul and a compassionate man with endless patience. My past, present, and future successes are thanks to you. To my father- and mother- in-law, Rick and Laurel, your overwhelming acceptance, understanding, and patience have helped make my life manageable and provided me a safe place to expand my dreams and realize my future. Last, and not least, to my family: Lila, Autumn, Sam, and my soon to be little man. Lila, you have always challenged me to reach higher, to do more, and to be better. In every sense of who I am, I am a better person for knowing and loving you. With unconditional love, support, and patience, you have helped me to become the man I always wanted to be. To Autumn and my little man, I have done all of this to show you that you can do anything you want as long as you never stop trying. To Sam, I will always love and miss you; you are my shooting star. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................................................iii List of Tables............................................................................................................................................................................ viii List of Figures.......................................................................................................................................................................... viii INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................................................................1 Culture: Values and Social Axioms.......................................................................................................... 7 Adaptation to a Host Culture .................................................................................................................. 17 Rationale for the Research...................................................................................................................... 24 STUDY 1 ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 METHOD..................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Participants and Procedures .................................................................................................................... 33 Materials ................................................................................................................................................. 34 RESULTS ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 DISCUSSION............................................................................................................................................................................... 48 STUDY 2 ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Hypotheses.............................................................................................................................................. 54 METHOD..................................................................................................................................................................................... 57 Participants and Procedures .................................................................................................................... 57 Materials ................................................................................................................................................. 58 RESULTS ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 60 Preliminary Analyses.............................................................................................................................. 60 Correlational Analyses............................................................................................................................ 65 Primary Analyses.................................................................................................................................... 69 DISCUSSION............................................................................................................................................................................... 76 STUDY 3 .....................................................................................................................................................................................