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Influence of Acculturation Styles on Perceptions of Conformity Among Immigrants and Non-Immigrants

Ghazaleh Parizi

Framingham State College

This study examined lhe effecls of acculturation styles on perception of conformity. A total of 120 college students were solicited from a college in the Northeast and randomly assigned to read one of three scenarios involving an immigrant with either an assimilation, integration or separation acculturation style. They completed questionnaires that included measures of conformity, cultural attitudes, self-esteem, and self-monitoring tendencies. The results indicated that college students reported more positive attitudes toward with an integration acculturation styles than individuals with an assimilation and separation styles. Furthermore, college students perceived immigrants with assimilation acculturation styles as more conforming than those wilh integration and separation styles.

The United States is the land of acculturation involves a change in attitude and immigrants. Every person living in this behavior when there is contact with members country, with the exception of the Native of a host group that is also the dominant social Americans, can trace his or her ancestry to group in a community. If this acculturation countries outside of the United States. Some process is a two-way interaction between the people were shipped to America against their individuals and their host , it is called will, some carne in search of more religious integration and can be mutually beneficial for and political freedoms, while others came in both groups. However, those individuals who search of a better life, the American dream. lose their ethnic identity in order to adapt the According to the United States Census Bureau identity of the host culture are going through (2000) today a total of more than 30,500,000 assimilation, while those who keep their foreign-born individuals from all over the ethnic identity and reject any identification world live in the United States. Almost with the members of the host culture are going 22,000,000 of these people emigrated to the through separation (Perez & Padilla 2000). United States between 1980 and 2000 (Census Phinney and Chavira (1992) asked 417 high Bureau, 2000). Unlike earlier immigrants to school students in a diverse inner-city school the United States who were mainly from and 223 college students in a diverse inner northern and western European nations, today city university to complete a questionnaire to the majority of immigrants are from places assess their attitudes toward assimilation, such as South and Central America, Asia, integration, and separation. The results Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Despite the indicated that American students in culturally differences in culture, language and diverse settings favored integration the most. one commonality among all immigrants is the In addition, ethnic minorities who endorsed fact that they all go through an acculturation integration reported higher levels of self­ process. esteem than those who endorsed assimilation. According to Perez and Padilla (2000), In a similar study, Eshel and Rosenthal-

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40 Perceptions of Conformity

Sokolov (2000) surveyed 300 Jewish students individuals with lower socioeconomic status of the Russian federation who studied in are more conforming to culture Israel. Self-report measures were used to than those with higher socioeconomic status. assess the students' acculturation strategies In a related study, Sam (2000), examined the and perceived cross-cultural adjustment. The theories of family values, acculturation students' personal consultants were also asked strategies and identity as to rate each student's social adjustment, using predictors of the psychological well being of a short form of the High School Adjustment immigrant adolescents. The participants, 506 Scale. Results suggested that those who adolescents with immigrant backgrounds in preferred the integration strategy of five Norwegian cities, were asked to complete acculturation were better adjusted to the new several questionnaires assessing their social culture than those who preferred the group identity, acculturation strategies, life separation strategy. ln addition, those who satisfaction, mental health and self-esteem. chose integration received higher consultant The results suggested that family values had ratings than those who chose separation. no significant impact on mental health, while Furthermore, students who adjusted to their group identity had the greater predictive new culture by integration tended to conform power for self-esteem, mental health and life more to the cultural norms of their host satisfaction. . Social environments are divided into Conformity is also related to social group meaningful groups and categories. identity and majority identity, which are Individuals often see themselves as part of a major contributing factors in cultural group. Ethnic groupings are one way to adjustments and feelings of inclusion. For categorically identifY individuals. Research example, Barlow, Taylor, and Lambert (2000) indicates that individuals in a group consider interviewed 315 mothers ranging in age from members of their own group as possessing 16 to 68 with a mean age of39.83 from three more positive traits than members of other ethnic groups, namely white American groups (Phinney, 1996; Phinney, Ferguson, women, African American women and Cuban &Tate, 1997; Rustemli, Mertan, & Ciftci, American women, to explore to what extent 2000). Research also indicates that having they perceived themselves to be American, favorable attitudes toward one' s own group and how much they felt they were perceived does not mean having negative attitudes to be American by other groups. Results toward the out-group (Phinney et al. , 1997; suggested that white Americans felt Wolsko, Park, Judd, & Wittenbrink; 2000). In completely included in the national category order to examine the influence of ethnic of being American. However, African identity and inter-group contact on Americans perceived themselves as being adolescents' attitudes toward other ethnic American but felt excluded by white groups, Phinney, et al. ( 1997), conducted a Americans. Cuban Americans on the other study where participants were 54 7 African hand, did not perceive themselves as being an American, Latinos, and Asians between the American and they were not perceived as such ages of 13 to 18. They completed by Americans. In addition, immigrants with questionnaires during class, assessing their low socioeconomic status viewed assimilation out-group and in-group attitudes, and ethnic to the American culture more positively than identity. Other measures, such as those with a higher socioeconomic status. neighborhood ethnicity, were used to assess This finding may be an indication that opportunities for inter-group contact in the

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adolescents' current neighborhoods. Ethnicity acculturation style than those with either of prior school was used to assess assimilation or separation style. Second, non­ opportunities for inter-group contact in the immigrant college students would rate adolescents' prior schools. Parental education scenario characters with an assimilation style was used as an approximation of more favorably than would immigrant college socioeconomic status. In addition data were students. Third, immigrants would rate collected on age, grade, sex, ethnicity of self scenario characters with a separation style and of parents and country of birth. The more favorably than non-immigrants. Fourth, results indicated that individuals rated their college students would rate scenario own groups more highly than the other characters with an assimilation acculturation groups. Furthermore, those with positive style as more conforming than those with attitudes toward their own ethnic groups either an integration or separation style. tended to have positive attitudes toward other Several correlational hypotheses were also groups as well. Finally, adolescents who had examined. First, college students with high more contact with members of other ethnic levels of conformity would have low levels of groups had more positive attitudes toward self-esteem. Second, college students with them. high levels of self-monitoring tendencies Factors such as acculturation styles and would also be high in conformity. Third, group identity have been researched individuals reporting a weak ethnic identity separately as having an influence on the would also report a lower level of self-esteem. perception of adjustment among immigrants. Fourth, scenario characters that were The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived to be more conforming would be effects of these factors on perception of rated lower on the impression scale. conformity. By looking at individuals with different acculturation styles, instead of Method looking at a particular , the findings in this study might be more Participants generalized to the larger population of immigrants. Several questions were The participants were 120 college addressed. For example, how did immigrants students (60 immigrant and 60 non­ with assimilation, integration, or separation immigrant), ages 17 to 48 (M age = 21.78 acculturation styles perceive conformity? years old, SD = 4.24). Ofthose participants How did members of their own group and 66.7% were female. The majority of members of another group perceive participants were Caucasian (56.7%) with individuals with different acculturation styles? Asian (25.0% ), Hispanic (7. 5% ), African Given that integrated individuals maintained American (0.8%), Native American (0.8%) a balance between their and and other (9.2%) comprising the rest of the the values of the mainstream culture, it was sample. Participants were solicited from a assumed that they would be perceived more state college in the Northeast and consisted of favorably by members of their own group and 3 1. 1% freshmen, 2 L 8% sophomores, 20.2% the other groups. juniors, 16.0% seniors, 4.2% graduate levels Several hypotheses were proposed. First, and 6. 7% from other categories. The length it was hypothesized that college students of residency in the United States for would report more positive attitudes toward immigrants ranged from one to 23 years (M scenario characters with an integration residency= 8.12 years, SD = 6.69). Among

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immigrants 23.2% were US citizens, 23 .2% assimilation, integration, and separation were permanent residents, 46.4% were Visa acculturation styles. It was a modified holders and 7.1% were from other categories. version of a scale used by Phinney and Chavira (I 992) and consisted of three Stimuli subscales with a total of nine items rated on a Likert type scale of I (strongly disagree) to 4 Three scenarios were developed for this (strongly agree). An assimilation subscale study. The scenarios described an immigrant measured the participant' s attitude toward with either an assimilation, an integration, or assimilation, integration subscale measured separation acculturation style. Factors such as the participant's attitude toward integration language, food, and music were used to style, and separation subscale measured the indicate the scenario character's cultural participant's attitude toward separation preference. The scenarios were piloted on acculturation style. A high summary score on students for clarity and wording each subscale indicated a more positive attitude toward its corresponding Measures acculturation style. This scale was piloted on psychology students for clarity and wording. An Impression Scale designed for this The Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale study assessed the participants' overall (Rosenberg, I986) was used to assess self­ impression of the scenario character's esteem of participants. It contained 10 items adjustment to the American culture. It was a rated on a Likert-type scale rated from 1 12-item Likert-type four-point scale rated (strongly agree) to 4 (strongly disagree). from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly High summary score indicated higher level of agree). Items were scored and summed such self-esteem. that a high summary score indicated a more The Multi-group Ethnic Identity Measure positive impression. The scale was piloted on (MEIM; Phinney, I992) was used to examine psychology students for clarity and wording. the participant's degree of identification with A Perceived Conformity Scale was their ethnic group. It was a 12-item Likert­ developed that consisted of 12 items rated on type 4-point scale rated from 1 (strongly a Likert-type scale of I (strongly disagree) to disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). It included 4 (strongly agree). This scale was used to two subscales: ethnic identity search, and assess the conformity level of the scenario affirmation, belonging, and commitment. It character as perceived by the participant. was scored by summing up all items for each Items were scored and summed such that a subscale and deriving the mean by dividing by high summary score indicated a higher level the number of items on each subscale. Higher of perceived conformity. It was piloted on scores indicated stronger ethnic identity. psychology students for clarity and wording. A Conformity Scale consisting of I2-item A demographic survey was developed for rated on a Lik.ert-type scale from 1 (strongly this study to gather information about agree) to 4 (strongly disagree) was developed participants' age, gender, national origin, to assess the level of conformity of length of residence in the United States, participants. Items were scored and summed marital status, legal status, , and socio­ such that a high summary score indicated a economic status. high level of conformity. It was piloted on A Cultural Attitude Scale was developed psychology students for clarity and wording. to measure the attitude of participants toward The Self-monitoring Scale was used to

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assess participants' self-monitoring favorably than non-immigrants. A 2 tendencies. The scale consisted of 25-items (birthplace; U.S., Outside U.S.) X 3 rated as 1 (true) and 0 (false). A high (acculturation style; separation, assimilation, summary score reflected a high self­ integration) ANOVA was conducted. A monitoring tendency. significant main effect for acculturation style was obtained, F (2, 114) = 40.98, MSE = Procedure 13 .17, p = .001 . Mean scores for separation, assimilation, and Integration acculturation Participants were solicited from styles were 30. 15, 31 .28, and 37.00 classrooms, the library, and other parts of a respectively. Non-significant main effects small college campus in the Northeast. After were obtained for birthplace. Furthermore, a signing an informed participants were significant interaction between acculturation randomly assigned to read one of three style and birthplace was found, F (2, 114) = scenarios involving an immigrant with either 5.22, p = .007. The interaction means are assimilation, integration or separation reported in Table I. acculturation style, such that an approximately equal number of immigrant and non-immigrant students read each Table 1 scenario. Next, they were asked to complete a questionnaire that included several Interaction means for impressions of adJustment f or acculturation styles X birthplace. measures. The first part of the questionnaire included measures of the participant' s overall Acculturation Style impression of the scenario character, and the perceived conformity of the scenano Separation Assimilation lntegratJon character. The second part of the Birthplace: questionnaire included a demographic survey, and a measure of the participant's cultural United States 30.00 33.00 36.20 (Non-Immigrant) attitudes, self-esteem, conformity and self­ monitoring tendencies. After they completed Outside U.S. 30.00 29 55 37.80 the questionnaire, the participants were (Immigrant) thanked and given a slip to use as extra credit for some psychology classes. Bonferroni's t test indicated that immigrants Results and non-immigrants' did not differ from one another in their impressions of the scenario Three hypotheses were examined: 1) that character with a separation or an Integration college students would report more positive style. However, non-immigrants reported attitudes toward scenario characters with an significantly more positive impressions of integration acculturation style than those with scenario characters with an assimilation style either assimilation or separation style; 2) non­ than immigrants. Also, immigrants and non­ immigrant college students would rate immigrants did not differ in their impressions scenario characters with assimilation style ofthe scenario character with separation style, more favorably than would immigrant college but both non-immigrants and immigrants students; and 3) immigrants would rate reported significantly more positive scenario characters with separation style more impression of the scenario character with an

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integration style than the scenario character conforming would be rated lower on the with separation or assimilation styles. impression of adjustment scale. A negative To examine the hypothesis that college correlation was found between perceived students would rate scenario characters with conformity and impression of adjustment, r = assimilation acculturation style as more -.41, p = .001 , n = 59. conforming than those with either integration or separation style a 2 (birthplace; U.S., Discussion Outside U.S.) X 3 (acculturation style; separation, assimilation, integration) ANOV A As expected, both immigrant and non­ was computed. A significant main effect was immigrant college students preferred an obtained for acculturation style, F (2, 11 3) = integration acculturation style to either an 36.44, MSE = 14.26, p = .001. Means for assimilation or separation style. In addition, separation, assimilation, and integration non-immigrant college students were more in acculturation styles were 29.50, 35.33 , and favor of the assimilation style than immigrant 28.70, respectively. Bonferroni' s t test college students. However, immigrant and revealed that both immigrant and non non-immigrant students did not differ in their immigrant college students perceived the preference for the separation acculturation scenario character with an assimilation style style. These findings may suggest that as more conforming than the character with an maintaining one's own native culture is just as integration or separation style. The main important as adapting to the host culture. effect for birthplace and the interaction were Another interesting finding was that both non-significant. immigrant and non-immigrant college To investigate the relation between levels students believed that individuals with of conformity and levels of self-esteem integration acculturation styles were better among college students the data was split by adjusted. When examining the influence of birthplace, and a correlational analysis was acculturation style on perception of computed. No significant correlation was conformity, it was found that both immigrant obtained. Similarly, in order to examine the and non-immigrant college students relation between self-monitoring tendencies considered the immigrants with an and conformity among college students, assimilation style to be more socially correlational analysis was computed after conforming than the immigrants with splitting the data by birthplace. Again, no integration and separation acculturation styles. significant correlation was obtained. Furthermore, it would appear that students In order to examine the relation between reported a less positive impression of ethnic identity and self-esteem, a correlational immigrants who were perceived to be more analysis was computed using the split data. conforming. This finding may suggests that No significant correlation was found between even though it is important to fit in, it is more self-esteem and ethnic identity search for important to maintain one's own identity. either immigrants or non-immigrants. Unfortunately, this study was not without However, a positive correlation was found shortcomings. Since the sample size was between self-esteem and ethnic belonging for small and consisted of predominantly immigrants, r = .31, p = .016, n = 60. Finally Caucasian participants selected from a correlational analyses were computed in order convenience sample of college students, it to examine the hypotheses that scenario may not have been representative of the characters that were perceived to be more immigrants and non-immigrants in general.

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Furthermore, since the larger portion of the Akande-Adetoun, B. E., Odewalc, F., immigrant sample consisted of Asian student Morakinyo, A., Patricia, N ., & participants, cultural differences may have Mubvakure, G. (2000). A multicultural influenced these results. In addition, the study of stereotyping in English-speaking participants' prior exposure to certain ethnic countries. The Journal of Social groups may have had an impact on their Psychology, 140(4), 487-502. Perez, W., & Padilla, A. M. (2000). Cultural perception of the immigrant they read about. orientation across three generations of Research indicates that being in contact with Hispanic adolescents. Hispanic Journal of people of different races and would Behavioral Sciences, 22(3), 390+. reduce and (Levy, 1999; Retrieved Sept. 25 , 2001, from Academic McAndrew et al. 2000; Phinney et al., 1997). Search Elite database (EBSCOhost) on Future research should address prior contact the World Wide Web : with ethnic populations. Age of the http://ehostvgw 19.epnet.com participants may have also been a Phinney, J. S. (1996). Understanding ethnic confounding factor. The younger participants diversity. American Behavioral Sctentist. in this sample might be more susceptible to 40(2), 143+. Retrieved Phinney, J. S., & Chavira, V. ( 1992). Acculturation conformity pressures and may also have had attitudes and self-esteem among high limited contact with different ethnic groups. school and college students. Youth & Further studies, using a larger and a more Society, 23(3), 299+. Retrieved Sept. 25, culturally diverse sample from various age 2001, from Academic Search Elite groups would be of in determining how database (EBSCOhost) on the World social conformity, exposure to other cultures, Wide Web: http://ehostvgw26.epnet.com and acculturation styles are interrelated. Phinney, J. S., Ferguson, D. L., & Tate, J. D ( 1997). Intergroup attitudes among ethnic References minority adolescents: A causal model. Child Development, 68(5), 955-969. Barlow, K. M., Taylor, D. M., & Lambert, W. E. Rustem.Li, A. , Mertan, B., & Ciftci, 0 . (2000). In­ (2000). Ethnicity in America and feeling group favoritism among native and American. Journal ofPsychology, 134(6), immigrant Turkish Cypriots: Trait 581+. Retrieved Sept. 25, 2001, from evaluations of in-group and out-group Academic Search Elite database targets. The Journal ofSocial Psychology, (EBSCOhost) on the World Wide Web: 140(1), 26-34. http://ehostvgw10.epnet.com Sam, D. L. (2000). Psychological adaptation of Bureau of the Census. (2000) Current population adolescents with immigrant backgrounds. survey: Profile of foreign-born population The Journal ofSocial Psychology, 140( I), in the United States. Washington, DC: 5-25. Department of Commerce Wolsko, C., Park, B., Judd, C. M., Wittenbrink, B. Eshel, Y. , & Rosenthal-Sokolov, M. (2000). (2000). Framing interethnic : Acculturation attitudes and sociocultural Effects of multicultural and color-blind adjustment of sojourner youth in Israel. perspectives on judgments of groups and The Journal ofSocial Psychology, 140(6), individuals. Journal of Personality and 677-691. . 78(4), 635-654. Levy, S. R. (1999). Reducing prejudice: Lessons from social-cognitive factors underlying perceiver differences in prejudice. This paper was presented at the 8'h Annual Journal ofSocial Issues, 55 (4), 745-765. Conference on Undergraduate Research, McAndrew, F. T., Akande, A., Bridgstock, R. , Scholarly, Creative and Public Service, Mealey, L. , Gordon, S. C., Scheib, J. E. , Boston, MA

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46 Instructor Comments

The Perceived Effects of Positive and Negative Teacher Comments on Written Assignments

Melissa Lennox and Maureen Maskell

Framingham State College

This study was developed to examine the perceived helpfulness of teachers' editorial comments and their effect on students' writing anxiety. One hundred and fifteen undergraduate college students, mostly white women, were presented with a sample student essay including one of four types of teacher comments. The teacher comments were categorized as negative, positive, vague, and specific. Students completed surveys measuring perceived helpfulness of comments and writing anxiety. Results indicated that specific comments were viewed as more helpful than vague comments whereas evaluations of positive and negative comments did not differ. Self-reports indicated that the majority of college students take a limited number of courses that allow for writing development.

Writing assignments, varying in form (Bardine, 1999; Onwuegbuzie, 1998). from essays on exams to research papers, are Writing assignments, in general, are often used to assess students' in among students' least preferred form of many subjects and at all levels of education testing or course requirement. Choi (1998) (Boll, Stevenson, O'Connell & Nunnery, assessed anxiety levels of undergraduates, 1998; Kahn, 2000). Due to emphasis put on separated into two groups. One group was written communication, development of enrolled in a course that was randomly chosen effective and appropriate writing skills are to take multiple-choice or "closed-answer" fundamental to course achievement. One exams. The second group was enrolled in the factor impacting the development of these same course, but was given "open-ended" or writing skills could be the way instructors essay exams. Students' responses to the respond to students' writing attempts. The Worry- Questionnaire (WEQ) most common form of teacher response is to showed that those taking the essay exams write comments in the margins. However, a were more anxious than those in the multiple­ variety of styles may be used. The way in choice group. Similarly, Onwuegbuzie (1998) which comments are presented and phrased examined the relation between writing can have an immediate impact on the assignments and anxiety by administering the relationship established between student and Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) to teacher (Straub, 1997). Unfortunately, many graduate students from a variety of students may feel subject to teacher scrutiny. disciplines. It was found that writing anxiety It is common for instructors to only point out was common among graduate students and the weaknesses of students wntmg; was associated with a number of factors, one highlighting only their assignment flaws and of the more notable being teacher evaluation. downplaying any existing writing strengths This anxiety may heighten feelings of

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