University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 1-1-1989 Migrant Puerto Rican women in the United States under economic stress : a theoretical framework for a national study. Karen M. Garcia University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1 Recommended Citation Garcia, Karen M., "Migrant Puerto Rican women in the United States under economic stress : a theoretical framework for a national study." (1989). Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014. 4430. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1/4430 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MIGRANT PUERTO RICAN WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER ECONOMIC STRESS: A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR A NATIONAL STUDY A Dissertation Presented By KAREN M. GARCIA Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION May 1989 School of Education Copyright by KAREN M. GARCIA All Rights Reserved MIGRANT PUERTO RICAN WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER ECONOMIC STRESS: A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR A NATIONAL STUDY A Dissertation Presented by KAREN M. GARCIA Approved as to style and content by: ^^03 JLa_ Luis Fuentes, Chairperson of Committee School of Education ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful for the intellectual and emotional support given to me from many people across the country and in Puerto Rico. I want to thank my committee for their guidance and direction: to my chairman Professor Luis Fuentes I give my thanks for the many hours of discussion. His example and experience showed how family and community are the essence of education; to Sonia Nieto for her concern for the advancement of Puerto Rican women, and for her ongoing inquiry about their experience; to Juan Zamora, for being a forum for discussion on Spanish language. Many thanks to Dr. Gene Orro for his intellectual challenges. For the many scholars who personally facilitated access to their work and ideas, I want to thank Lloyd Rogler, Jose Szapocznik, Jaime Inclan, Father Kevin Colleran, Ian Canino, Clara Rodriguez, Edwin Melendez, Alice Colon, Yamila Azize, Nelly Salgado de Snyder, John Garcia, Nancy Felipe Russo, and the Junta de Planificacion (Puerto Rican Planning Board). Their commitment to Latinos was an incentive to me. To the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund for supporting me economically and to the Ford Foundation for facilitating my participation in the Inter-University Latino Training Workshops. iv I am deeply indebted to a significant support system who made sure I finished this project. To my mother Olga Garcia who showed by her example her commitment to personal development. To my sister Lauren Garcia for her encouragement throughout the process. To my "extended" family in this country: neighbors, friends, my colleagues and fellow graduate students, las muchachas de Amherst and especially Carmen Rullan. To Freddy Chapelliquen for his critiques and Ted Selig for his help with graphics. Two people were critical sounding boards in this endeavour: Liz Paddy who also offered ongoing support in seeing through the final details of this manuscript; and to Gail Kenny many thanks for her many years of involvement with this project. v ABSTRACT MIGRANT PUERTO RICAN WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER ECONOMIC STRESS: A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR A NATIONAL STUDY May 1989 KAREN M. GARCIA, B.A., UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO M.A., SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY Ed.D., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS Directed by: Professor Luis Fuentes This study examines current understanding of the experience of Puerto Rican migrant women as they cope with a new environment. Acculturation theory is analyzed and found limited in its conceptualization of migration as confined largely to the individual. An interdisciplinary review of the literature is used to explain the process of adaptation as an interplay of personal and social factors. The personal and social functions of ethnicity and gender are found critical in migrant women's search for economic advancement. A demographic account of the experience of Puerto Ricans in the United States is provided. A review of empirical studies suggests that being head of household is a significant factor keeping Island born Puerto Rican women out of the labor force. This economic disadvantage is seen to affect the process of acculturation, and reciprocally, acculturation is seen as a requirement for vi labor force participation. A multidimensional framework is developed which explains that the exclusion of these women from the labor force is rooted in this country's issues of gender and ethnicity. Educational implications are discussed and suggestions for public policy are included. Future research must investigate the effect of prevailing social influences on migrants which place assimilation as their most desirable status. Acculturation studies must focus on the interrelated nature of ethnicity and gender and incorporate into their analyses the effect of socioeconomic resources on adjustment. The experience of migrant Puerto Rican women heads of household must be further examined and new methods derived to quantify their status by means of the available census procedures. A longitudinal national study of the experience of Puerto Ricans in the United States would provide significant interdisciplinary impact. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iv ABSTRACT . vi LIST OF FIGURES xi Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION . Statement of the Problem . 1 Purpose of the Study.6 Acculturation . 7 Labor Force Participation . 8 Definition of terms . 8 Significance of the Study . 9 Limitation of Study. 10 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE Part I Cultural Transformation . 12 Migration and Adjustment . 13 Overview of Acculturation Studies .... 15 Theories of Cultural Transformation ... 16 Acculturation . 21 Biculturalism . 24 Empirical Understanding of Acculturation . 28 Self-Concept . 30 Measurements of Acculturation on Latinos. 3 3 Studies on Puerto Rican Acculturation . 45 ^Acculturation and Migration. 55 ^-Summary. 59 Part II The Personal and Social Functions of Culture, Language, and Ethnicity . 61 Culture. 6 2 Language as an Instrument for Cultural Transmission . 64 Language and Personality . 68 Social Function of Culture . 75 Culture and Ethnicity . Identity . Identification as a Personal and Social Process . Language as a Mediator Between Culture and Ethnicity .... viii The Social Function of Ethnicity . Ethnic Groups . Cultures in Contact . The Social Background of Puerto Rican People. 96 Developmental Issues . 98 Gender Roles . 100 Identity and Migration . 104 Family Issues . 108 Cultural Integration for Puerto Rican Women in the United States.no A Comparison of Puerto Rican and Anglo Experiences.113 The Function of Class on Cultural Descriptions . 116 Summary.118 Culture as Content.119 Economic Implications of Minority Relations.121 The Social Manifestation of Ethnic Identity . 126 Ethnicity, Group Identity and Structural Assimilation . 134 Summary.150 3 METHODOLOGY . 152 Review of Theoretical Issues . 152 Critique of Conventional Research Design Methods.157 Overview of Research Process and Limitations . 159 Research Design . 160 Sample.161 Research Questions . 162 Procedure.163 Literature Review . 163 Data Collection.164 Methodological Assumptions . 165 Future Research . 166 Summary.I67 4 PUERTO RICAN PRESENCE IN NORTH AMERICA .... 168 Migration and Cultural Transformation . 168 Historical Background of Puerto Rican Migration . 170 Demographic Profile of Puerto Ricans in the United States: the 80's . 178 Age. 179 Income . 179 Employment . 181 Education . 184 A Resurgence of the Culture of Poverty: the New Underclass . 186 ix Poverty and Culture.198 The Function of Migration in the Labor Market.193 Economic Explanations of Adjustment.196 Poverty and Gender.198 Puerto Rican Women and Labor Force Participation.200 Female Employment in Puerto Rico .... 201 Employment of the Puerto Rican Female in the United States.204 Determinants of Labor Force Participation . 211 Migration: A Hope for Economic Mobility or Cultural Emancipation? . 215 The Function of Labor Force Participation in the Adaptation to a New Environment.218 Gender Roles . 219 The Function of Gender and Class in Labor Force Participation . 227 Summary.2 30 The Interaction of Gender, Ethnicity and Migration in the Experience of Puerto Rican Women . 230 Summary.240 5 DISCUSSION.242 ^Conclusions . 252 Educational Implications . 254 Implications for Public Policy . 257 Future Research . 259 A National Puerto Rican Study . 262 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 264 x LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 2.1 A Model of Cultural Transformation . 22 Fig. 2.2 Relationship of the Individual, Language and Culture . 7 2 Fig. 2.3 Class as the Differentiating Element with the Native Culture; the Situation in Puerto Rico . 123 Fig. 2.4 Ethnicity as a Unifier within a Foreign Culture; the Situation in the United States . 125 Fig. 2.5 The Process of Attaining Personal and Group Identity . 132 Fig. 2.6 Summary of Minority Relations Components. 144 Fig. 4.1 Personal Characteristics as the Basis for Social Stratification . 234 xi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem Contemporary acculturation theory in behavioral science literature