Acculturation orientations of Indiana 4-H adult volunteers toward minorities
Abstract
Acculturation is the phenomenon which results when groups from differing backgrounds come into contact. These interactions are a combination of maintaining one's own original cultural values and adopting other groups' cultural values. From these variables, there are four main outcomes of acculturation: Integration, Assimilation, Marginalization, and Separation. The purpose of this study was to assess the acculturation orientations of 4-H adult volunteers toward minorities. The research questions of the study were: 1) what are the acculturation orientations of 4-H adult volunteers toward minorities? 2) How do 4-H adult volunteers' desired choice of minority acculturation strategies compare to their perception of currently adopted acculturation strategies of minorities? 3) Are there differences among 4-H adult volunteers' acculturation orientations across each domain? Additional objectives of the study were to determine if a difference exists between what participants perceive to have happened and what they would like to happen in terms of minorities acculturating with the mainstream culture. The final objective was to determine if a difference exists between acculturation orientations that were adopted by participants within different life domains. This study was guided by the conceptual framework of the Relative Acculturation Extended Model (RAEM). A questionnaire was adapted from the Acculturation Scale (Navas & Rojas, personal communication, October 22, 2012). Questionnaires were collected from a convenience sample of Indiana 4-H adult volunteers ( n = 1,253). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including means, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages. One sample t-tests were used to describe mean differences in the real and ideal situations as well as each domain. Findings indicated that the majority of participants adopted the Integration orientation in both the Real and Ideal situations across all domains. Recommendations are provided to guide future research as well as implications for theory and practice.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Esters, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Social studies education
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