Understanding Cultural Diversification Through Social Network Analysis
Understanding Cultural Diversification Through Social Network Analysis
Archit Tripathi
Vassar College
Psychology 301 A, Professor Tran
The process of migrating from one cultural locale to another entails various challenges that sometimes seem to be overlooked by individuals brought up in the dominant culture. In trying to navigate what could be a potentially vastly different cultural framework, two of the principal challenges a migrating individual faces are the establishment of new social networks, and the acquisition of sufficient knowledge of the new culture to aid in the incorporation of out-group members (i.e. individuals from different cultural backgrounds) into new, multicultural social networks. According to Lafromboise, Coleman & Gerton (1993), there are several models through which bicultural identities are shaped. The first of these is the assimilation model, in which the individual 'sheds ' his or her old culture in various stages; the individual then takes on all of the aspects of the new culture. The individual will exhibit a simultaneous phasing out and phasing in of the two cultures at play (Lafromboise, Coleman & Gerton, 1993). However, an individual attempting to assimilate into a new culture will typically feel a sense of isolation and alienation from the new culture until they feel completely accepted within the secondary culture (Johnston, 1976). The second model is acculturation, which differs from assimilation in its assumption that the acculturated individual will, at best, be seen as entirely competent within a second culture. However, the individual will probably never be identified as a member of the second culture. Identification as a member of the second culture is the key difference between the assimilation model and the acculturation model—the first seeks identification as a member of the secondary culture, while the latter seems to deny its possibility (Lafromboise, Coleman & Gerton, 1993). As with
Archit Tripathi
Vassar College
Psychology 301 A, Professor Tran
The process of migrating from one cultural locale to another entails various challenges that sometimes seem to be overlooked by individuals brought up in the dominant culture. In trying to navigate what could be a potentially vastly different cultural framework, two of the principal challenges a migrating individual faces are the establishment of new social networks, and the acquisition of sufficient knowledge of the new culture to aid in the incorporation of out-group members (i.e. individuals from different cultural backgrounds) into new, multicultural social networks. According to Lafromboise, Coleman & Gerton (1993), there are several models through which bicultural identities are shaped. The first of these is the assimilation model, in which the individual 'sheds ' his or her old culture in various stages; the individual then takes on all of the aspects of the new culture. The individual will exhibit a simultaneous phasing out and phasing in of the two cultures at play (Lafromboise, Coleman & Gerton, 1993). However, an individual attempting to assimilate into a new culture will typically feel a sense of isolation and alienation from the new culture until they feel completely accepted within the secondary culture (Johnston, 1976). The second model is acculturation, which differs from assimilation in its assumption that the acculturated individual will, at best, be seen as entirely competent within a second culture. However, the individual will probably never be identified as a member of the second culture. Identification as a member of the second culture is the key difference between the assimilation model and the acculturation model—the first seeks identification as a member of the secondary culture, while the latter seems to deny its possibility (Lafromboise, Coleman & Gerton, 1993). As with
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