Acculturation & Race-ethnic socialization H607: Ethnicity, Context & Family Dynamics

My definitions… Race—both biologically and socially constructed based on physical characteristics and biological reactivity Ethnicity—group membership based on nationality and/or collective history/ancestry; individual and group conceptualizations Culture—dynamic variable including family roles, values, communication patterns, affective styles, spirituality etc., transmitted from one generation to the next that reflects effective adaptations for developing within and fitting into a context

The Plan… Acculturation Racial and Ethnic socialization Conceptualizations Factors that influence acculturation Racial and Ethnic socialization Characteristics and content of messages Relations to outcomes

Acculturation & Assimilation

Culture in Psychology & Sociology Individual Level Societal Level Acculturation Ethnic Minority Socialization Enculturation/Ethnic Identity Globalization Economic Development

Acculturation is… “…those phenomena which result when groups of individuals having different cultures come into continuous first-hand contact with subsequent changes in the original pattern of either or both cultures.” -Redfield, Linton & Herskovits (1936)

Conceptualizations of Acculturation Single or two Continua Linguistic items/cultural awareness Domains (e.g., knowledge, behavior, attitudes, beliefs, values, & self identity) Ability to successfully navigate across cultures (J.Mistry, 2010)

Factors that influence acculturation and assimilation Reasons for emigrating to the US Voluntary/involuntary Compatibility of host and home culture Intersection of race & ethnicity Ability to navigate racialize context

Why should educators and others who work with children care…? Associated with individual adjustment Impacts ability to learn Understanding how families conceptualize their acculturation may impact interactions Desirable outcomes Undesirable outcomes Views on acculturation impact pedagogy (e.g., bilingual education)

Racial and ethnic socialization

Everyone socializes their children about race and ethnicity… Given what we know about cultural world views, how does bias develop? What are the sources of socialization? What do you want to communicate to children?

When do we start “teaching” about race? CNN AC360 Doll Study (see part 1 on page) African American family Euro-American Family CNN AC360 Wrap up (see part 2 on page)