Acculturation Effects On Immigrants
When it comes to first-generation immigrants or second-generation immigrants, some problems may arise. Identifying yourself is a primal problem since it becomes harder as you grow up to behave the way your immigrants’ parents expect and the difficulty in distinguishing between your cultures. The two experience a similar procedure called acculturation but have completely different responses. Acculturation is a process that includes two cultures and assimilating to the prominent one which this process can impact both your social and psychological mindset. These issues transmit to different parts of their life because of the different mindset immigrants parents carry. These issues should be looked at yet the focus should be on how cultural values can become the foundation of more issues and how they face these obstacles. Using the findings from researchers that provide results on the effects and support my analysis. About how easy it is for them to conform to their host (native to their country) country and in what ways and the disadvantage they are at. Acculturation conflicts are more common in second-generation immigrants then first-generation immigrants.
Second-generation immigrants differ from their immigrant parents by lacking meaningful connections to their other culture. They don’t have an attachment to a world that they didn’t experience. In a research conducted with the help of Zhou, Min it highlights the changes the second generation faces culturally and socially, and the obstacles brought with the expectation of their immigrant parents. As Min Zhou, a researcher on second-generation states “ They are thus unlikely to consider a foreign country as a place to return to or as a point of reference” (Zhou 64). Based on this it explains how they renounce their attachment to a place that means more to their first-generation immigrant parent then it will ever mean to them Because the connection feels foreign to them or in some cases nonexistent. This consequently creates a separation of beliefs between both parents and children connection which leads them toward their host family. A host family is people that are native to that country who they have more in common and seen in a positive light by the second generation. Additionally, Min Zhou states in the “They instead are prone to evaluate themselves or to be evaluated by others by the standards of their new country (Zhou64). When conforming to another world the second generation tends to want validation from the host family so they can feel a sense of belonging. They want the connection that they lacked with their other culture. In order for the second generation to feel welcomed they have to renounce their parent’s roots to follow their own different experiences. The process of acculturation helps second-generation adapt faster to what they’ve known than the first generations. As stated by Matera, Camilla, et al “ Second and later generations will usually be fluent in the host community language and will often adopt similar clothing and culinary practices to the majority” ( Matera, Camilla, et al page 778 ). The second generation is more likely to adopt the host culture because it is all they have been exposed to and conflicts arise from that because of the lack of love for their immigrant roots because they are adopting everything that doesn’t relate to them. Furthermore, Stated, “According to the view, second generation immigrants might pose more of a threat to distinctiveness than first generation immigrants precisely because in several respects they may have adopted life-styles that more closely resemble that of the host society”( Matera, Camilla, et al page 778 ). He’s trying to depict that even though the second generation finds it easier to conform it has not looked as easy for the host family to have them share two distinct practices but have them resemble so much of their society. The second-generation align with what they have grown up with rather than following norms that don’t resemble who they are.
The way an individual expressed attitude towards a culture can affect your response and thinking. For Second-generation immigrants, it is harder to leave their host culture to conform to what their other culture was so they tend to revolt. They don’t want to lead the same experiences that their parents had or their culture which can be a problem. As stated in paragraph 33 by Zhou, Min “ He reasons that immigrant children may be so overwhelmed by your culture and the freedom ( particularly personal choices in dress, dating, sexual practices) unavailable in their old country that, because of the sheer attractiveness of American culture, they may not be willing to accept immigrant parental work norms or to work in unAmerican conditions as conditions as many of their parents do…”( Zhou 73 -74). This new-found freedom is something they want to continue even if it brings conflict with their immigrant parents. Conforming to the standards of their host because they particularly don’t want to follow their parents’ path, they see opportunities to be their own person and get to experience personal choices. Additionally stated by Christmas, Christine and Barker in paragraph 8 “While the second to fourth generation of immigrants interacted more with Anglo American in formal spheres of life than first generation…”( Christmas, Christine and Barker page778). Second-generation immigrants have a connection deeper than the first generation would interpret, they have spent a lot of time getting to know their other culture. Also, these clashes of cultures can cause consequences. Based on Christmas, Christine and Barker in paragraph 16 it stated, “The ability to maintain a bicultural orientation may decline in the second, third, and subsequent generations of immigrants, as exposure to the culture of heritage decreases” ( Christmas, Christine and Barker, Page 242) Therefore second generation immigrants are declining in maintaining their other culture because of choosing their host so the exposure subsequently fall and their cultural heritage does as well. The decline in culture is dramatic because of how attitudes clash together in a negative light when being expressed.
Adapting to a culture not fully their own can bring problems regarding identity. They don’t identify themselves or feel like they belong in that culture introduced by their parents. Because they don’t have the same experiences or feel inclined to get to know that culture. In Sara’s case, she was a child of an immigrant and a white American father. She struggled to find a sense of belonging in the community she grew up with because there weren’t many people who shared her same features or could relate to her longing for people that she could relate to. First immigrant parents making it harder because they don’t know what second generation immigrants are going through. This develops into confusion and struggling to find yourself.. Similar to her experience Nikil also faced this sense of belonging and having two cultures. In the Namesake,” He is afraid to be Nikhil, someone he doesn’t know; Who doesn’t know him …. It’s part of growing up, they tell him, part of being a Bengali” ( Lahri page 61), Names are a part of your identity when you force someone to partake in another system of life it becomes hard to understand and analyze. Questioning is one of the processes that become prominent. For the second generation, it’s harder to attach an everlasting connection. They tend to want to conform to the culture they are most comfortable with. In paragraph 14 Nicole Clark states “ Because U.S born immigrant children tend to be more adept than their parents at picking up western culture and language- which makes sense, given that they grow up in it- the gulf between parent and children grows larger” (Clark page 1). When put in the position to pick out your identity, it becomes clearer to pick the prominent one. Additionally in the Namesake, it was stated “His own friends from school were invited the previous day, a tame affair, with pizzas that his father picked up on his way home from work, a baseball game watched together on television, some Ping-Pong in the den” (Lahri page 77). Being able to choose your own path helps the process of acculturation in a way you feel like you have a choice to pick what best identifies you. Having your own identity rather than letting your immigrant parents force you to conform to theirs gives you a sense of belonging.
Some researchers have claimed that second-generation people are not affected by having two cultures and that it doesn’t tie to the struggle of adaptation between both first-generation immigrants and the second generation. According to one researcher study “… reported a decline in cultural awareness from first to fourth generation of Mexican immigrant, with the most drastic decline occurring between the first and second generation”( Christmas, Christine and Barker, Page 242). In reports, it shows how the decline in cultural awareness is occurring in both the first and second generations. But it lacks to show the second generation has far more experience and has experienced more cultural awareness in places such as in the classroom. They are not bound like their parents to follow one set of norms. They have a more clear view of the world. So they are more inclined to understand other people that come from different backgrounds or multiple. Because they understand the struggle of being different. For example “ Unlike adult immigrant whose levels of adaptation are often indicated by occupational attainment and income, level of adoption among young immigrant are generally measured by educational attainment- academic orientation,aspiration, and performance” (Zhou 75 ). First-generation has so much fewer experiences in cultural awareness because it focuses on attaining a better future and not so much about the cultures around them and understanding them. They rather are with people who closely relate to them than with someone such as the host family. Because they don’t have things in common and which is part of their identity. They don’t lack identity as second-generation do. The second generation uses cultural awareness to adapt to the differences and ultimately use that difference to find their identity.
To conclude, the second generation faces a lot of stronger problems when facing acculturate than first-generation immigrants. Evidence shows that acculturation conflicts are primarily on second-generation immigrants than their immigrant first-generation parents because of how pressure they are to assimilate. They lack connections and feelings towards a place/ culture that they don’t fit into or don’t want to conform to for the fact that it’s not their own. Holding on to their values and experiences tighter so they decide that the best way is to ignore and rebel since their immigrant parents don’t agree with their decision because they want them to be part of something that means a lot to them. And that they tried to implement but it eventually fails to work. It causes identity and other inner conflicts which can be very serious. Shown in the research in which immigrant parents don’t understand how it’s been part of two distinct cultures which becomes confusing to both second and first-generation. A Lot of problems arise from this. By the result shown, the second generation faces a lot of acculturation problems than their immigrant parents.
Work cited Page
Christmas, Christine N, and Gina G Barker. “The Immigrant Experience: Differences in Acculturation, Intercultural Sensitivity, and Cognitive Flexibility Between the First and Second Generation of Latino Immigrants.” Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, vol. 7, no. 3, 2014, pp. 238–257. Accessed 17 Apr.17.2020
Clark, Nicole, and Lia Kantrowitz. “The Hidden Stress of Growing Up a Child of Immigrants.” Vice, 12 Sept. 2019, www.vice.com/en_us/article/43kgzn/the-hidden-stress-of-growing-up-a-child-of-immigrants-v26n3
Lahiri, Jhumpa. The Namesake. Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019..
Matera, Camilla, et al. “The Role of Immigrant Acculturation Preferences and Generational Status in Determining Majority Intergroup Attitudes.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, vol. 47, no. 4, 2011, p. 776.
Zhou, Min. “Growing up American: the challenge confronting immigrant children and children of immigrants.” Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 23, 1997, p. 63+. Gale Academic OneFile, https://link-gale-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/apps/doc/A19956525/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=90a951a2. Accessed 16 Apr. 2020.
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