ERIC Number: ED178430
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1979-Aug-31
Pages: 35
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Differential Processes in Acculturation: The Case of Asiatic Indians in the United States.
Dworkin, Rosalind J.
The study shows that acculturation is a process which varies not only from ethnic group to ethnic group, but also within an ethnic group. One hundred and thirty six Asian Indians, ranging from 15 to 64 years of age, living in Houston, Texas, comprise the sample. The six cultural traits selected as representative of intrinsic and extrinsic Indian traits which must be modified during the acculturation process are religion, dress, marriage type (arranged or love), the use of tobacco, the consumption of alcohol, and the eating of beef. The male pattern reveals that the first cultural trait westernized is that of dress, followed by attitude toward marriage type and change in dietary habit. The traits which tend to acculturate much later are consumption of alcohol, use of tobacco, and the ultimate step, religion. The female pattern indicates that attitude toward marriage type, eating of beef, and dress are the first three traits to change. It appears that dress is more intrinsic in women than men; it represents their place in the life cycle and their modesty, morality, and religion. The use of tobacco, an extreme for Asian Indian women, rates last on the scale. Subsequent tests reveal that both gender and employment shape the patterns of acculturation and that pressures emanate from both the host and ethnic cultures. Also, acculturation patterns are affected by their intrinsic nature, visibility, and resource availability in the host culture. (KC)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Houston Univ., TX.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association (Boston, MA, August 27-31, 1979)