Graduation Year

2019

Date of Submission

4-2019

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Tomoe Kanaya

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2019 Parinita Garg

Abstract

This study explores the role perceived cultural difference and cultural priming have to play in influencing the home acculturation orientation of third culture individuals (individuals who have temporarily lived outside their home culture during their childhood years, or TCIs). Participants aged 19-74 years (N = 301) with a third culture background were surveyed using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants were randomly assigned to read a cultural priming scenario that oriented them either toward their home or host country, or to a third control group. All participants completed measures assessing their level of perceived cultural difference between home and host countries, and their level of home-country acculturation orientation. Results of this study supported hypotheses that perceived cultural difference was statistically significant in influencing TCIs’ home acculturation orientation but did not support hypotheses regarding cultural priming and an interaction between cultural priming and perceived cultural difference on acculturation orientation. Findings present implications for how the need for a cultural match between host and home countries can play a large role in influencing the third culture acculturative experience, and also provide further insight into a previously understudied population.

This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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