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Essay on Culture in the UK
A critical concept in understanding psychological well-being and adaptation among migrants is acculturation. it has typically come to mean the degree to which continuous first-hand contact with a different culture leads to changes in the beliefs and behaviors of a group. Moghaddam et al. have argued that fully acculturated people come to hold as their own the attitudes, beliefs and values of the new culture. At the psychological level, acculturation involves learning a new behavioral repertoire and shedding some prior behaviors and attitudes. Cultural conflict may arise when individuals or groups have incompatible behaviors and attitudes. The associations between psychological well-being and acculturation are complex, since some studies have shown that links with traditional culture and co-nationals are associated with lower stress.
Other work indicates that there are positive effects of relationships with individuals in the society of resettlement, and that higher rates of psychopathology are present among migrants who maintain strong traditional ties. The role of acculturation in maintaining psychological well-being is related to the maintenance of traditional social networks and the establishment of new relationships. Strong ties with the migrants' culture of origin may bolster self-esteem, but hinder social mobility and the acquisition of information and attitudes needed in the new culture, thereby exacerbating cultural adjustment problems. Kuo and Tsai have argued that many migrants appreciate the challenge of relocation, and actively work to establish social networks in the new society.
Elements of Culture
One social institution in which cultural differences may be particularly significant is marriage. Differences between husbands and wives in cultural attitudes and behaviours may constitute a source of chronic stress, pervading the couples' lives. Migrants may show different levels of acculturation in private and public settings, and are more assertive in displaying their cultural or ethnic identity in the home than in public or work settings.......
