Measuring globalization-based acculturation in Ladakh: Investigating possible advantages of a tridimensional acculturation scale

Theories and methodologies within acculturation psychology have been advanced in order to capture the complex process of intercultural contact in various contexts. Differentiating globalization-based acculturation from immigrant-based acculturation has broadened the field of acculturation psychology to include groups who are exposed to global cultural streams without international migration. The globalization-based acculturation process in the North Indian region of Ladakh appears to be a tricultural encounter, suggesting an addendum to the bidimensional acculturation model for this group (and perhaps for others as well). This study explores the development, usability, and validity of a tridimensional acculturation measure aiming to capture the multicultural orientations initiated by the process of globalization in Ladakh. The tridimensional acculturation scale was found to fit the data significantly better compared to the bidimensional scale. Implications for the study of globalization-based acculturation are discussed.