Back to and beyond Berry's basics: The conceptualization, operationalization and classification of acculturation

Berry (1990) distinguished four acculturation attitudes (integration, assimilation, separation and marginalization) arising from two acculturation questions (concerning cultural maintenance and cultural contact). This research examines the distributions of acculturation attitudes based on his original cultural maintenance–cultural contact conceptualization and on a later cultural maintenance–cultural adoption model. In line with the Relative Extended Acculturation Model it also compares the outcomes of real (self-reported behavioral) and ideal (attitudinal) assessments of acculturation. Two hundred and eighty-nine first generation immigrants in New Zealand participated in the study. In line with the hypotheses, integration occurred more frequently when derived from cultural contact than from cultural adoption and when acculturation was framed in attitudinal, rather than behavioral, terms. The findings point to the necessity of clearly defining the dimensions of acculturation, ensuring they are appropriately operationalized, and differentiating attitudinal and self-reported behavioral measures. The consequences of the operationalization of acculturation for its relationship to adaptation are also reported and discussed.

► Reviews Berry's theorizing on the two dimensions and four categories of acculturation. ► Notes variations in the conceptualization of acculturation, including emphasis on cultural contact versus cultural adoption and emphasis on attitudes versus behaviors. ► Examines the differences in the categorization of acculturation as a function of these variations. ► Demonstrates that the relationship between acculturation and adaptation varies as a function of the underlying dimensions and focus on real versus ideal preferences.