Information technology contributes to integration and identity

When groups of individuals from different cultures come into contact with each other on a regular basis, the original cultural patterns of one or both groups change. In sociology, this process is known as acculturation. Marvin Shaub studied how processes of acculturation are influenced by differences in the origins of immigrants, sociological developments in the country of settlement and the developments in the field of information technology.

He did this by means of a literature survey and by conducting interviews with prominent scientists and immigrants from a range of backgrounds including Hispanic, Japanese, Muslim and Russian.

Shaub explains that, in the United States, the first immigrants did not adapt to the non-native population, which mainly consisted of African Americans, or to the indigenous Indians. The immigrants shared a North European culture, as they came from England, the Netherlands and other Northern European countries. It was only later, once people from Eastern and Southern Europe emigrated to the United States, that acculturation became relevant. Nowadays, most immigrants to the US come from Latin America and Asia. They tend to maintain their original identity in addition to developing an American identity, which leads to a hybrid cultural orientation.

On the basis of his findings, Shaub developed a model to measure the extent to which acculturation with groups from various cultures has taken place. In addition he shows that new media and information technology give immigrants more opportunities to come into contact with other individuals and new environments. At the same time, new media also give them a simple way of keeping in touch with their original culture. This Ether World builds a bridge between information technology and everyday physical reality.

Media Contact

Corine Schouten alfa

All latest news from the category: Social Sciences

This area deals with the latest developments in the field of empirical and theoretical research as it relates to the structure and function of institutes and systems, their social interdependence and how such systems interact with individual behavior processes.

innovations-report offers informative reports and articles related to the social sciences field including demographic developments, family and career issues, geriatric research, conflict research, generational studies and criminology research.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica’s ice sheets….

Memory Self-Test via Smartphone

… Can Identify Early Signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Dedicated memory tests on smartphones enable the detection of “mild cognitive impairment”, a condition that may indicate Alzheimer’s disease, with high accuracy….

The Sound of the Perfect Coating

Fraunhofer IWS Transfers Laser-based Sound Analysis of Surfaces into Industrial Practice with “LAwave”. Sound waves can reveal surface properties. Parameters such as surface or coating quality of components can be…

Partners & Sponsors