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Toward a social psychology of bilingualism and biculturalism
Author(s) -
Chen Sylvia Xiaohua
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
asian journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1467-839X
pISSN - 1367-2223
DOI - 10.1111/ajsp.12088
Subject(s) - biculturalism , psychology , acculturation , neuroscience of multilingualism , situational ethics , social psychology , mindset , scripting language , perception , ethnic group , priming (agriculture) , developmental psychology , cognitive psychology , sociology , epistemology , philosophy , botany , germination , neuroscience , anthropology , computer science , biology , operating system
The intricate interactions between language and culture shape bilingual and bicultural individuals' psychological responses to social contexts. Language carries cultural scripts, ideals, and practices, which can be activated by situational cues. In the process of managing two acquired languages, bilinguals shift their self‐perception and self‐presentation to accommodate the prototypical norms characteristic of the culture being primed by language use. Cultural mindset can explain such language priming effects. In the process of negotiating two intersecting cultures, integrating bicultural identities is central to psychological adjustment among individuals experiencing immigration‐based and globalization‐based acculturation, whereas bilingual or trilingual competence is important to sojourners' adjustment. The present paper reviews empirical work along these lines of research and suggests that it is possible for alternation and integration to coexist within the same individuals who integrate their bicultural identities and alternate their behavioural responses.