Emerging Acculturation Gap among Chinese Students: White Mainstream Media Usage, Television and the Internet as Predictors

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2012-12

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The Ohio State University

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Abstract

This study tests how white mainstream media use affects Chinese students’ acculturation to the U.S. The study was interested in better understanding how media can impact the acculturation gap, which is the difference between Chinese students who are highly assimilated compared to those who are less assimilated. A total of ninety-nine Chinese students participated in the study and were asked about their mainstream media use. Additionally, students were randomly assigned to browse one of four fictitious Facebook pages that featured either Chinese cultural cues or white American cultural cues to examine the impact of ethnic specific media cues on acculturation. The results show that Chinese students who use more mainstream media display more white mainstream values than those who consume less white mainstream media. Moreover, the findings show that Chinese students’ use more white mainstream media have more ease using the English language than those who use less mainstream media. Ethnic specific Facebook pages did not impact students’ acculturation.

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acculturation gap, white mainstream media use, Asian students

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