Addresses issues of acculturation among members of ethnic groups living in multicultural societies. The concepts of culture, race, and ethnicity – and the difficulty disentangling them – complicate an understanding of acculturation. An expanded theory is offered that characterizes the acculturating individual by 2 distinct orientations, one related to behavior and the other to identity. The model, or typology, results in up to 16 different combinations of identity and behavior. It also provides a framework for understanding the different ways individuals acquire, discard, blend, and transform their cultural experiences. The forms of biculturalism most frequently adopted by acculturating individuals are: (1) blended biculturalism, in which the individual is likely to have synthesized, or fused, the 2 cultures; (2) instrumental biculturalism, in which the individual is likely to feel torn about his sense of identity; (3) integrated biculturalism, in which the individual is involved in both cultures but retains a sense of identity as a member of his culture of origin; and (4) identity exploration, in which the individual is highly involved in the majority culture but seeks reconnection with his roots. Integrating behavior and identity yields a richer picture of the bicultural acculturation process. (38 references)
