Abstract
International graduate students are immersed in a new cultural environment and encounter influences that lead to changes in attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. The immersion experience in the United States is best understood from the perspective of acculturation theory (e.g., Berry, 2003). Acculturation theory, to date, has largely emphasized description of the acculturation process but has focused much less on the mechanisms that underlie that process. Padilla and Perez (2003) proposed a theory to explain the variability in acculturation patterns by considering social cognitions, but the theory provided little guidance on examining those social cognitions in research settings. This study actualizes the consideration of social cognitions in the acculturation process through qualitative methodology and analytical techniques that are based on grounded theory. Twelve international graduate students completed open-ended survey questions and follow-up interviews that addressed their experiences in the United States. The emergent model is composed of a central category – Cultural and Social Assessment – and four key categories – Language Acquisition and Proficiency, Social Support, Cultural Learning, and Individual Growth. The model suggested that upon making an assessment of the new cultural environment, international graduate students exhibited changes in psychological and social dimensions. Evidence also suggested that these changes may have been motivated by the presence of cognitive and cultural dissonance. Implications for future research, practice, and training are discussed.
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