How was History Shaped the Study of Acculturation in Psychology?

Acculturation has encompassed a multitude of definitions within psychology. A number of distinctive theories have aimed to provide the psychological underpinnings of the phenomenon over a span of several decades. Although literature reviews of such theories exist, examinations of how historical (i.e. social, political, and economic) factors have shaped theorizations of acculturation are scarce. Historical reviews of psychology can provide insights on how the field may have been impacted by societal and cultural biases that were not easily detected in the past. The current poster will examine the question of how has history impacted the study of acculturation in psychology? It will chronologically review key events in the study of acculturation. These are 1) pushes from researchers against assimilation, 2) the Second World War, 3) the institutionalization of cross-cultural psychology, 4) the rise of multicultural policies in the West, and 5) recent technological and economic globalization. This historical examination will provide a reflexive overview of how history has shaped the current state of acculturation psychology. It will also illuminate how past societal biases have impacted the study of acculturation. Implications for present-day acculturation research and recommendations for current researchers will be considered.