An empirical comparison of acculturation models

The unidirectional and bidirectional models of acculturation were compared in a sample of 291 Asian Americans. Both models produced good predictions of Asian preferences, cultural knowledge, ethnic identification, and generational status. The bidirectional model, however, failed to demonstrate its reputed independence across home culture and host culture orientations. The unidirectional model is recommended as an economical proxy measure of acculturation, the bidirectional model is recommended for full theoretical investigations of acculturation, and a speculative tradirectional model is proposed to clarify the distinction between acculturation and ethnogenesis (the creation of a new ethnicity).