The Relationship of Acculturation to Cognitive Style among Mexican Americans

Abstract

Tests of cognitive style were administered to Mexican-American children and their mothers in three communities in southern California. Questionnaires on socialization practices and Mexican-American family values were also administered to the mothers. Subjects from the "traditional" community-in which members were most identified with the sociocultural system of Mexican culture-scored in a field-dependent direction. Subjects from the "atraditional" community, whose members are most influenced by mainstream American middle-class values, were most field-independent in cognitive style. Children and mothers of the community influenced by both cultures-the "dualistic" community-obtained scores between those of the other two groups. Mothers from the traditional community were most frequently in agreement with items reflecting indicators of the field-dependent "socialization" cluster, and also with items reflecting the sociocultural system of Mexican-American culture.