Latinas and television in the United States: Relationships among genre identification, acculturation, and acculturation stress

Abstract

This research investigates how television use by Hispanic women in the United States relates to the process of acculturation. Viewing of and identification with various types of English‐language television genres are compared with acculturation level and acculturation stress. The study also explores the use of television to learn English and Spanish‐language television consumption.

Results indicate that women who identified most with talk shows had the lowest levels of acculturation stress, and women who identified most with comedies, the highest. Women with the lowest levels were most likely to use television to learn English.

The data suggest that Latin American women's television use varies, as does Anglo‐American women's, and that demographic variables provide only part of the explanation for differences in acculturation. Results indicate that English‐language television in the United States can play a positive role in its audience members’ selective acculturation to mainstream society and that television has a part in fulfilling some Latinas’ learning needs. This information lends support to media function typologies and adds to the body of knowledge about stress‐related gratifications of television use.

Key words:

• acculturation
• acculturation stress
• Hispanic
• Latina
• mass media
• television
• uses and gratifications