The electronic melting pot hypothesis: The cultivation of acculturation among Hispanics through television viewing

Abstract

This study demonstrated a correlation between English‐language television viewing and the acculturation level of Hispanic immigrants. Phase 1 compared 3 operationalizations of television exposure, C. Gerbner and L. Gross's (1976) total exposure, R. P. Hawkins and S. Pingree's (1981) content‐specific exposure, and W. Potter and I. Chang's (1990) proportional exposure, correlating these with a measure of acculturation. The proportional measure correlated most highly. Phase 2 compared 3 predictors of acculturation, the proportional television exposure measure and 2 interactions with this measure, using 2 intervening variables: motivation to use television for cultural information and the perceived reality of English‐language programming. The exposure‐motivation interaction, chosen to serve in Phase 3, was the strongest predictor. In Phase 3, significant acculturation differences among light viewers caused by durations of residence in the United States were nonsignificant among heavy viewers, as predicted by the electronic melting pot hypothesis.

Key words:

• acculturation
• communication‐acculturation
• cultivation
• cultural effects
• Hispanic
• media effects