Music listening and cultural adaptation: How different languages of songs affect Chinese international students’ uses of music and cultural adaptation in the United States

ABSTRACT

This study investigates music listening of Chinese international students and examines: (1) how listening to music in different languages (English or Chinese) affects Chinese international students’ uses of music, and (2) whether listening to music in a different language (English or Chinese) predicts their cultural adaptation to host culture. Using a self-reported survey, the study found that Chinese international students listened to more English songs than Chinese songs in the US. Listening to English songs more often in the US is also related to higher uses of music for identity, and higher rates on cultural adaptation; whereas listening to Chinese songs more often predicts higher uses of music for negative mood management. The results indicate the important role of the languages of song in the functions of listening to music and suggest the potential of English songs in helping Chinese international students better adapt American culture during their enculturation process.

KEYWORDS:

• Mood
• music
• cultural adaptation
• identity
• international students

Notes on contributors

Dr Fei Jia received his doctoral degree in Communication at Drexel University. His research interests include music, media effects, mood management, and intercultural communication. His current project focuses on the effect of mood and the number of song choices on music consumption on music streaming services. He has presented in several peer-reviewed academic conferences and has publications in music and intercultural communication.

Dr Emmanuel F. Koku is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Drexel University, Philadelphia, and a member of the Graduate Program in Communication, Culture and Media. He holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Toronto, Canada. His research interests are in the social networks, sociology of health & illness and quantitative methods. At Drexel, he regularly teaches courses and supervises graduate student work in these areas. Over the past 15 years, his research has been focused on determinants of HIV risk in African and its diaspora populations, configurations of sexual-risk networks, as well as the lived-experiences of persons living with HIV, including efforts at reducing health disparities at local and international levels as well as the social and structural dynamics of learning and knowledge networks. His publications have appeared in American Behavioral Scientist, the Global South, Journal of Community Health, Sexual Health, AIDS & Behavior, Sociological Research Online, Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, Asian Ethnicity, Information, Communication & Society, the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, and the Journal of Intercultural Communication.