Implicit orientation toward family and school among bilingual Latino college students

J Soc Psychol. 2008 Aug;148(4):449-71. doi: 10.3200/SOCP.148.4.449-472.

Abstract

The authors examined the associations that underlie the orientations of bilingual Latino college students toward family and school. Participants completed, in English or Spanish, 3 implicit association tests assessing their attitude toward family vs. school, identifications with these concepts, and self-esteem. Results revealed a more positive attitude toward, and stronger identification with, family than school. Identification with family was stronger among participants who completed the study in English, suggesting self-definition in terms of distinctions from the context. Last, the more participants valued family over school and identified with family rather than school, the higher was their self-esteem. These findings shed light on the subtle, yet crucial, mechanisms by which cultural knowledge is incorporated in the self-concept of bilingual Latino college students.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attitude / ethnology*
  • Culture
  • Family / psychology*
  • Female
  • Hispanic or Latino*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Multilingualism*
  • Schools*
  • Self Concept
  • Social Identification
  • Students / psychology*
  • Universities