Balance theory and acculturation : Russian-speaking immigrants in Norway

Abstract

Self-report scales designed to measure attitudes toward both Russia and Norway, attitude between Norway and Russia, the degree of perceptual fit into each of the cultures, cultural distance and satisfaction with life, were completed by Russian-speaking immigrants. The main purpose of the study was to explore Heider’s social balance theory in acculturation research. It was predicted that balance is positively associated with satisfaction with life, while imbalance is negatively associated with satisfaction with life. The hypothesis was only supported by two cases. The only constructs which correlated significantly with SWLS, were the full balance of the attitude triad (+ + +) and imbalance total triad (+ + -). The secondary purpose of the study was to test Berry’s four-fold theory. The results showed that in terms of satisfaction with life, integration and assimilation were indistinguishable in having low positive correlations with adaptation, but were both more positive than separation and marginalisation, which were equally indistinguishable in having low negative correlations with adaptation. In other words, this study found the pattern of I = A > S = M, instead of the predicted I > A = S > M.