I am a British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Queen Mary, University of London and at the University of Washington. I am currently working at a new project entitled ‘Is diversity an obstacle to integration?’ This research investigates identity practices in long-standing and fast-changing multicultural societies. I enjoy critical thinking and creative problem solving, particularly towards the development of effective inclusion, social justice, and equality. Supervisors: Mentor: Prof. Devyani Sharma
Journal for the Psychology of Language Learning, 2021
When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the education sector soon faced the unprecedented challeng... more When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the education sector soon faced the unprecedented challenge of moving courses online within no time. The rapid implementation of emergency remote teaching (ERT) led to students and teachers alike being thrown into an emotional terra incognita. This paper sets out to explore if foreign language (LX) grit, learners’ passion and perseverance for LX learning, is a predictor of learners’ foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and their foreign language anxiety (FLCA) in LX classes taught remotely due to COVID-19. Additionally, the role of trait emotional intelligence (TEI) in mediating the connections between LX grit, FLE, and FLCA is investigated. With a web survey, data were collected from 481 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Europe. Regression analyses indicated that LX grit was a reliable predictor of FLE and TEI. TEI functioned as a partial mediator in the model, explaining a significant proportion of variance (14.3%) in FLE scores. Th...
The main argument of this dissertation is that languages and cultures overlap in the psyche of in... more The main argument of this dissertation is that languages and cultures overlap in the psyche of individuals. Participants are 468 Italian migrants residing in English-speaking countries. Specifically, the purpose is to investigate how language choice for expressing emotions, self-reported language dominance and self-perceptions when using the local language relate to migrants’ acculturation attitudes and personality. The analysis has been conducted using a mixed-method. Data has been gathered through a web-questionnaire and 5 follow-up interviews have been conducted in order to explore possible causes of statistical patterns. The web-survey was a combination of the Bilingualism and Emotions Questionnaire, the Vancouver Index of Acculturation and the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire. Findings confirmed that respondents’ linguistic attitudes towards Italian (L1) and English (LX) matched their orientation towards L1 culture and LX culture. Specifically, participants who reported ...
This book explores the ways in which migrants' experience in today's multilingual... more This book explores the ways in which migrants' experience in today's multilingual and multicultural society informs language use and processing, behavioural patterns, and perceptions of self-identity. Drawing on survey data from hundreds of Italian migrants living in English-speaking countries, in conjunction with more focused interviews, this volume unpacks the reciprocal influences between linguistic, cultural, and psychological variables to shed light on how migrants emotionally engage with the local and heritage dimensions across public and private spaces. Visualising the impact of a constant shifting of linguistic and cultural practices can enhance our understanding of foreign language acquisition, language processing and socialisation, inclusion, integration and social dynamics, acculturation tendencies, and cross-cultural communication and patterns. Overall, this book appeals to students and scholars interested in gaining nuanced insights into the linguistic, cultural, and psychological underpinnings of migration experiences in such disciplines as sociolinguistics, cultural studies, and social psychology.
International Journal of Language and Culture, 2019
Previous research has shown that emotional patterns are modified by linguistic and cultural influ... more Previous research has shown that emotional patterns are modified by linguistic and cultural influence. The present paper adopts a different perspective on the topic, investigating whether expressing emotions in the local language (LX) could predict migrants’ acculturation attitudes towards the heritage (L1) and the host (LX) cultures. Quantitative results from 468 migrants, supported by insights from 5 interviews, indicated that a frequent use of the LX for expressing anger, love and for swearing was linked to higher levels of acculturation to the LX culture. Specifically, the LX use for expressing anger and love explained 9.1% of the variance on migrants’ LX culture acculturation, where the LX use for expressing anger was by far the best predictor. Conversely, participants’ attachment to L1 cultural practices proved unrelated to their linguistic preferences for expressing emotions. Findings provide evidence that a language can be a strong emotional bond, able to orient migrants’ ac...
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2013
Research on emotion expression in first (L1) and second language (L2) suggests that affective soc... more Research on emotion expression in first (L1) and second language (L2) suggests that affective socialisation may facilitate the acquisition of culture-specific notions and modify cognitive processes...
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2019
This study focuses on migrants’ sense of belonging to the heritage
and the host culture and adopt... more This study focuses on migrants’ sense of belonging to the heritage and the host culture and adopts an innovative approach to the topic by placing biographical and linguistic factors side by side. Statistical results from 468 migrants, supported by 5 follow-up interviews, revealed that the age of migration, the length of stay and the status in the host country were unrelated to participants’ heritage and host culture acculturation levels. Conversely, migrants’ heritage language (L1) and host language (LX) frequency of use, especially for expressing emotions, as well as their L1/LX reported dominance and emotionality, were linked to their attachment to the heritage and host culture. In other words, the cognitive and emotional embracement of the language contributed to enforcing participants’ sense of belonging to the relevant culture, explaining a variance of 12.2% and 13.5% respectively in their heritage and host acculturation levels. The findings thus highlighted the crucial role of languages in shaping individuals’ cultural identity.
International Journal of Language and Culture, 2019
Previous research has shown that emotional patterns are modified by linguistic and cultural influ... more Previous research has shown that emotional patterns are modified by linguistic and cultural influence. The present paper adopts a different perspective on the topic, investigating whether expressing emotions in the local language (LX) could predict migrants’ acculturation attitudes towards the heritage (L1) and the host (LX) cultures. Quantitative results from 468 migrants, supported by insights from 5 interviews, indicated that a frequent use of the LX for expressing anger, love and for swearing was linked to higher levels of acculturation to the LX culture. Specifically, the LX use for expressing anger and love explained 9.1% of the variance on migrants’ LX culture acculturation, where the LX use for expressing anger was by far the best predictor. Conversely, participants’ attachment to L1 cultural practices proved unrelated to their linguistic preferences for expressing emotions. Findings provide evidence that a language can be a strong emotional bond, able to orient migrants’ acculturation attitudes.
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development , 2017
A majority of multilinguals report feeling different when switching languages (Dewaele, 2016; Pan... more A majority of multilinguals report feeling different when switching languages (Dewaele, 2016; Panicacci & Dewaele, 2017). The present study focuses on feelings of difference when switching languages with specific categories of interlocutors (strangers, colleagues, friends, family, partner) and when discussing specific types of topics (neutral, personal, emotional). Statistical analyses revealed that 468 Italian migrants living in English-speaking countries feel more different when they use English to discuss emotional topics with less familiar interlocutors. Subsequent interviews with 5 participants and data from a survey open question pointed at migrants’ affective socialisation within the new cultural environment, cultural orientation and other unique personal aspects as potential causes for this phenomenon.
Journal for the Psychology of Language Learning, 2021
When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the education sector soon faced the unprecedented challeng... more When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the education sector soon faced the unprecedented challenge of moving courses online within no time. The rapid implementation of emergency remote teaching (ERT) led to students and teachers alike being thrown into an emotional terra incognita. This paper sets out to explore if foreign language (LX) grit, learners’ passion and perseverance for LX learning, is a predictor of learners’ foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and their foreign language anxiety (FLCA) in LX classes taught remotely due to COVID-19. Additionally, the role of trait emotional intelligence (TEI) in mediating the connections between LX grit, FLE, and FLCA is investigated. With a web survey, data were collected from 481 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Europe. Regression analyses indicated that LX grit was a reliable predictor of FLE and TEI. TEI functioned as a partial mediator in the model, explaining a significant proportion of variance (14.3%) in FLE scores. Th...
The main argument of this dissertation is that languages and cultures overlap in the psyche of in... more The main argument of this dissertation is that languages and cultures overlap in the psyche of individuals. Participants are 468 Italian migrants residing in English-speaking countries. Specifically, the purpose is to investigate how language choice for expressing emotions, self-reported language dominance and self-perceptions when using the local language relate to migrants’ acculturation attitudes and personality. The analysis has been conducted using a mixed-method. Data has been gathered through a web-questionnaire and 5 follow-up interviews have been conducted in order to explore possible causes of statistical patterns. The web-survey was a combination of the Bilingualism and Emotions Questionnaire, the Vancouver Index of Acculturation and the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire. Findings confirmed that respondents’ linguistic attitudes towards Italian (L1) and English (LX) matched their orientation towards L1 culture and LX culture. Specifically, participants who reported ...
This book explores the ways in which migrants' experience in today's multilingual... more This book explores the ways in which migrants' experience in today's multilingual and multicultural society informs language use and processing, behavioural patterns, and perceptions of self-identity. Drawing on survey data from hundreds of Italian migrants living in English-speaking countries, in conjunction with more focused interviews, this volume unpacks the reciprocal influences between linguistic, cultural, and psychological variables to shed light on how migrants emotionally engage with the local and heritage dimensions across public and private spaces. Visualising the impact of a constant shifting of linguistic and cultural practices can enhance our understanding of foreign language acquisition, language processing and socialisation, inclusion, integration and social dynamics, acculturation tendencies, and cross-cultural communication and patterns. Overall, this book appeals to students and scholars interested in gaining nuanced insights into the linguistic, cultural, and psychological underpinnings of migration experiences in such disciplines as sociolinguistics, cultural studies, and social psychology.
International Journal of Language and Culture, 2019
Previous research has shown that emotional patterns are modified by linguistic and cultural influ... more Previous research has shown that emotional patterns are modified by linguistic and cultural influence. The present paper adopts a different perspective on the topic, investigating whether expressing emotions in the local language (LX) could predict migrants’ acculturation attitudes towards the heritage (L1) and the host (LX) cultures. Quantitative results from 468 migrants, supported by insights from 5 interviews, indicated that a frequent use of the LX for expressing anger, love and for swearing was linked to higher levels of acculturation to the LX culture. Specifically, the LX use for expressing anger and love explained 9.1% of the variance on migrants’ LX culture acculturation, where the LX use for expressing anger was by far the best predictor. Conversely, participants’ attachment to L1 cultural practices proved unrelated to their linguistic preferences for expressing emotions. Findings provide evidence that a language can be a strong emotional bond, able to orient migrants’ ac...
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2013
Research on emotion expression in first (L1) and second language (L2) suggests that affective soc... more Research on emotion expression in first (L1) and second language (L2) suggests that affective socialisation may facilitate the acquisition of culture-specific notions and modify cognitive processes...
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2019
This study focuses on migrants’ sense of belonging to the heritage
and the host culture and adopt... more This study focuses on migrants’ sense of belonging to the heritage and the host culture and adopts an innovative approach to the topic by placing biographical and linguistic factors side by side. Statistical results from 468 migrants, supported by 5 follow-up interviews, revealed that the age of migration, the length of stay and the status in the host country were unrelated to participants’ heritage and host culture acculturation levels. Conversely, migrants’ heritage language (L1) and host language (LX) frequency of use, especially for expressing emotions, as well as their L1/LX reported dominance and emotionality, were linked to their attachment to the heritage and host culture. In other words, the cognitive and emotional embracement of the language contributed to enforcing participants’ sense of belonging to the relevant culture, explaining a variance of 12.2% and 13.5% respectively in their heritage and host acculturation levels. The findings thus highlighted the crucial role of languages in shaping individuals’ cultural identity.
International Journal of Language and Culture, 2019
Previous research has shown that emotional patterns are modified by linguistic and cultural influ... more Previous research has shown that emotional patterns are modified by linguistic and cultural influence. The present paper adopts a different perspective on the topic, investigating whether expressing emotions in the local language (LX) could predict migrants’ acculturation attitudes towards the heritage (L1) and the host (LX) cultures. Quantitative results from 468 migrants, supported by insights from 5 interviews, indicated that a frequent use of the LX for expressing anger, love and for swearing was linked to higher levels of acculturation to the LX culture. Specifically, the LX use for expressing anger and love explained 9.1% of the variance on migrants’ LX culture acculturation, where the LX use for expressing anger was by far the best predictor. Conversely, participants’ attachment to L1 cultural practices proved unrelated to their linguistic preferences for expressing emotions. Findings provide evidence that a language can be a strong emotional bond, able to orient migrants’ acculturation attitudes.
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development , 2017
A majority of multilinguals report feeling different when switching languages (Dewaele, 2016; Pan... more A majority of multilinguals report feeling different when switching languages (Dewaele, 2016; Panicacci & Dewaele, 2017). The present study focuses on feelings of difference when switching languages with specific categories of interlocutors (strangers, colleagues, friends, family, partner) and when discussing specific types of topics (neutral, personal, emotional). Statistical analyses revealed that 468 Italian migrants living in English-speaking countries feel more different when they use English to discuss emotional topics with less familiar interlocutors. Subsequent interviews with 5 participants and data from a survey open question pointed at migrants’ affective socialisation within the new cultural environment, cultural orientation and other unique personal aspects as potential causes for this phenomenon.
The 11th International Symposium of Bilingualism, 2017, Limerick.
“This language is beginning to... more The 11th International Symposium of Bilingualism, 2017, Limerick.
“This language is beginning to invent another me”, writes Hoffman (1989:121) in her classic autobiography picturing her life across cultures and languages. Indeed, the majority of multilinguals report feeling different when switching languages (Dewaele, 2016), leading towards the idea of multilingual identities (Pavlenko 2006). Although the influence of personality on migrants’ self-perceptions has been investigated (Ozańska-Ponikwia 2013), little attention has been paid to acculturation aspects and how all these factors could be mutually related. A questionnaire comprising several sections (Dewaele-Pavlenko 2001-2003; Van Oudenhoven-Van Der Zee 2002; Ryder & al., 2000) has been developed and supplemented by interviews. Participants are 468 Italian migrants living in English-speaking countries. Results suggest that participants’ personality characteristics determined their sense of belonging to either their heritage or host cultural scenarios. Furthermore, respondents’ emotional and social skills and their appreciation for the host culture practices constrained their sense of feeling different when using the local language.
Slimig, 2016 - Rapallo.
“This language is beginning to invent another me” (Hoffman 1989:121). Th... more Slimig, 2016 - Rapallo.
“This language is beginning to invent another me” (Hoffman 1989:121). The majority of multilinguals immersed in different cultures report feeling different when switching languages despite their proficiency level (Dewaele 2016), leading toward the idea of multilingual identities (Wilson 2008, Pavlenko 2006). What emerges from migrants’ insights is the dynamic nature of this phenomenon. If research on personality as predictor of migrants’ adaptation, sociolinguistic and cognitive changes is a growing field of research (Ozańska-Ponikwia 2013), only few studies analysed the reverse process, determining self-identity variation, due to cross-cultural exchange (Dewaele & Stavans, 2014). The present research aims to connect crucial factors together to detect mutual relationships among migrants’ cultural orientation, personality profiles and self-perceptions.
SOAS Postgraduate Conference of Applied Linguistics, London, 2015.
Culture plays a crucial role ... more SOAS Postgraduate Conference of Applied Linguistics, London, 2015.
Culture plays a crucial role in shaping individuals' identity and personality. Migrating from one culture to another implies crossing not only geographical borders but also cultural and linguistic ones. These borders are less tangible and people seem to take longer to adapt to them (Dewaele & Stavans 2014). This process, generally referred to as acculturation, involves changes in several aspects of self-identity to fit in the new world (Kim 2001). The present research has been developed with the aim of contributing to investigate the potentials of cross-cultural exchange, acculturation and social integration, specifically focusing on personality as well as another vibrant aspect of human life: emotions. Indeed, being unable to rely on the substantial contribution of emotions in social interactions because of language barriers may have crucial effects on immigrants' wellbeing (Dewaele 2010), while learning to handle emotional experiences could represent an important achievement to succeed in adaptation processes. Recent researches started to focus on this topic, theorising the concept of “emotion acculturation”, intended as the changes in emotional patterns due to immigrants’ exposure to a new culture (De Leersnyder & al., 2011). Specifically, it has been reported that immigrants can internalise emotion concepts, which are not part of their heritage culture, only through second language interactions and affective socialisation within the host culture (Pavlenko 2008). A mixed methodological approach, based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative data, has been considered. An online questionnaire comprising several sections: Bilingualism and Emotions Questionnaire (Dewaele & Pavlenko 2001-2003), Multicultural Personality Questionnaire (Van Oudenhoven & Van Der Zee, 2002) and the Vancouver Index of Acculturation (Ryder, Alden & Paulhus, 2000) has been developed and 5 unstructured interviews have followed. The survey has been distributed among Italians living in UK, Ireland, US and Canada and counts 468 respondents. From the analysis, migrants' preferences for expressing anger, love or for swearing in their mother tongue or foreign language go together with the way they respectively orient themselves towards heritage or host culture practices. This can be further explained by considering that increasing second language use, on first language's expenses, also implies boosting socialisation with locals instead of compatriots. Thus, migrants who prefer to express emotions in their first language generally maintain a remarkable attachment to their heritage culture, reporting a concomitant lack of interest in host culture values. In terms of personality, migrants reporting a frequent use of foreign emotions seemed characterised by a stronger sensitivity towards different beliefs and a receptive attitude in socialising with diversity. If emotions have become a focal subject, few studies investigated personality traits, mainly because linguistics traditionally avoids incorporating psychological variables (Ozańska-Ponikwia, 2013). However, when dealing with acculturation, the necessity of focusing on the real person behind the data seems crucial. This study proves not only that personality is accountable for second language emotion expression and socialisation but also that experiencing emotions in a foreign language facilitates the embracement of new cultural practices and has effects on self-identity. These findings provide unique cues to interpret the complexity of acculturation, promoting cultural awareness and theorising successful social integration aid programmes.
Bloomsbury Round Table on Communication, Cognition and Culture Multilingualism, Multiculturalism ... more Bloomsbury Round Table on Communication, Cognition and Culture Multilingualism, Multiculturalism and Emotion, Birkbeck, London, 2016
“This language is beginning to invent another me” (Hoffman 1989:121). The majority of multilinguals immersed in different cultures report feeling different when switching languages despite their proficiency level (Dewaele 2015), leading toward the idea of multilingual identities (Wilson 2008, Pavlenko 2006). What emerges from migrants’ insights is the dynamic nature of this phenomenon. Although the influence of personality on the “feeling different” pattern has been investigated (Ozańska-Ponikwia 2013), little attention has been paid to migrants’ attachment to host culture, connecting multiple factors together to detect mutual relationships among acculturation, personality and perceptions. A questionnaire comprising several sections (BEQ, Dewaele-Pavlenko 2001-2003; MPQ, Van Oudenhoven-Van Der Zee 2002; VIA, Ryder & al., 2000) has been developed and supplemented by interviews. Participants are 468 Italian migrants in English-speaking countries. Results suggest that migrants who feel different when using L2 are less attached to L2 cultural practices and less able to control their emotions.
Does having a multilingual and multicultural identity mean being less integrated in a society?
Pr... more Does having a multilingual and multicultural identity mean being less integrated in a society? Present-day societies are rapidly changing and becoming increasingly characterised by linguistic and cultural diversity. Constant migration flows and the rise of new opportunities for intercultural exchange have meant that individuals embody a greater multilingualism and multiculturalism. Understanding the dynamics of modern multicultural societies is crucial to help government and social departments develop adequate policies on both national and local levels within the socio-economic and legal circumstances affecting members of the population.
In this context, the present project wants to focus on identity and acculturation practices. Traditional acculturation models, exclusively based on the distinction of heritage and mainstream culture dimensions, are not able to realistically capture the features of multilingual and multicultural societies. Individuals clearly require more flexibility and awareness in acknowledging their diversity. For instance, the pure ethnic look might not necessarily be carrier of foreignness, while a regional accent could be a stronger identity marker than a passport. Who is more diverse than whom? Who is more transnational? Who is more integrated? The need for investigating these processes more systematically has never been more vital. In fact, understanding how individuals appreciate linguistic and cultural hybridity within themselves is the first step towards a better understanding of what factors can foster good integration practices, so to establish a diverse, yet enriched society, which is a stable ground for economical growth.
This book explores the ways in which migrants' experience in today's multilingual and multicultur... more This book explores the ways in which migrants' experience in today's multilingual and multicultural society informs language use and processing, behavioural patterns, and perceptions of self-identity. Drawing on survey data from hundreds of Italian migrants living in English-speaking countries, in conjunction with more focused interviews, this volume unpacks the reciprocal influences between linguistic, cultural, and psychological variables to shed light on how migrants emotionally engage with the local and heritage dimensions across public and private spaces. Visualising the impact of a constant shifting of linguistic and cultural practices can enhance our understanding of foreign language acquisition, language processing and socialisation, inclusion, integration and social dynamics, acculturation tendencies, and cross-cultural communication and patterns. Overall, this book appeals to students and scholars interested in gaining nuanced insights into the linguistic, cultural, and psychological underpinnings of migration experiences in such disciplines as sociolinguistics, cultural studies, and social psychology.
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Papers by Alex Panicacci
and the host culture and adopts an innovative approach to the topic
by placing biographical and linguistic factors side by side. Statistical
results from 468 migrants, supported by 5 follow-up interviews,
revealed that the age of migration, the length of stay and the status in
the host country were unrelated to participants’ heritage and host
culture acculturation levels. Conversely, migrants’ heritage language
(L1) and host language (LX) frequency of use, especially for
expressing emotions, as well as their L1/LX reported dominance and
emotionality, were linked to their attachment to the heritage and host
culture. In other words, the cognitive and emotional embracement of
the language contributed to enforcing participants’ sense of
belonging to the relevant culture, explaining a variance of 12.2% and
13.5% respectively in their heritage and host acculturation levels.
The findings thus highlighted the crucial role of languages in
shaping individuals’ cultural identity.
Keywords: acculturation; multilingualism; emotion expression;
affective socialization; migrants’ identity
and the host culture and adopts an innovative approach to the topic
by placing biographical and linguistic factors side by side. Statistical
results from 468 migrants, supported by 5 follow-up interviews,
revealed that the age of migration, the length of stay and the status in
the host country were unrelated to participants’ heritage and host
culture acculturation levels. Conversely, migrants’ heritage language
(L1) and host language (LX) frequency of use, especially for
expressing emotions, as well as their L1/LX reported dominance and
emotionality, were linked to their attachment to the heritage and host
culture. In other words, the cognitive and emotional embracement of
the language contributed to enforcing participants’ sense of
belonging to the relevant culture, explaining a variance of 12.2% and
13.5% respectively in their heritage and host acculturation levels.
The findings thus highlighted the crucial role of languages in
shaping individuals’ cultural identity.
Keywords: acculturation; multilingualism; emotion expression;
affective socialization; migrants’ identity
“This language is beginning to invent another me”, writes Hoffman (1989:121) in her classic autobiography picturing her life across cultures and languages. Indeed, the majority of multilinguals report feeling different when switching languages (Dewaele, 2016), leading towards the idea of multilingual identities (Pavlenko 2006). Although the influence of personality on migrants’ self-perceptions has been investigated (Ozańska-Ponikwia 2013), little attention has been paid to acculturation aspects and how all these factors could be mutually related. A questionnaire comprising several sections (Dewaele-Pavlenko 2001-2003; Van Oudenhoven-Van Der Zee 2002; Ryder & al., 2000) has been developed and supplemented by interviews. Participants are 468 Italian migrants living in English-speaking countries. Results suggest that participants’ personality characteristics determined their sense of belonging to either their heritage or host cultural scenarios. Furthermore, respondents’ emotional and social skills and their appreciation for the host culture practices constrained their sense of feeling different when using the local language.
“This language is beginning to invent another me” (Hoffman 1989:121). The majority of multilinguals immersed in different cultures report feeling different when switching languages despite their proficiency level (Dewaele 2016), leading toward the idea of multilingual identities (Wilson 2008, Pavlenko 2006). What emerges from migrants’ insights is the dynamic nature of this phenomenon. If research on personality as predictor of migrants’ adaptation, sociolinguistic and cognitive changes is a growing field of research (Ozańska-Ponikwia 2013), only few studies analysed the reverse process, determining self-identity variation, due to cross-cultural exchange (Dewaele & Stavans, 2014). The present research aims to connect crucial factors together to detect mutual relationships among migrants’ cultural orientation, personality profiles and self-perceptions.
Culture plays a crucial role in shaping individuals' identity and personality. Migrating from one culture to another implies crossing not only geographical borders but also cultural and linguistic ones. These borders are less tangible and people seem to take longer to adapt to them (Dewaele & Stavans 2014). This process, generally referred to as acculturation, involves changes in several aspects of self-identity to fit in the new world (Kim 2001). The present research has been developed with the aim of contributing to investigate the potentials of cross-cultural exchange, acculturation and social integration, specifically focusing on personality as well as another vibrant aspect of human life: emotions. Indeed, being unable to rely on the substantial contribution of emotions in social interactions because of language barriers may have crucial effects on immigrants' wellbeing (Dewaele 2010), while learning to handle emotional experiences could represent an important achievement to succeed in adaptation processes. Recent researches started to focus on this topic, theorising the concept of “emotion acculturation”, intended as the changes in emotional patterns due to immigrants’ exposure to a new culture (De Leersnyder & al., 2011). Specifically, it has been reported that immigrants can internalise emotion concepts, which are not part of their heritage culture, only through second language interactions and affective socialisation within the host culture (Pavlenko 2008).
A mixed methodological approach, based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative data, has been considered. An online questionnaire comprising several sections: Bilingualism and Emotions Questionnaire (Dewaele & Pavlenko 2001-2003), Multicultural Personality Questionnaire (Van Oudenhoven & Van Der Zee, 2002) and the Vancouver Index of Acculturation (Ryder, Alden & Paulhus, 2000) has been developed and 5 unstructured interviews have followed. The survey has been distributed among Italians living in UK, Ireland, US and Canada and counts 468 respondents.
From the analysis, migrants' preferences for expressing anger, love or for swearing in their mother tongue or foreign language go together with the way they respectively orient themselves towards heritage or host culture practices. This can be further explained by considering that increasing second language use, on first language's expenses, also implies boosting socialisation with locals instead of compatriots. Thus, migrants who prefer to express emotions in their first language generally maintain a remarkable attachment to their heritage culture, reporting a concomitant lack of interest in host culture values. In terms of personality, migrants reporting a frequent use of foreign emotions seemed characterised by a stronger sensitivity towards different beliefs and a receptive attitude in socialising with diversity.
If emotions have become a focal subject, few studies investigated personality traits, mainly because linguistics traditionally avoids incorporating psychological variables (Ozańska-Ponikwia, 2013). However, when dealing with acculturation, the necessity of focusing on the real person behind the data seems crucial. This study proves not only that personality is accountable for second language emotion expression and socialisation but also that experiencing emotions in a foreign language facilitates the embracement of new cultural practices and has effects on self-identity. These findings provide unique cues to interpret the complexity of acculturation, promoting cultural awareness and theorising successful social integration aid programmes.
“This language is beginning to invent another me” (Hoffman 1989:121). The majority of multilinguals immersed in different cultures report feeling different when switching languages despite their proficiency level (Dewaele 2015), leading toward the idea of multilingual identities (Wilson 2008, Pavlenko 2006). What emerges from migrants’ insights is the dynamic nature of this phenomenon. Although the influence of personality on the “feeling different” pattern has been investigated (Ozańska-Ponikwia 2013), little attention has been paid to migrants’ attachment to host culture, connecting multiple factors together to detect mutual relationships among acculturation, personality and perceptions. A questionnaire comprising several sections (BEQ, Dewaele-Pavlenko 2001-2003; MPQ, Van Oudenhoven-Van Der Zee 2002; VIA, Ryder & al., 2000) has been developed and supplemented by interviews. Participants are 468 Italian migrants in English-speaking countries. Results suggest that migrants who feel different when using L2 are less attached to L2 cultural practices and less able to control their emotions.
Present-day societies are rapidly changing and becoming increasingly characterised by linguistic and cultural diversity. Constant migration flows and the rise of new opportunities for intercultural exchange have meant that individuals embody a greater multilingualism and multiculturalism. Understanding the dynamics of modern multicultural societies is crucial to help government and social departments develop adequate policies on both national and local levels within the socio-economic and legal circumstances affecting members of the population.
In this context, the present project wants to focus on identity and acculturation practices. Traditional acculturation models, exclusively based on the distinction of heritage and mainstream culture dimensions, are not able to realistically capture the features of multilingual and multicultural societies. Individuals clearly require more flexibility and awareness in acknowledging their diversity. For instance, the pure ethnic look might not necessarily be carrier of foreignness, while a regional accent could be a stronger identity marker than a passport. Who is more diverse than whom? Who is more transnational? Who is more integrated? The need for investigating these processes more systematically has never been more vital. In fact, understanding how individuals appreciate linguistic and cultural hybridity within themselves is the first step towards a better understanding of what factors can foster good integration practices, so to establish a diverse, yet enriched society, which is a stable ground for economical growth.