Digital Diasporas: How Origin Characteristics and Host-Native Distance Shape Immigrants' Online Cultural Retention

TL;DR

This study investigates how origin characteristics and the distance between host and native cultures influence immigrants' online cultural retention, revealing that greater cultural distance correlates with increased retention.

Contribution

It identifies key factors affecting online cultural retention among immigrants, emphasizing the roles of host-native distance and origin country context, which were less explored in prior research.

Findings

Greater host-native distance increases online cultural retention.

Origin country context has a statistically significant but smaller impact.

Online cultural retention varies across different immigrant groups.

Abstract

Immigrants bring unique cultural backgrounds to their host countries. Subsequent interplay of cultures can lead to either a melting pot, where immigrants adopt the dominant culture of the host country, or a mosaic, where distinct cultural identities coexist. The existing literature primarily focuses on the acculturation of immigrants, specifically the melting pot hypothesis. In contrast, we attempt to identify the antecedents of the mosaic hypothesis or factors that enhance (or diminish) the propensity for cultural retention among immigrants. Based on Facebook advertising data for immigrants from 8 countries residing in the USA, our findings suggest that greater host-native distance is linked to higher online cultural retention, and while origin country context is statistically significant, its impact is generally smaller.