Ethnic Identity, Acculturation, Religiosity of Turkish Immigrants in the United States and Their Relations to Life Satisfaction

Year 2017, Issue: 63, 59 - 70, 31.10.2017

Abdurrahim Güler , Tuğça Poyraz Tacoğlu

Abstract

This study examines the differences in life satisfaction for Turkish immigrants in the United States. The religiosity, socio-economic status (SES), duration of residence, acculturation to heritage and host culture, and the degree of ethnic identification in the United States of Turkish immigrants are discussed as possible factors influence on life satisfaction. Data are obtained from 344 Turkish-born adult immigrants who live in the United States. The Questionnaire is filled with several measures; including demographic background, Vancouver Index of Acculturation, Multiethnic Identity Measure, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. On the whole, the Turkish immigrants were found to be quite satisfied with their life in the United States. Logistic regression models are computed to compare factors on life satisfaction. Initial differences are obtained in the first model among religiosity and SES. The final model indicates that an increased in participant‟s religiosity, being in higher SES, and more acculturation to host culture significantly explains the positive effect on life satisfaction. 

Keywords

Ethnic Identity, Acculturation, Duration of Residence, Religiosity, Life Satisfaction

AMERİKA’DA YAŞAYAN TÜRKLERDE ETNİK KİMLİK, KÜLTÜRLEŞME, DİNDARLIK VE BUNLARIN YAŞAM MEMNUNİYETİNE ETKİSİ

Abstract

Bu makalede Amerika‟da yaşayan Türk göçmenlerin yaşam memnuniyetleri açısından sergiledikleri farklılıklar incelenmektedir. Yaşam memnuniyetini etkileyen faktörler olarak Türk göçmenlerin dindarlığı, sosyo-ekonomik seviyeleri, Amerika‟daki yaşam süreleri, sahip oldukları miras kültürleri ve Amerikan ev sahibi kültürle kültürleşme süreçleri ve kendilerini etnik kimlikle tanımlama dereceleri ele alınmıştır. Araştırmanın örneklemini Türkiye‟de doğup Amerika‟ya yerleşen 344 Türk göçmen oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmanın verileri Vancouver Kültürleşme İndeksi, Çok Gruplu Etnik Kimlik Ölçeği ve Yaşam Memnuniyeti Ölçeği kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Bu ölçeklerin yanı sıra örnekleme demografik özelliklerini kapsayan anket uygulanmıştır. Genel olarak bakıldığında Amerika‟daki Türk göçmenlerin yaşam memnuniyetlerinin yüksek olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Ayrıca çalışmada lojistik regresyon testi kullanılmıştır. Buna göre ilk model, dindarlık derecesi ve sosyoekonomik seviye arasında farklılıkları göstermektedir. Son model ise dindarlığının, sosyo-ekonomik seviyenin ve ev sahibi kültürle kültürleşmenin artmasının yaşam memnuniyetini pozitif olarak etkilediğini açıklamaktadır. 

Keywords

Etnik Kimlik, Kültürleşme, Gidilen Yerde Yaşama Süresi, Dindarlık

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