Ethnicity and mobility orientations: a study of the Mexican-Americans of southern Colorado

Abstract

Data analyzed in this study are from questionnaire responses of 645 Mexican American high school students from schools in southern Colorado. The sample included both males and females at the junior and senior levels. The literature review includes theories which attempt to explain differential acculturation on the one hand and theories which attempt to explain differentials in mobility orientations in terms of differential acculturation on the other. In the first instance, hypotheses were derived which included: 1) the existence of a positive relationship between geographic isolation and ethnic cultural retention; and 2) the existence of a positive relationship between ethnic dominance and ethnic cultural retention. Ethnic cultural retention was measured by a scale developed for that purpose. The hypotheses were supported by low but significant relationships in each case. In the second instance, hypotheses included: 1) a negative relationship between ethnic cultural retention and prestige level of occupational aspirations; 2) a negative relationship between ethnic cultural retention and self concept of ability; and 3) a positive relationship between ethnic cultural retention and Shannon's World View Scale. A significant relationship was found only in the case of the first hypothesis and even this was extremely low (r = .09). The major conclusion of the study is that acculturational differentials do not account for meaningful differences in mobility and thus brings the cultural explanation of differential achievement into question. It is recognized, however, that cultural patterns other than the attitudinal one considered here may serve to retard achievement.