ABSTRACT
Internationalization, globalization, emigration, and immigration make it imperative that we become comfortable with relationships and interactions within societies. Foreign born and immigrant populations in many countries across the world are growing (Bochner, 2003). The large Southeast and East Asian communities that have been established in Australia, Canada, Britain, and the USA serve as examples of global connectivity and intercultural migration. Such distinctive communities like the large Latino populations in the USA, and African and Caribbean communities in Britain can increase the perception of cultural distance among societal members (Ward, Bochner, & Furnham, 2001). Groups and individuals increasingly have to manage the process of intercultural relations that involves psychological acculturation and specific strategies and coping skills. Berry (1998) distinguishes between two perspectives of plural societies. The ‘melting pot’ view is the notion that minority/ethnocultural groups become absorbed into mainstream culture. In contrast, the ‘mosaic’ or multicultural point of view suggests that minority/ethnocultural groups retain their cultural identity and live with some shared norms while allowing different cultural interests to evolve through institutions.
