Goal pursuit and acculturation: a fruitful novel approach to understand migration success

Research output: ThesisThesis fully internal (DIV)

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Abstract

The migration process is often set in motion when people attempt to maximize their goal potentials. Nevertheless, the focus on individual-level goal pursuit in relation to acculturation is largely understudied; contemporary motivation theories have hardly been applied to migration research. The current thesis is an attempt to fill this void and to investigate the value of applying goal pursuit theories in acculturation research. We propose that goal pursuit helps self-initiated migrants to feel acculturated in the host country. Setting, striving for, and achieving goals might give migrants the sense that they fit into the host society and may increase their identification with host-nationals by seeing themselves as valuable members of the society (Wassermann, Fujishiro, & Hoppe, 2017), which may add to their well-being. Building on previous findings using the Self-Determination Theory perspective and combining that with knowledge derived from research in the acculturation domain, we investigate how the importance and attainment of personal goals (e.g., intrinsic goals, career goals and self-set goals) relate to acculturation and to well-being (life satisfaction and depression).
Original languageEnglish
QualificationDoctor of Philosophy
Awarding Institution
  • University of Groningen
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Wisse, Barbara, Supervisor
  • Farago, Klara, Supervisor, External person
Award date7-Nov-2019
Place of Publication[Groningen]
Publisher
Print ISBNs978-94-034-2076-9
Electronic ISBNs978-94-034-2075-2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

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