The Potential Cost of Cultural Fit: Frame Switching Undermines Perceptions of Authenticity in Western Contexts

Abstract

Behaving consistently across situations is fundamental to a person’s authenticity in Western societies. This can pose a problem for biculturals who often frame switch, or adapt their behavior across cultural contexts, as a way of maintaining fit with each of their cultures. In particular, the behavioral inconsistency entailed in frame switching may undermine biculturals’ sense of authenticity, as well as Westerners’ impressions of biculturals’ authenticity. Study 1 had a diverse sample of biculturals (N = 127) living in the United States and Canada describe an episode of frame switching (vs. no switching control vs. neutral control) and report on their state authenticity during the episode. Results showed that biculturals recalled feeling less authentic during an instance of frame switching compared to no switching control and neutral control. Study 2 had mainstream Canadians (White and of American, Canadian, or Western European cultural heritage, N = 97) read a hypothetical vignette, from a third-person perspective, about a bicultural who frame switches (vs. no switching control vs. neutral control) and provide their impressions of the bicultural’s authenticity and multiple other desirable traits. Participants rated the bicultural as less authentic when he frame switched compared to no switching control and neutral control, and rated him as less likeable, trustworthy, and warm (but not competent) as downstream consequences of seeing him as less authentic. These results demonstrate that frame switching can come at a cost to authenticity, both in terms of how biculturals see themselves and are seen by others, at least in Western societies. These findings highlight that the way biculturals negotiate their cultures affects them psychologically and socially. In the context of cultural fit, the active process of establishing and maintaining fit with one’s cultures can have unforeseen consequences.

The Cost of Being “True to Yourself” for Mixed Selves: Frame Switching Leads to Perceived Inauthenticity and Downstream Social Consequences for Biculturals

“…Bicultural vignettes. Participants read vignettes featuring Miguel Wong, a U.S.-born Mexican Chinese bicultural American (West et al, 2018). We selected two minority cultures as the focus of switching to avoid any confounding effects of ingroup/out-group biases (e.g., concerns about disloyalty).…”

“…Extant research with majority Americans shows that perceived authenticity strongly relates to impressions of likeability and trustworthiness (Krumhuber et al, 2007). Further, authenticity is related to perceptions of warmth and competence (West et al, 2018), which are considered universal dimensions in impression formation (Cuddy et al, 2008). Thus, we hypothesize that a bicultural’s frame switching will undermine their perceived authenticity, and subsequently, their likeability, trustworthiness, warmth, and competence.…”

“…Yet in addition to biases against biculturals based on who they are, another source of bias may come from what they do. We posit that biculturals' behavior as they negotiate their cultures can have powerful effects on the way others perceive them (West et al, 2017(West et al, , 2018.…”

The role of social identity strategies in the cultural transitions of international students: social creativity, social mobility and place identity

“…Relationships to places are a dynamic phenomenon, whereby different 'worlds are drawn together in a lasting way' (Seamon 1993, p. 219). In addition, the adjustment of behaviour to context and shifting of identities according to context as described by Aleksandra when she was with her British friends is termed code switching and frame switching, respectively (Molinsky 2007;West et al 2018). Both code switching and frame switching have parallels to 'fitting in', with frame switching an important bi-cultural negotiation process (West et al 2017).…”

“…Group membership brought Dinesh positive social identity, 'I feel I've really changed for the better'. The fluid nature of social identity means the use of social mobility strategies by participants was occasioned by the nature of the intergroup context, with multiple identities available to manage an intergroup encounter (Roccas and Brewer 2002;West et al 2018). Thus, in the above extract whilst moving towards the positively evaluated group Dinesh does not dissociate from his heritage in-group, his heritage social identity still being available to him and triggered in other intergroup contexts.…”