Uses of Mass Media for Adaptation Purposes: A Quantitative Study of Brazilian Immigrants in Los Angeles

Abstract

This research project used a survey to assess the impact of English- and Portuguese-language mass media on how Brazilian immigrants in the Los Angeles area adapt to their new environment. In addition to mass media use, the survey also took into account cultural preferences, language fluency, and demographics as possible predictors of cultural adaptation for Brazilian immigrants in a large and multicultural metropolitan area of the United States. Hypotheses were tested by using bivariate correlations to determine the relationships between the independent (language, media use, demographics) and dependent (cultural adaptation) variables. In addition, a discussion of intercultural communication and some characteristics of the Brazilian community are provided.