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not integrated into society, more than the male counterparts of the
same cohort. The female is more dependent on maintaining ties with the
ethnic social group in order to obtain information and emotional and
material support. This dependence makes it more difficult to establish
and maintain ties in the new culture. What appears to be female re
luctance to integrate, learn the new language, and new behavior patterns,
is in reality the mechanism of female immigrant survival system. The
female must tread a thin line not to appear too integrated and uncaring
about former relationships while slowly developing new associations. Too
much or too little commitment can leave the female with no social support
system, according to Smith (1980).
The reception of the host society and the establishment of an
immigrant enclave can be a very important part of adjustment for young
people. Host children's receptive behavior can provide a buffer from
isolation for the new, young newcomers. Rejection can cause further
chaos. Group identity, or the lack of it, can make a difference between
certainty and confusion for the child, as it does for the adult, and can
influence the language learning process (Huyck & Fields, 1981).
Summary on Immigrants in the United States
This section has reviewed research on accommodation, adaptation,
and assimilation, and differentiates between behavior which distinguishes
accommodation as a process of avoiding problems, and assimilation as a
process of taking on the cultural patterns of the host country. Ad
aptation is an intermediary stage between the two (Gordon, 1964;
Richmond, 1973). Culture plays a critical role in assimilation,