Social networking and cultural identity among language minority learners of Portuguese during study abroad

Abstract

Research in intercultural communication studies has demonstrated that social networking (SN) can affect language minority learners’ cultural adaptation/identity process. Furthermore, internet usage preferences play an important role in the cultural adaptation of mobility groups. Drawing on these two lines of development, the current paper aims to further examine the role of SN in the home and host cultural adaptation/identity process of Chinese language-minority learners in Portugal. Through collecting and analyzing questionnaires focusing on three cultural identity dimensions, participants’ use of SN for academic purposes, and their cultural adaptation and language minority learning, we found that the affordances provided by SN contribute positively to enhancing both the host and the home cultural identity. Furthermore, the academic purpose of language use on SN indicated a positive relationship between the use of SN and cultural identity. The findings shed new light on factors that influence participants’ Portuguese language learning during study abroad.