Identity Multiplicity, National Group Contact, and Acculturation: The Role of Identity‐Related Cognitions

Persons with migration background (PMB) face the question of whether they can become full members of the receiving society, and at the same time maintain their ethnic group identity and culture. Alongside experiences of contact with the national group, this research examined the role of three identity-related cognitions for PMB's acculturation attitudes: (1) perceived permeability and (2) perceived compatibility of national and ethnic identities, and (3) perceived overlap of ethnic and religious identities. Data from two groups-Muslim Palestinian and Christian Hungarian PMB in Germany-provided initial support for the model. Multigroup path analysis showed that positive contact related positively with cultural adoption, both directly and indirectly via permeability, whereas negative contact related negatively only in sample 2. Compatibility moderated the association between the acculturation attitudes. Perceived overlap showed differential effects for Christian and Muslim PMB. The results highlight that different immigration groups face different contexts of integration. Implications for the study of religious identity and identity multiplicity are discussed.