Are we facing a “causality crisis” in acculturation research? The need for a methodological (r)evolution

Acculturation is an inherently causal phenomenon that deals with changes and processes initiated by intercultural contact. However, although more than 13,000 scientific articles to date have been published on a topic related to acculturation, only a small fraction uses data that allow for causal inferences. As a result, our field can be seen as facing a “crisis of causality,” where central theories and models that assume causality between constructs still lack robust empirical support. To address this gap, I provide recommendations for the next generation of acculturation research, emphasizing primarily the need for experimental and longitudinal studies.