Ethnic Migration, Assimilation, and Consumption

The cultural assimilation of Mexican-Americans in the Southwest is assessed by comparing their food consumption patterns with those of income-matched Anglos living in the same region and those of income-matched Mexicans living in Mexico City. Rather than relying on self-report data as indicators of consumption patterns, data concerning the contents of the garbage of these three types of households are used. The results suggest that, contrary to predictions based on the traditional model of assimilation, Mexican-American consumption patterns are not a simple blending of Mexican and Anglo patterns. Rather, Mexican-American consumption patterns suggest the emergence of a unique cultural style. The concept of culture pervades discussions of inter-national marketing and calls for a more sociological approach to understanding consumer behavior (cf. Nicosia and Mayer 1976; Zaltman and Wallendorf 1977). The term culture is usually taken to mean a set of socially acquired behavior patterns common to the members of a particular