Acculturation and adjustment as a function of perceived and objective value congruence.

Culture fit has been studied in numerous ways conceptually and methodologically, yielding conflicting results. This study explored it in terms of perceived and objective value congruence in relation to both acculturation and socio-cultural adjustment among 187 international students (or internationals, compared to 138 domestic students or locals) in the USA. First, for 9 out of 10 values, internationals' perceptions of U.S. values significantly differed from locals' actual values. Second, locals perceived greater stimulation and self-direction value congruence (i.e., when personal values are consistent with respondents' perceptions of U.S. values), but weaker benevolence, power, and univers…