How Acculturation Strategies Shape Settlement Intentions of Rural–Urban Migrants in Guangzhou, China: The Mediating Roles of Socioeconomic Status and Subjective Well-Being

Abstract

Although acculturation has only recently been linked to migrant settlement, the process through which it unfolds among rural–urban migrants in developing countries remains largely understudied. Utilising data from a rural–urban migrant survey in Guangzhou, this study verifies that acculturation is directly related to settlement intentions and explores the potential mediating roles of socioeconomic status (SES) and subjective well-being. Moving beyond the traditional assimilation perspective, we conceptualise acculturation as a bidirectional (rural/urban orientations) and multidimensional (practices, values, and identifications) construct. Our analyses identify two subtypes of integration strategy and two subtypes of separation strategy. The results demonstrate that integrated migrants exhibit significantly stronger urban-settlement intention than their separated counterparts. This relationship is partially mediated by SES (assessed through perceived SES and income) and by subjective well-being (evaluated via life satisfaction). Integrated migrants tend to achieve higher perceived SES and life satisfaction, each of which is associated with a higher likelihood of urban settlement. These findings highlight the complex interplay among acculturation strategies, SES, and subjective well-being in shaping settlement decisions and provide suggestive evidence of the potential pathways through which acculturation strategies may influence settlement intentions in rapidly urbanising contexts.