<p>This paper examines the changes in Filipino immigrants’
perceptions about themselves and of Americans before and after coming to the
United States. Filipinos have a general
perception of themselves as an ethnic group.
They also have perceptions about Americans whose media products
regularly reach the Philippines. Eleven
Filipinos who have permanently migrated to the US were interviewed about their
perceptions of Filipinos and Americans.
Before coming to the US, they saw themselves as hardworking,
family-oriented, poor, shy, corrupt, proud, adaptable, fatalistic, humble,
adventurous, persevering, gossipmonger, and happy. They described Americans as rich, arrogant,
educated, workaholic, proud, powerful, spoiled, helpful, boastful,
materialistic, individualistic, talented, domineering, friendly, accommodating,
helpful, clean, and kind. Most of the
respondents changed their perceptions of Filipinos and of Americans after
coming to the US. They now view
Filipinos as having acquired American values or “Americanized.” On the other
hand, they stopped perceiving Americans as a homogenous group possessing the
same values after they got into direct contact with them. The findings validate social perception and
appraisal theory, and symbolic interaction theory.</p>
