Should African Americans be defined as a race or as an ethnic (cultural) group? If the latter, what role does culture play in their lives and how can it be measured? This groundbreaking book argues that African Americans should be classed as a cultural group, and presents a unique scale for measuring the group's acculturation - the degree of assimilation into the dominant culture. The volume features empirical studies exploring the role of culture and acculturation in African-American behaviour, health and psychology.