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One difference I noticed between Puerto Ricans and Dominicans is how we work. Puerto Ricans, for a lack of a better term, tend to be more "free spirited" and "go with the flow." We don't care how you work as long as you do a good job. In my opinion, I feel we are more spontaneous, even when it comes to work. Not that we don't take our jobs seriously but we don't always have to take ourselves seriously and be serious in every setting, even the workplace.
Dominicans tend to be more structural, procedural, and to the rule when it comes to work. It is not that one does a better job, it is just a different attitude when it comes to work.
I also notice that Puerto Ricans are very adaptable to the environment we are in. We easily blend in with any culture we are in. This is evidenced by high rates of intermarriage between Puerto Ricans and other Latinos, whites, and blacks.
Dominicans on the other hand tend to retain their heritage more, even American born Dominicans. I even met a third generation Dominican who speaks Spanish as fluent as someone who was born there.
Dominicans take such a pride in their culture and independence as a country that it seems Dominicans would rather starve than to give up their sovereignty. Ser un vende patria or even "kissing up" is really looked down on their culture, to the point that men will get made fun of if someone sees they are over complementing,, even if the complement is a light one.
By contrast, Puerto Ricans don't care about complementing each other the same way Dominicans, particularly Dominican men, might care.
Again these are just my observations. Don't know whether any of you agree.
Culture
Modern times- Dominicans
Historically- Cubans
In the 1800s and early 1900s Cuba and Puerto Rico were very tied to each other, main reason of this is cuz they were the last 2 remaining colonies for some time. But that tie has drifted, not saying Cubans and Puerto Ricans (and their cultures) are no longer close, cuz their still very close but not as much as they once were, it seems the Cubans are doing their own thing now. Historically, Dominicans were stuck in a bubble due to influence from bordering French speaking Haiti and the overall relationship in the island of Hispanola. Now due to less conflict/influence from Haiti, mass media, and easier travel via planes and modern ferries, the Dominicans have been freed of the cultural bubble and now have a identical culture to that of Puerto Ricans, not that they weren't already similar cuz they were but now they are practically identical. Communism put Cubans in a similar culture bubble now that Dominicans were once in in the 1800s and 1900s due to Haitian conflict/influence.
Aside from culture, Genetically closer to Cuba. Compared to the rest of Spanish speaking Latin America, most Cubans, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans are on average genetically "Mulattos" and "Tri-racials". African ancestry is highest in these 3 and the Spanish ancestry actually comes from the Canary Islands not mainland Spain like the rest of Latinos.
However, Dominicans usually have slightly more African in them and are True Mulattos (African and European is about equal, and also a tiny amount of Taino). Puerto Ricans and Cubans are usually on average Quadroons (European is noticably the strongest, but still have a very strong amount of African and also a smaller amount of Taino)
I would think Cubans and Puerto Ricans but only because most are white and that even includes Cubans on the island (I have to mention this since most of the white elite left after Castro to the US).
Also in the US I would say Puerto Ricans and Dominicans are more similar because most come from working class backgrounds.
However, it is not fair to compare and contrast Cubans and Puerto Ricans in the US since most Cubans in the United States came from elite and middle class backgrounds sans the newer Cubans who come from a Communist regime, so even that could make them different.
I wonder how traditional Cuban (meaning from the island) and Puerto Rican (again from the island) are similar and if they are more similar to each other than the culture found in the Dominican Republic.
One difference I heard is that Cubans tend to keep themselves more and Puerto Ricans are more open to outsiders. I don't know if that is true though.
Another difference is that Cubans generally want to keep a close relationship with Spain. Meanwhile most Puerto Ricans, from what I observed, want nothing to do with the motherland. In fact that is why it became a U.S. commonwealth.
Buttttt most Puerto Ricans are NOT white ..and PR become a US territory due to the US instigating the Spanish American war. We become a territory becuz the US wanted us for the island's resources, subtropical climate and strategic location. In the late 1800s and early 1900s most Puerto Ricans wanted to go back with Spain or become independent, very few wanted to be with US, now majority do due to brainwashing.
Buttttt most Puerto Ricans are NOT white ..and PR become a US territory due to the US instigating the Spanish American war. We become a territory becuz the US wanted us for the island's resources, subtropical climate and strategic location. In the late 1800s and early 1900s most Puerto Ricans wanted to go back with Spain or become independent, very few wanted to be with US, now majority do due to brainwashing.
Exactly. I've been to Cuba and PR and anyone who thinks either country is a carbon copy of Southern Brazil or Uruguay needs another pair of glasses. Cuba is about 30% white(used to be a lot more) with the rest of the population being mulatto, black, and Asian(Chinese). PR is slightly more white at 35% but the average PR is tri-racial and genetically similar to Venezuelans or Cartagena Colombians. PR's black(Afro-Caribbean looking) population is 12.5 - 15%, Cuba's is 20%-25%, and the DR's is 30%-35% which is hardly a huge difference.
I just don't see how anyone can claim genetics is a "divider." Cuba was historically almost as influenced by Haiti as the DR even when it used to be substantially whiter than today. PR used to also be predominately mulatto and black in the early 1800's before massive European immigration waves.
There are definitely some historical and cultural differences for sure though.
I live in the NYC area and I live with many Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. We are often times seen as brother cultures. However I don't know if we, as Puerto Ricans, are more similar to Cubans or Dominicans. I don't know since there we only have a few Cubans around here.
I am not of Hispanic background, but I will give you my impression based on my life in NYC.
I lived and worked in Manhattan for forty plus years, a good portion of it in the UWS before it was gentrified and when it had many, many Hispanic residents. There were also Hispanics where I worked for twenty years, and I because of both experiences I had Hispanic friends.
My impression was that Puerto Ricans and Cubans were far more alike than Puerto Ricans and Dominicans.
Buttttt most Puerto Ricans are NOT white ..and PR become a US territory due to the US instigating the Spanish American war. We become a territory becuz the US wanted us for the island's resources, subtropical climate and strategic location. In the late 1800s and early 1900s most Puerto Ricans wanted to go back with Spain or become independent, very few wanted to be with US, now majority do due to brainwashing.
Well the average Puerto Rican as well as the average Cuban is mostly of Caucasian ancestry.
The video below claims that most Puerto Ricans and Cubans claim white ancestry. However what I find preposterous is that the video says the average person who considers themselves "White" in Puerto Rico and Cuba is only 80 to 90 percent white. IMO, I found this ridiculous to say the least because nobody says "this person is black but he is only 80 to 90 percent black."
The video below claims that most Puerto Ricans and Cubans claim white ancestry. However what I find preposterous is that the video says the average person who considers themselves "White" in Puerto Rico and Cuba is only 80 to 90 percent white. IMO, I found this ridiculous to say the least because nobody says "this person is black but he is only 80 to 90 percent black."
Heck, even Obama is considered black or African American even though he is only 50 percent black.
75% of Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico (not counting the ones on the US mainland) self identify as white on the 2010 US census, but self identifying as white doesn't mean you ARE white. Only a third of that (25%) is actually white, meaning of European ancestry is 80% or more of their DNA. The DNA admixture of the AVERAGE Puerto Rican is about 55% white European/North African, 30% black Sub Saharan African, 15% native Taino. That means 50% of the island are basically "Triracials", "Mulattos", and "Quadroons" who wish they were fully white or somehow think they are white. Puerto Rico has historically practiced the opposite of the US one drop rule, one drop of white and you white, but that doesn't work in the science, mixed is mixed not white or black.
To compare:
The DNA admixture of the AVERAGE Cuban is about 70% white European/North African, 25% black Sub Saharan African, and 5% native Taino.
And the DNA admixture of the AVERAGE Dominican is about 50% black Sub Saharan African, 40% white European/North African, and 10% native Taino.
At work so I'm not looking for sources, but when I got the time I'll post the countless ones on the internet.
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What about Barranquill & Santa Marta? Second cousin? 
Buttttt most Puerto Ricans are NOT white 
..and PR become a US territory due to the US instigating the Spanish American war. We become a territory becuz the US wanted us for the island's resources, subtropical climate and strategic location. In the late 1800s and early 1900s most Puerto Ricans wanted to go back with Spain or become independent, very few wanted to be with US, now majority do due to brainwashing.
