Acculturation

Overview

Acculturation is the process through which individuals or groups adopt certain cultural traits, practices, or social patterns from another culture while maintaining aspects of their original identity. It describes partial adaptation—not complete cultural replacement—and is shaped by ongoing interaction between cultures in shared environments. Unlike assimilation, acculturation emphasizes selective change and recognizes that cultural influence flows in multiple directions, even if unevenly.

Core Characteristics

1. Cultural Adaptation Without Erasure

Acculturation involves adopting elements of another culture—such as language, norms, or public behaviors—without abandoning one’s heritage.

2. Selective and Contextual

Individuals may adapt differently across settings: using one language at home and another at work, adopting certain social norms but maintaining distinct cultural traditions.

3. Selective Retention

Although dominant cultures shape acculturation more strongly, host societies may also adopt elements from newcomer communities through food, language, media, or customs.

4. Ongoing and Incremental

Acculturation is gradual. It often appears across generations as families blend heritage practices with expectations of the broader society.

5. Affected by Power Dynamics

Institutions, laws, and social norms influence which cultural traits are encouraged, tolerated, or discouraged.

How It Functions in Practice

Acculturation occurs in daily interactions: neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, civic spaces, and public institutions. People adjust behaviors to navigate social expectations, improve communication, or participate fully in public life. Acculturation may involve learning dominant cultural norms while maintaining heritage languages or cultural practices. Social networks, media consumption, economic roles, and generational differences all shape how acculturation unfolds.

Acculturation does not require one identity to replace another; instead, it produces hybrid identities and shared norms that can evolve over time. Institutions—such as schools, employers, and local governments—play a significant role in shaping the ease or difficulty of acculturation.

Common Misunderstandings

“Acculturation and assimilation are the same.”

Assimilation expects full cultural adoption. Acculturation involves partial adaptation and cultural retention.

“Acculturation requires giving up identity.”

Individuals may maintain strong heritage identities even while adapting to new cultural environments.

“Acculturation only applies to immigrants.”

Acculturation occurs wherever cultures interact, including within diverse regions of the same country.

The Term in Public Discourse

Acculturation appears in conversations about immigration, education, public health, community integration, and cultural change. It is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for assimilation, which can confuse expectations about how newcomers should adapt. The term also appears in research on language adoption, youth identity, generational differences, and cross-cultural communication.

Why This Term Matters for Civic Understanding

Understanding acculturation clarifies how cultural differences evolve and how people participate in institutions while maintaining heritage identities. It provides a more accurate framework for discussing adaptation without implying cultural conformity or erasure.

Neutrality Note

This definition explains acculturation as a cultural process and does not evaluate specific cultural expectations, institutional practices, or policy approaches.