Acculturation: Definition, Characteristics, Types and Examples

We’ll explain to you what acculturation is, its key characteristics, the different types that exist, its consequences, and some real-world examples.

Acculturation is a process of cultural change that happens when two different cultures come into close and sustained contact. This change affects customs, beliefs, language, social norms, and other practices. It’s a way people and groups adapt to new social environments.

This is a gradual process that typically occurs due to migration, colonization, trade, or globalization. The process can be voluntary (like immigrants choosing to learn the local language) or forced (like during colonial rule). While both cultures usually influence each other to some degree, one often has more power and influence than the other.

The term acculturation first became widely used in the early 20th century by anthropologists such as Robert Redfield, Ralph Linton, and Melville J. Herskovits, who studied how cultures change when they interact. Since then, the concept has been explored from many angles and continues to be important in sociology, psychology, and cultural studies.

Key Characteristics of Acculturation

1. Interaction: Acculturation only happens when cultures meet and interact regularly over time.
2. Change: Both cultures may adopt new habits, values, religious practices, or social norms.
3. Two-Way Influence: Though often unequal, both sides usually experience some change.
4. Power Dynamics: Often, one culture dominates the other, leading to marginalization or loss of identity for the less powerful group.
5. Adaptation: People or groups adopt elements from the other culture while trying to keep parts of their original culture.
6. Diversity in Outcomes: Some fully adopt the new culture (assimilation), others keep their original identity, and many develop a blended, bicultural identity.
7. Context Matters: The outcome depends on how long and intense the contact is, government policies, social attitudes, and power differences between the groups.

Types of Acculturation

1. Acculturation through Integration (Non-Forced Change)

This happens when two cultures exchange elements while maintaining their independence and self-determination. It can take three forms:

• Syncretism: A new, blended culture emerges. For example, two different religious traditions merge into a new belief system—like combining deities from different religions into one that both groups worship.
• Adoption: One culture takes in a specific practice from another. For instance, adding a foreign dish (like sushi or tacos) to a country’s everyday cuisine.
• Adaptation: New elements are added to existing traditions. For example, using modern materials to make traditional crafts—like replacing natural dyes with synthetic ones.

2. Acculturation through Direct Imposition (Forced Change)

This occurs when one culture forces its values, language, or beliefs onto another through domination—often due to political, military, or economic control.

• This type is unequal and can lead to cultural loss or suppression.
• Example: Spanish colonizers forced Indigenous peoples in Latin America to speak Spanish and convert to Christianity, often banning their native languages and religions. This was not a mutual exchange but a top-down imposition.

Consequences of Acculturation

• Creation of new cultural forms—like fusion music, hybrid languages (e.g., Spanglish), or mixed cuisines (e.g., Tex-Mex).
• Adoption of foreign customs—such as Western-style clothing becoming common in non-Western countries.
• Changes in identity—people may struggle with who they are, especially between generations (e.g., immigrant children feeling caught between two cultures).
• Cultural loss—especially among minority or Indigenous groups who may lose their language, traditions, or spiritual practices.
• Cultural conflict—tensions can arise when people resist change or feel their way of life is under threat.
• Assimilation—in cases of strong dominance, one culture may be absorbed into another, losing much of its original identity.

Examples of Acculturation

1. Colonization of the Americas (15th–18th centuries): Europeans imposed their language (Spanish, English, Portuguese), religion (Christianity), and customs on Indigenous peoples.
2. Global spread of reggaeton: Originally from Puerto Rico, this music genre has influenced pop music worldwide, blending with local styles in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
3. Yoga in the West: Originating in India, yoga has been adapted in Western countries—often focusing more on physical exercise than spiritual practice, and sometimes combined with modern fitness trends.
4. Roman adoption of Greek culture (2nd century BCE): After conquering Greece, the Romans adopted Greek art, philosophy, and mythology, making them part of Roman identity.
5. Spread of Islam (7th–15th centuries): As Muslim empires expanded, Islam spread across North Africa, the Middle East, Persia, and parts of India—often bringing language (Arabic), law, and architecture.
6. Chicano and Tex-Mex culture: Along the U.S.-Mexico border, decades of cultural mixing created new identities, music (like conjunto), and food (like nachos and fajitas), blending Mexican and American traditions.

Acculturation vs. Transculturation

While “acculturation” describes cultural exchange, some scholars argue it doesn’t fully capture the power imbalances involved. That’s why Cuban anthropologist Fernando Ortiz introduced the term transculturation in the 20th century.

• Transculturation emphasizes that when cultures meet under unequal conditions, it’s not just about gaining new cultural traits—but also about losing important parts of one’s own culture.
• Unlike acculturation, which can sound neutral or positive, transculturation highlights the conflict, resistance, and damage that often happen—especially in colonial or oppressive contexts.
• With support from anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski, Ortiz argued that we must recognize both the adoption of new elements and the erosion of original cultural identity.

In Summary

Acculturation is a powerful and ongoing process in our globalized world. Whether through migration, technology, or historical events, cultures constantly influence each other. While this can lead to rich, creative blends, it can also result in loss, conflict, and inequality—especially when power is uneven. Understanding these dynamics helps us appreciate cultural diversity and support respectful, balanced cultural exchange.