Correlated Facts, Science, and
Observations of Life
Acculturation - When Cultures Meet
Acculturation
Acculturation describes the interactions and likely tradeoffs as two people and/or groups have been observed to successfully or unsuccessfully meet (or collide).
The graphic below simplifies the give and take and potentially successful (collaborative) or unsuccessful (causing conflict) of these social interactions.
It is important to note is that there must be intentional effort by all parties including empathy, self/mutual-respect, willingness to learn, and conscious intention to understand one another.
Each person in these interactions must learn and evolve.
"All the people like us are We,
And everyone else is They"
Rudyard Kipling
Making it real:
An extension of this thinking is the possibility and likelihood that individuals and groups interacting with a dominant-culture are more likely to see the inconsistencies in the so called philosophical anchors and actions of the dominant culture that the members of the dominant culture. This is due to he dominant cultures "institutionalized" view of what is "normal".
In a truly collaborative environments, particularly where there is mutual respect, this drives and facilities the benefits (and opportunities) of the variety of different perspectives.
acculturation /ə-kŭl″chə-rā′shən noun The modification of the culture of a group or individual as a result of contact with a different culture. The process by which the culture of a particular society is instilled in a human from infancy onward. A process by which the culture of an isolated society changes on contact with a different one, especially a more advanced society. A process by which a person acquires the culture of the society that he/she inhabits, starting at birth. All the knowledge and values shared by a society. The adoption of the behavior patterns of the surrounding culture. The process of assimilating new ideas into an existing cognitive structure. Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition