Afterword -- Distinctions between two processes of cultural acquisition
Enculturation and acculturation are processes through which individuals acquire cultural
knowledge and behaviors. However, they occur in different contexts and involve different
dynamics:
Enculturation:
- Enculturation refers to the process by which individuals learn and internalize the cultural
norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors of their own culture.
- It starts from infancy and continues throughout one's life.
- Enculturation occurs within the context of the individual's own cultural group or
society.
- Enculturation is largely a subconscious process in which people absorb cultural information
from family, peers, community, and societal institutions without necessarily being explicitly
taught.
Acculturation:
- Acculturation, on the other hand, is the process of acquiring the cultural traits or practices of another cultural group.
- This occurs when individuals or groups come into contact with a different culture and adopt some of its elements while retaining aspects of their original culture.
- Acculturation can occur voluntarily or involuntarily and may involve varying degrees of cultural exchange or assimilation.
- It can involve negotiation, adaptation, and sometimes even conflict between the cultural norms and values of the person's original culture and those of the new culture.
Strategies for Coping with Culture Shock
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