The terms Acculturation and Assimilation are two cultural terms related to people with minority & majority communities in a country. These terms create a lot of confusion and sound like synonyms, thus, being used interchangeably many a time.
Acculturation refers to a process where the minority community adapts some of the cultures and traditions of the majority community while practicing their own culture and traditions.
On the other hand, Assimilation refers to a process where the minority community starts to adapt to the cultures and traditions of the majority community and stops to practice their own culture and traditions.
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Key Differences –
Acculturation –
- Acculturation refers to adapting to new cultures and traditions while practicing your own culture and traditions.
- The minor community performs their own as well as the major community’s traditions.
- Acculturation involves two cultures.
- Acculturation is bidirectional.
- In Acculturation, people feel connected to their own culture.
Assimilation –
- Assimilation refers to adapting to new cultures and traditions while no longer practicing your own culture and traditions.
- The minor community performs the major community’s cultures and traditions.
- Assimilation involves one culture.
- Assimilation is unidirectional.
- In Assimilation, people do not feel connected to their own culture.
Comparison Between Acculturation And Assimilation
| Parameter | Acculturation | Assimilation |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | When a minority community adapts to the cultures and traditions of a majority community while still practicing their own traditions, this process is known as Acculturation. | When a minority community adapts to the cultures and traditions of a majority community and stops to practice their own cultures and traditions, this process is called Assimilation. |
| Values loss | Acculturation does not cause any traditional value loss. | Assimilation does cause cultural and traditional value loss. |
| Cultures involved | It involves two cultures. | It involves one culture. |
| Direction | It is bidirectional. | It is unidirectional. |
| No. of communities | It involves two communities i.e., minority community and majority community. | It also involves two communities i.e., minority community and a majority community |
Major Differences Between Acculturation And Assimilation
In order to understand the difference between Acculturation and Assimilation, it is important to first understand the difference between a minor community and a major community.
What exactly is a Minority Community?
In the areas/countries with multi communities, minority communities are those communities that are very small in number as compared to others. There can be or cannot be more than one minority community in a country.
What exactly is a Majority Community?
The major communities are those communities that are very high in number. There is usually only one majority community in a country. The majority communities are also known as the dominant ones.
Now, let us understand the difference between Acculturation and Assimilation.
What exactly is Acculturation?
Acculturation refers to the process of adaptation, usually by a minority community of new cultures and traditions of the majority community while practicing their own culture and traditions.
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Features of Acculturation are –
- Acculturation makes you feel connected to your homeland as well as your foreign land.
- It involves two communities, i.e., the majority community and the minority community.
- It does not cause the loss of their own cultural values.
- It involves following two or more cultures and traditions.
- This process is bidirectional.
- It involves two cultures.
What exactly is Assimilation?
Assimilation refers to the process of adaptation, usually by a minority community of new cultures and traditions of the majority community and discarding of their own culture and traditions.
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Features of Assimilation are –
- Assimilation makes you feel connected to only your foreign land.
- It also involves two communities, i.e., the majority community and the minority community.
- It causes the loss of minority communities’ cultural values.
- It involves following only one culture and tradition.
- This process is unidirectional.
- It involves only one culture.
Contrast Between Acculturation And Assimilation
Who Coined These Terms
- Acculturation – The term Acculturation was coined by Theodore D. Graves.
- Assimilation – The term Assimilation was coined by Alejandro Portes and Min Zhou.
Definition
- Acculturation – Acculturation is the process of adapting to new cultures and traditions while practicing own culture and traditions.
- Assimilation – Assimilation is the process of adapting to new cultures and traditions while stopping to practice your own cultures and traditions.
Communities Involved
- Acculturation – Acculturation involves the minority community as well as the majority community.
- Assimilation – Assimilation also involves the minority community as well as the majority community.
Number of Cultures
- Acculturation – Acculturation involves two cultures.
- Assimilation – Assimilation involves only one culture.
Direction
- Acculturation – Acculturation is bidirectional.
- Assimilation – Assimilation is unidirectional.
Loss of Cultural Values
- Acculturation – Acculturation does not cause the loss of any cultural value.
- Assimilation – Assimilation does cause the loss of cultural values of the minority community.
Conclusion
Acculturation and Assimilation are poorly understood and are many of the times used interchangeably. But there are major differences in both processes.
Acculturation involves adapting to the new cultures and traditions of a majority community by a minority community while still practicing their own culture and traditions. Acculturation does not cause any culture loss as you are also practicing your own culture.
Assimilation, on the other hand, involves adapting to the new cultures and traditions of a majority community by a minority community while stopping to practice their own culture and traditions.
And entirely practicing the majority community’s culture and traditions. Assimilation causes culture loss as you no longer practice your own culture. Assimilation makes you connected to only your foreign land.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q1. What causes Acculturation and Assimilation?
There is no perfect answer to this. When people come to foreign countries, they lose touch with theirs and, psychologically, start to adapt to the new culture and traditions.
Some people are able to maintain their own cultures with the new ones, and some are not, and they start to just practice the new ones.
Q2. What are some of the signs that indicate Acculturation and Assimilation?
These can be the signs of Acculturation and Assimilation when people:
Start to eat new food dishes.
Start to have new religious beliefs.
Change their dressing style.
Learn a new language.
Q3. What is the major difference between Acculturation and Assimilation?
The major differences between Acculturation and Assimilation are –
1. Acculturation refers to adapting to new cultures while still practicing one’s own culture, whereas Assimilation refers to adapting to new cultures and stopping to practice one’s own culture.
2. Acculturation does not cause any loss of cultural values. But Assimilation causes a loss of cultural values.
3. Acculturation involves two cultures, whereas Assimilation involves only one culture.
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