What does acculturation primarily refer to?

Acculturation primarily refers to the process where individuals or groups from one culture adopt elements of another culture while still retaining significant aspects of their original cultural identity. This involves a negotiation of cultural exchange where the minority culture interacts with the dominant culture, leading to changes in practices, values, and beliefs without completely losing their unique cultural characteristics.

In this context, the process can manifest in various ways such as adopting new customs, languages, or social norms from the dominant culture while also preserving traditional practices and beliefs from the minority culture. This dual approach allows individuals to navigate and coexist within a multicultural environment, fostering inclusivity and cultural diversity.

Moreover, complete adoption of a new culture, as described in one of the other options, describes assimilation rather than acculturation, where the minority culture loses its identity in favor of the dominant culture. Ignoring cultural differences and assimilation do not reflect the concept of acculturation as they overlook the coexistence of multiple cultural identities.