verb. To gain the
knowledge and
beliefs consonant with your position within a society, which allows you, in your daily actions, to
maintain and
strengthen the
existing structures therein. Acculturation is
part of growing up, and takes the form of everyday
social interaction, as well as
reading & stuff like
tv. Some people are not acculturated fully: it is generally impossible to acculturate
feral children, and many
schizophrenics can be said to be imperfectly acculturated.
Loss of acculturation (by whatever means) can lead to
anomie.
See also:
culture shock,
socialization