When members of either a racial or an ethnic minority group take on the characteristics of the mainstream culture by adapting their own culture patterns,__________ has occurred.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The process described in the question is the classic definition of assimilation, which is the absorption of minority culture into the mainstream culture. Adaptation is a general term that can be used to describe any process of adjusting to new circumstances or environments, but it does not necessarily imply the loss of one's original culture. Assassination and coercion have nothing to do with cultural change, while cooptation refers to the process of absorbing oppositional groups into the existing power structure.

When Members of Either a Racial or an Ethnic Minority