PSY3500 Culture and Perspectives Blog
Acculturation and Appropriation
Acculturation is the phenomenon which is a result from when two groups of different cultures come
into continuous first hand contact with one another where subsequent changes occur in the original
culture of either group or both (Redfield, Linton & Herskovits, 1936). Over the years this
phenomenon has been studied further with the likes of Berry, who looked into such heavily
eventually forming a two level framework for acculturation which showed to how the process starts
on a group level then works down to an individual/psychological level.
Examples of acculturation can be seen across the board when it comes to cultures, from small scale
groups such as fan bases, all the way up to large scale groups like national culture. A good example
of acculturation is the modified car culture and Chicano culture. The Chicano culture spawned from
Mexicans in living in California during the 60s and is based upon the counterculture at the time so
has a history of being rebellious. In recent times this culture has been growing in popularity in Japan,
where Japanese individuals have been taking on the look and style of Chicanos. This being covered in
a short internet documentary by Refinary29. This spawned from Japanese mechanics going to
America (specifically LA, California) and learned about the lower rider culture which is big over there.
Acculturation helps towards the advancement in ideas and love for hobbies as one group of people
can share their take on something that another group does differently such as the previously
mentioned modified car scene. Low riders being big in America whereas tuning and drifting is just as
big in Japan, the two cultures have similar interests but different takes to which they then share
which leads others in both cultures to expand their knowledge as now in this case Japan has a low
rider subculture and America now has a drifting and tuning subculture. Acculturation can also be
seen just an expansion of too, as stated the Chicano culture started as a counter movement in the
60s for Mexicans in California, but it can be adopted by those who resonate with the values that the
culture holds. For these Japanese people involved in the Chicano culture, they may hold the same
Acculturation and Appropriation
Acculturation is the phenomenon which is a result from when two groups of different cultures come
into continuous first hand contact with one another where subsequent changes occur in the original
culture of either group or both (Redfield, Linton & Herskovits, 1936). Over the years this
phenomenon has been studied further with the likes of Berry, who looked into such heavily
eventually forming a two level framework for acculturation which showed to how the process starts
on a group level then works down to an individual/psychological level.
Examples of acculturation can be seen across the board when it comes to cultures, from small scale
groups such as fan bases, all the way up to large scale groups like national culture. A good example
of acculturation is the modified car culture and Chicano culture. The Chicano culture spawned from
Mexicans in living in California during the 60s and is based upon the counterculture at the time so
has a history of being rebellious. In recent times this culture has been growing in popularity in Japan,
where Japanese individuals have been taking on the look and style of Chicanos. This being covered in
a short internet documentary by Refinary29. This spawned from Japanese mechanics going to
America (specifically LA, California) and learned about the lower rider culture which is big over there.
Acculturation helps towards the advancement in ideas and love for hobbies as one group of people
can share their take on something that another group does differently such as the previously
mentioned modified car scene. Low riders being big in America whereas tuning and drifting is just as
big in Japan, the two cultures have similar interests but different takes to which they then share
which leads others in both cultures to expand their knowledge as now in this case Japan has a low
rider subculture and America now has a drifting and tuning subculture. Acculturation can also be
seen just an expansion of too, as stated the Chicano culture started as a counter movement in the
60s for Mexicans in California, but it can be adopted by those who resonate with the values that the
culture holds. For these Japanese people involved in the Chicano culture, they may hold the same
