Acculturation, that is, to become part of a culture, occurs when different cultural groups come together, blending their cultural characteristics to form new cultural characteristics. Acculturation also occurs when an individual becomes immersed in a different culture and, as a result, begins to take on the cultural characteristics of that group. Because identities refer to how one defines himself or herself within the social context of culture, acculturation is inextricably tied to identity. This entry discusses the ...