What is Assimilation ?

Meaning of Assimilation :

1. Whenever groups meet or sit together, some interactions take place. Interactions may lead to diffusion or spread as well as mutual interchange of cultural traits.

2. Usually, diffusion of cultural traits takes place from a dominant culture to a less dominant culture but it is a two way process.

3. Two groups contribute to cultural interchange in varying proportions, depending upon respective group size, prestige and many other factors. Sometimes, some groups are found to be strenuously preventing such diffusion. But they do not fully succeed in protecting their culture from such sort of cultural interchange.

4. Horton and Hunt define assimiliation in the following manner, “the process of mutual cultural diffusion through which persons and groups come to share a common culture is called assimilation.'

5. However, sometimes assimilations is not easily possible. When extreme differences in cultural background exist, assimilation is not possible. Such a process may give rise to conflict in society.