What does cultural adaptation refer to?

Cultural adaptation refers to the process by which individuals or groups adjust to a new cultural environment, making it possible to understand and integrate into that culture. This process involves not just adjusting behaviors and practices but can also include learning the social norms and values of the new culture. It encompasses the wider experience of assimilating into a new cultural setting, which involves a significant transformation in one's identity, practices, and ways of thinking.

While the idea of time spent learning a new language or the specific timeframe for assimilating might seem relevant, these aspects are more components of the broader cultural adaptation process itself rather than defining it. The meeting of multiple cultures describes an interaction that might occur without the necessary personal adjustments that come with cultural adaptation. Therefore, the focus on the transformative experience associated with integrating into a new culture makes it clear why this choice is aligned with the definition of cultural adaptation.