1.

Define assimilation and enculturation and describe the primary

differences between the two.
Assimilation is the cultural absorption of a minority group into the main cultural
body. Assimilation is a quick process or a gradual change. Minority groups are no
different from others, and with full assimilation an original culture is switched
with the new one. Acculturation is the diffusion of values and customs from one
group to another. Enculturation is the process of socialization acquires social
norms, values, behaviors, languages. We learn most of this from our parents,
friends and siblings; they provide the necessary social interaction make a person
learn to better fit in his or her society. The main differences enculturation is a
process that helps a person to absorb social principles, standards, while
acculturation is a two-way process that takes between two cultures. In
acculturation changes are felt in both, enculturation helps a person to survive in
the culture a person finds him or herself into.
2. Give at least one example of a subculture you were a part of at one
point in your life. What made this subculture different from the culture at
large? Describe some of the beliefs or practices that defined this
subculture. Keep in mind the module explanation of subculture as a
cultural pattern shared by a group within a larger culture (MindEdge,
2.05).
In my younger days, I was largely into the hip hop subculture, used to wear the
street clothes I even at one point I wanted join a gang at some point. My beliefs at
time consisted of the white man keeping the black man down, and truly believed
at that time I would never make it in a white mans world. The Los Angeles Riots,
OJ Simpson trail, and the Rodney King beatings further fueled the anger, that wasnt
until I matured and figured out it was me holding myself back.
3. Describe potential ethical dilemmas associated with modernization as
defined in the module. What are some of the benefits of modernization in
your culture?
4. The working hours of the day, the chairs we sit in, and the types of food
we can buy at a market or grocery store are all examples of how our
biology influences our culture. Give at least two other examples of how
our biology influences culture
First example is how we are able to digest milk; our ancestors digestion system was
not formulated to digest milk. Some got sick or had allergic reactions, but over time
and the progression of dairy farming and human biology a percentage of worlds
population can digest milk, some cant. Another example could be yam farming and
malaria. In Africa, there was an outbreak of malaria (delivered my mosquitos and
other insects) with no cure in sight. Through evolution there is a small percentage of
Africans are immune to the disease.