FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What is the best term for the process of socializing impoverished immigrants into American culture?

1. Cultural adjustment

2. Integration

3. Cultural assimilation

4. Acculturation

The correct answer is: Cultural assimilation

Cultural assimilation is the process through which individuals from one cultural background adopt the practices, values, and norms of another culture, often losing some aspects of their original culture in the process. This term is particularly applicable to impoverished immigrants who may face significant pressures to adapt to the dominant culture in order to succeed socially and economically in the new environment. In this context, cultural assimilation implies a deeper level of integration into American culture where immigrants not only learn the language and customs but may also adopt new behaviors, beliefs, and social norms, often resulting in a blending or replacement of their original cultural identity. This is significant when considering the challenges impoverished immigrants face, including limited resources, education, and support systems, which can lead them to fully immerse themselves in the host culture for better opportunities. While terms such as cultural adjustment, integration, and acculturation highlight aspects of the process, they do not capture the same depth of transformation and identity change that cultural assimilation entails. Cultural adjustment typically refers to the adaptation process without necessarily implying a loss of the original culture. Integration suggests coexistence while maintaining cultural identities. Acculturation involves adopting certain cultural traits from another group but does not always conflate to the complete absorption seen in assimilation.