What is cultural adaptation?

Question

What is cultural adaptation?

What are some examples of cultural adaption.

Answer 1

When a somebody who is not native to a place comes to live for a while or permanently in this new place, he/she has to adjust to the way of life of the people around. The way they talk, the way they feel, look at things, celelbrate, express emotions, sympathy, relate socially, etc.  One has to understand where the people are coming from and prudently react, but not judge or brand them wrong. Accept that its their way of doign things. To the things that one can adopt,  go with the flow to enjoy being there. To the ones that are against one's personality, gently show how you differ. And they can also accept you

Answer 2

Cultural adaption is a beneficial behavior or method that is transmitted from one person or group to another person or group. It's adaption (exploiting the environment) based on human culture. It's not adaption that's based on a physical and genetic relationship to the environment.

ex: Having a agreed upon standard of measurement is cultural adaption. If you and I both know how far 10 miles is, and I tell you 10 miles away there's a lake with fish, give you a rod and hook, and you must walk, then there's a good chance you'll eat dinner that night.

On the other hand, if I tell you 500 miles away there's a lake with fish, and you must walk, you'll probably starve before you get there, so you won't walk there at all.

The idea and method of an agreed unit of measure is a cultural adaption. Note that it doesn't matter exactly what the distance is as long as everyone agrees on what's what. That's usually a good sign you're dealing with something cultural.

Answer 3

celyram is actually giving an example of acculturation, not cultural adaptation.

Anything we do to survive that is not biological is a cultural adaptation.  some of the most important are the development of clothing, how we build houses, the use of fire, etc.  These are all adaptations that are humanity wide - however there are specific ways in which various cultures carry those out.  

Other adaptations can take a bit more to understand.  for example - the development of city-states and a hierarchical form of government - is an adaptation to high population densities, which are a result of another adaptation - the development of agriculutre - etc.