Acculturation is a process of cultural and psychological change that occurs due to contact and interaction between cultures. The process affects both individuals and societies. A comparison could be if you suddenly moved from a small town to a bustling city like New York - your habits, language, even dress sense might change as you get used to the city life.

Globalization has accelerated acculturation, with the number of international migrants reaching 244 million in 2015. But, that doesn't mean we're moving toward a single global culture. The reactions to cultural contact vary, ranging from total acceptance to complete rejection. Like when you find a new song genre you like, you can either start loving the whole genre or just stick to one or two songs.

Even amidst significant cultural changes, some cultures resist and maintain their identity. For example, the First Nations cultures in Canada, the USA, and Australia have survived centuries of contact with other cultures despite attempts at forced assimilation.

Berry (2008) identifies four strategies individuals use for cultural change:

• Assimilation: This is like ordering a new dish at a restaurant and loving it so much you decide to eat it every day. You embrace the new culture and willingly change your behavior, attitudes, and beliefs.
• Integration: This is like eating your favorite dish at home and then ordering the new dish at the restaurant. You maintain your original values but also interact with the new culture.
• Separation: This is like sticking to your favorite dish no matter what. You avoid contact with other cultures and hold on to your original values.
• Marginalization: This is like not being interested in any dishes. You neither maintain your original culture nor open up to other cultures.