Transmission is the passage of culture from one generation to the other while diffusion is the spread of culture from one population to another.
Culture can be spread between groups in many ways. The passage of culture from one generation to another is called transmission. The spread of culture from one population to another, such as when the country adopts cultural aspects of another country, is called diffusion. Methods of transmission and diffusion have evolved from oral communication to writing. Technologies including air travel, Internet-based communication, and other instruments of globalization have increased the pace of cultural diffusion throughout the world.
Practice Questions
Khan Academy
MCAT Official Prep (AAMC)
Section Bank P/S Section Passage 3 Question 23
Key Points
• Culture can be spread between groups in many ways.
• Transmission is the passage of culture from one generation to the other.
• Diffusion is the spread of culture from one population to another.
• Due to technology and globalization, the pace of cultural diffusion has increased throughout the world.
Key Terms
transmission: the passage of culture from one generation to the other
diffusion: the spread of culture from one population to another
culture: can be thought of as all the beliefs, assumptions, objects, behaviors, and processes that make up a shared way of life
