Acculturation of Indian Minority in Malay Majority Culture: A Narrative Review from the Cultural Neuroscience Perspective
Nasir Yusoff
The migration and acculturation processes of Malaysian Indians into the predominantly Malay culture of Malaysia present a fascinating study of cultural integration, identity transformation, and neurocognitive adaptation. This narrative review aims to explore these dynamics through the lens of cultural neuroscience, which examines how cultural contexts shape and are shaped by the human brain. Malaysian Indians primarily consist of Tamil who migrated during the British colonial period have established a significant presence in Malaysia, contributing richly to the cultural mosaic. Acculturation of Malaysian Indian involves negotiating between retaining their cultural heritage and adopting elements of the Malay majority culture. This can be seen through language use, dietary changes, intermarriage, and participation in national events and customs. Cultural Neuroscience provides a theoretical framework as a basis to understand how cultural variables influence brain function and structure. It integrates methods from anthropology, psychology, neuroscience, and genetics to understand how culture shapes neural mechanisms. By bridging cultural neuroscience with empirical and qualitative research, it develops a more comprehensive narrative of the Malaysian Indian experience within the majority culture of Malay ethnicity in Malaysia.
Keywords: Acculturation, Ethnic minority, Cultural neuroscience
