What is cultural diffusion?

• A. Diffusion halts at borders
• B. Spread of cultural traits from one group to another, influenced by migration and media
• C. Isolation of cultures
• D. Only through trade

Answer: (B)

Cultural diffusion is the spread of cultural traits from one group to another as people interact and exchange ideas. The description that emphasizes the spread of cultural traits from one group to another, influenced by migration and media, captures the main mechanisms by which diffusion happens. Migration moves people and their practices into new places, carrying languages, cuisines, customs, and technologies with them. Media—television, the internet, newspapers—spreads these cultural elements quickly and broadly, often transforming how they are adopted in different regions. This combination explains why cultures change through contact and why certain practices become widespread.

Other statements don’t fit as well because diffusion does not stop at borders; cultures continue to influence and blend across political lines. Isolation of cultures is the opposite of diffusion, since diffusion involves contact and exchange. And diffusion occurs through more avenues than trade alone, including migration, media, travel, and interpersonal contact.