What is the process by which social values are internalized called?

The process by which social values are internalized is known as enculturation. This term describes how individuals learn and adopt the norms, values, and behaviors of their own culture through various means, including interactions with family, peers, and society at large. Enculturation is an ongoing process that begins in childhood and continues throughout life, shaping an individual's beliefs, practices, and identity by embedding the cultural framework in which they exist.

In contrast, observation refers to the act of watching and learning from others, which may contribute to enculturation but is not the complete process. Conformity involves changing one's behavior to match that of others, often to fit into a group, which might influence cultural understanding but does not encompass the internalization of values alone. Assimilation is the process of adopting the traits of another culture, often leading to the loss of one's original cultural identity, and while related to social values, it implies a more outward adaptation rather than internalization. Therefore, enculturation is the most accurate term for the internalization of social values.