adottaste

Adottaste is a neologism used in cultural studies to describe the process by which individuals or groups adopt new tastes and preferences through social influence, media representation, and consumer practices. The term emphasizes active internalization and identity alignment rather than passive exposure.

Etymology: The coinage blends Italian adotta "to adopt" and taste; it has appeared in scholarly discussions since the late 2010s, with varying definitions across disciplines.

Definition and scope: Applies to tastes in food, music, fashion, design, and media. It distinguishes adoption as a social-psychological process from the objects of taste or the mere passage of trends.

Mechanisms: imitation, prestige signaling, social conformity, algorithmic recommendation, and network diffusion; influencers can accelerate adoption by linking tastes to status.

Dynamics and measurement: Adoption unfolds over time; researchers track prevalence with surveys, social media signals, and sales data. Ties with cultural capital; can be reversible.

Critique: Critics warn that adottaste can obscure agency, overemphasize homogenization, or conflate taste with lifestyle branding.

Examples: the rapid uptake of plant-based products in several markets, shifting coffee culture toward specialty and third-wave practices, or the rise of minimalist interior aesthetics.

See also: cultural diffusion, social influence, taste culture.