A melting pot is a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, with the different elements "melting together" with a common culture or monoculture; an alternative being a homogeneous society becoming more heterogeneous through the influx of foreign elements with different cultural backgrounds. It can also create a harmonious hybridized society known as cultural amalgamation. In the United States, the term is often used to describe the cultural integration of immigrants to the country. A related concept has been defined as "cultural additivity".