Final answer:
Anthropologist James Peacock views the Javanese tea ceremony as an example of Southeast Asian societies' selective adaptation, combining indigenous customs with foreign influences.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to anthropologist James Peacock, the Javanese tea ceremony is an exemplar of how Southeast Asian societies retained indigenous customs while assimilating foreign influences, embodying selective adaptation. The ceremony reflects the cultural syncretism that characterizes the region, where local traditions harmoniously integrate with elements borrowed from other cultures. The Javanese tea ceremony, in particular, showcases the convergence of animist, Hindu, and Islamic cultural elements, which are ingrained in the local belief systems, social customs, and agricultural practices in the region.