Culture is a unique aspect influencing every individual’s life and shaping his/her mentality, behaviors, and reactions. However, the diversity peculiar to the world gives rise to different customs and lifestyles typical for a certain area and unusual for another one. For this reason, people moving from their motherland to new countries might experience a culture shock or a feeling of confusion, anxiety, fear, or stress caused by a new environment and culture (“Culture shock,” n.d.). This phenomenon can be viewed as one of the adaptation mechanisms vital for a person’s ability to adjust to previously unknown surroundings (“Culture shock,” n.d.). The time needed to accept new conditions differs regarding the peculiarities of a person and the degree of stress he/she experiences.
Although culture shock can be unpleasant for an individual and trigger complicated feelings, some positive effects can be linked to it. First of all, it helps to increase the flexibility of the psyche and readiness to accept new facts and phenomena. Second, it results in acquiring new knowledge and better adjustment mechanisms (“Culture shock,” n.d.). Fresh experiences help individuals to grow personally and broaden their understanding of culture and diversity of beliefs and values.
Finally, culture shock leads to the development of self-confidence promoted by the expanded worldview (“Culture shock,” n.d.). In such a way, although new environments, customs, and behaviors might be stressful for a person who has never seen them, the strong feelings associated with them result in the formation of a strong response and triggers various processes in the brain necessary for the better adjustability and flexibility. That is why traveling, as one of the central sources of culture shocks, is beneficial for individuals and helps them to engage in continuous personal development.
Reference
Culture shock. (n.d.). CAPS. Web.