Theory of cultural shock and migratory grief
Cultural shock «CULTURE SHOCK»! The term "cultural shock" was coined for the first time by the anthropologist Kalervo Oberg in the 1950s.! He defined cultural shock as a series of emotional reactions precipitated by the anxiety caused by the loss of the symbols that are familiar to us in social exchange and the adjustment we are forced to adapt to. ! This "cultural shock" affects all those who are transplanted into a new culture and, although it can not be totally eliminated, its negative effects can be alleviated.
According to Oberg, an individual is not born with a culture but only with the ability to learn and use it. As we grow in a specific cultural environment and learn to develop socially in it, this culture becomes our way of life and a safe, automatic and familiar way of getting what we want. The cultural environment of destination will not be governed by the same patterns as the origin of the transplanted individual, it will be exposed to stimuli that, more or less frequently, will not be able to interpret coherently as it will try to apply patterns of interpretation that were useful in their cultural environment of origin but that are not always useful in the cultural environment of destination.
The degree of cultural shock will depend on:
The intercultural experience that the subject has had in the past: trips to destinations with cultures different from theirs, relations with individuals of other cultures in their cultural environment of origin, etc. The previous knowledge we have of the receiving culture: the more we know about the place and the people that receive us (its history, its folklore, etc.), the easier it will be for us to understand the behaviors we observe. The linguistic ability that the individual possesses to function in the cultural environment of destination: the higher the level of the foreign language that is possessed the less the chances of suffering misunderstandings are minimized.
The human values learned and developed by the individual previously: tolerance, respect, etc. The personality of the subject: the developed people, open-minded, sociable, etc. they will have more facility to establish new relationships that help them interpret the behaviors that are unfamiliar to them in the destination culture. How similar are the cultures of origin and destination: the more similar they are the fewer will be the chances of suffering cultural shock to which the subject will be exposed. Geography and climate: certain physical contexts (excessive height, proximity to the sea, etc.) and certain climates (rain, cold, excess heat, etc.) affect especially those who are not accustomed and increase the feeling of discomfort and generalize negative feelings to the cultural environment. The situation of the individual in the new environment: lives integrated in the new culture, is in a bubble of their culture of origin.
According to Oberg, an individual is not born with a culture but only with the ability to learn and use it. As we grow in a specific cultural environment and learn to develop socially in it, this culture becomes our way of life and a safe, automatic and familiar way of getting what we want. The cultural environment of destination will not be governed by the same patterns as the origin of the transplanted individual, it will be exposed to stimuli that, more or less frequently, will not be able to interpret coherently as it will try to apply patterns of interpretation that were useful in their cultural environment of origin but that are not always useful in the cultural environment of destination.
The degree of cultural shock will depend on:
The intercultural experience that the subject has had in the past: trips to destinations with cultures different from theirs, relations with individuals of other cultures in their cultural environment of origin, etc. The previous knowledge we have of the receiving culture: the more we know about the place and the people that receive us (its history, its folklore, etc.), the easier it will be for us to understand the behaviors we observe. The linguistic ability that the individual possesses to function in the cultural environment of destination: the higher the level of the foreign language that is possessed the less the chances of suffering misunderstandings are minimized.
The human values learned and developed by the individual previously: tolerance, respect, etc. The personality of the subject: the developed people, open-minded, sociable, etc. they will have more facility to establish new relationships that help them interpret the behaviors that are unfamiliar to them in the destination culture. How similar are the cultures of origin and destination: the more similar they are the fewer will be the chances of suffering cultural shock to which the subject will be exposed. Geography and climate: certain physical contexts (excessive height, proximity to the sea, etc.) and certain climates (rain, cold, excess heat, etc.) affect especially those who are not accustomed and increase the feeling of discomfort and generalize negative feelings to the cultural environment. The situation of the individual in the new environment: lives integrated in the new culture, is in a bubble of their culture of origin.
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