Cultural Shock and Reverse Shock: A Reflective Analysis

This report delves into the complexities of cultural shock and reverse cultural shock from a psychological perspective, drawing on personal observations and experiences. It redefines culture on a psychosocial level, exploring the challenges faced by immigrants in adjusting to new working and social environments. The report highlights the importance of understanding the root causes of psychological symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, which can stem from inferiority complexes or low self-esteem. It emphasizes the need for proper counseling and a stability zone for individuals undergoing cultural adjustment. Furthermore, the report examines the concept of reverse cultural shock and its connection to human nature's resistance to change. By analyzing these issues, the report aims to provide insights into how cultural shock and reverse cultural shock should be treated, considering the underlying causes and individual psychological states. The report also includes a bibliography of relevant research papers.

Reflection on Cultural Shock
What is culture? The culture is a set of values and practices that a person learns from society
and follows them to be a part of society. This conventional definition of the culture defines it
from a sociological perspective. However, if I wish to answer a question about the cultural
shock or reverse cultural shock then I need to redefine culture on psychosocial levels. Here I
discovered that I am living under a subculture. This subculture consists of the set of values
and practices that an individual retains from an existing culture with an intention to live a life
of convenience.
As an Australian citizen, I belong to a cosmopolitan culture which is open to accommodate
new cultures. The study of cultural shock and reserve cultural shock allowed me to
understand the mindset of some of my workmates who immigrated from different parts of the
world to Australia (Turkowsky, 2010).
They found it difficult to adjust to the working conditions and social conditions of Australia.
As a society, Australians believe in straight talks with no passive undertones attached to
them. Individuals coming from the side of Indian subcontinent find it a little insulting and
rude. This sentiment forces a change in their behavior. They fall for the trap of depression,
stress, and anxiety. In terms of sociology, they feel a kind of social alienation. However,
while stepping into their life under the role of a psychologist we cannot treat them based on
the symptoms alone. For instance, anxiety, depression or the display of the social inhibition is
only a symptom. The root cause for these symptoms can be “Inferiority Complex,” “Poor me
syndrome” or “Low self-esteem (Wielkiewicz,2010).”
The cultural shocks sometimes create a role conflict in the mind of a person and he feels that
he is a misfit for the place. In the current article, they mentioned that frequent episodes of
anger can be an outcome of a cultural shock. However, in my personal observations, I found

that a cultural shock is only a state, which is instigating an emotion. The appearance of the
symptom is more dependent on the general psychological state of a person. My observation
of my immediate surroundings gives me this idea that proper counseling of such subjects can
produce the best answer for these patients (Niesen,2010).
While studying this article, the mention of a reverse cultural shock forced me to think about
the problem from a different perspective. The case of reverse cultural shock gave me an idea
that the problems of the cultural shock are not associated with the variance of the cultures
alone. They also correspond to the human nature where it refuses to entertain a change with
an open-minded approach (Mukaf,2013). The concept of bringing a person into a stability
zone can be applied here. The subjects that I witnessed in my surroundings were in the need
of that stability zone where they can imbibe a new culture in them (Aamir, 2010).
The study of this module also gave me an idea that the cases of the cultural shock and reverse
cultural shock should be treated in accordance with the root cause associated with them. For
instance, a person walking into a new culture may suffer from an inferiority complex.
However, the same person moving back to own culture because of the reverse migration may
fall in the trap of a cultural shock because of the superiority complex as well.

Aamir, S. (2010). Reverse culture shock among returnee high school
students. Malaysian Journal of Psychiatry, 19(1), 10-14. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303310245_REVERSE_CULT
URE_ SHOCK_ AMONG_RETURNEE_HIGH_SCHOOL_STUDENTS
BIBLIOGRAPHY Mukaf, O. (2013). Culture shock, what culture shock? Conceptualizing culture unrest
in intercultural tourism and assessing its effect on tourists’ perceptions and travel propensity. Sage
Journals , https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1468797613498166.
Niesen, C. C. (2010). Navigating reentry shock: The use of communication as
a facilitation tool. Retrieved from https://repository.unm.edu/bitstream/
handle/1928/11087/NIESEN% 20FINAL%207-9-10.pdf?sequence=1
Wielkiewicz, R. M., & Turkowski, L. W. (2010). Reentry issues upon
returning from study abroad programs. Journal of College Student
Development, 51(6), 649-664. doi: 10.1353/csd.2010.001