The Causes of Culture Shock

It is normal that people feel and experience disorientation in their lives when they have
been inserted in a new society in which they have to interact with unfamiliar situations.
Canadian immigrants, like others around the world, are affected by many factors when they
begin a new way of life. There are different situations that cause culture shock such as
communication difficulties, different codes, and identity crisis.
The first important cause of culture shock is the difficulty of communication in the new
environment. Trying to communicate in a new language in order to express your primary needs
could be frustrating, especially when people do not master the new language. Further, symbols
used in the foreign country and even in different contexts could be perplexing, for example,
people who drove on left and now they have to do it on right. Likewise, the hierarchy paradigm
used in social interactions could put person in embarrassing situations, for example the
horizontal and vertical communication in workplaces differs from one culture to another.
Therefore, language, symbols, and hierarchy should be learned and adopted by people who
want to integrate their lives to a new society.
Another equally important cause of culture shock is the social code used in specific
situations in a new culture. Greetings in each culture have different ways to be expressed, for
example in some culture is permitted shake hands, make a bow or give a business card when
you meet people the first time, but touching people is inconceivable. In addition, behaviors are
important when you interact with other people, for example certain body languages could be
interpreted as disrespectful behavior in some situations. For example, do not use eating

utensils but do it with bare hands. For example, resting your elbows on the table when eating.
Also, treatment with people could be interpreted as an aggressive act. In some cultures, the
elderly are the pillars of the family and important decisions must be approved by them, while in
other societies the interaction is more horizontal. Thus, greetings, behaviors and treatments in
the essential interaction with other people could be misinterpreted if you do not know the new
culture.
The last but not least important cause of culture shock is the identity crisis that people
experience, especially in the critical period of the stages of culture shock. It is natural that a
person affected by immigration feel deep doubts about their existence in a society that is not
theirs. The first doubt is in relation to their family identity because their family structure is not
complete and it has lost stability. In addition, their close relatives, the patriarch of family or
parents with whom they had a close relationship of trust and were emotional supports in their
life, are too far. Another is the professional identity, due to the profession obtained with
sacrifice in their country of origin now in these new lands are not accepted and under these
conditions the person must be willing to accept jobs for which they are overqualified. Likewise,
their socioeconomic identity has fallen and become difficult to find a new acceptable position in
the new social structure. All of these situations generate anxiety, resentment and other feelings
in the person who is constantly changing and adapting to new activities or routines.
Deciding to move to another country means having to face many difficulties in social
interactions, paradigmatic shock and identity crisis. Inserting in a new social environment is not
easy and therefore everyone who wishes or needs to emigrate should know the effects of that
decision.