Cultural Adaptation

Respond to classmates post.
Use this source: Heine, S. J. (2019). Cultural Psychology. W. W. Norton & Company.
Provide a relevant reply to a fellow student for the discussion question. The guideline for a reply post is about 200-350 words. These posts should be relevant, timely, well-written and include citations.
Discussion posts are evaluated and graded based on timeliness, relevance, references, depth/quality, and quantity of discussion posts for all modules. Posting the obvious, or comments such as "I agree with you" or "That was an interesting idea" are not given value toward your discussion grade.
M's Post:
Adaptation to a culture other than one's own inevitably results in challenges that may change according to the peculiarities of each individual and the resulting approach. In my case, every time I have had the pleasure of facing a new reality, I have consistently found difficulties in overcoming the communication barrier. Research has shown me the normality and frequency of this complication, allowing me first and foremost not to feel uncomfortable trying to overcome it: the role that language plays at the cultural level is crucial precisely because its degree of impact and influence is not only and purely reflected in technical communication, but is also transposed into the perceptual dynamics of the surrounding environment. The formulary of cultures shows numerous disparities in expressive usage and the resulting social norms, leading to a certain change in our perception of what we are confronted with, and the realization of a possibility of adaptation. The challenge I have often encountered is therefore precisely in the dual nature of this cultural barrier, which has hindered me in the practical and technical use of language, but also in the interpretation arising from behavioral perception.
Overcoming this type of difficulty peculiar to intercultural contexts can only take place through specific behavioral attitudes that have a concrete foundation structured on empirical research carried out in the field of cultural psychology. The results that have produced strategies to navigate this type of difficulty more readily branch off into an initial intention of active engagement in learning the language spoken in the target culture. The benefits of this absorption do not only spill over to the technical level, and thus to colloquial ability, but are also reflected in the attitude of respect and willpower in immersion in new intercultural contexts. The research points out that it is precisely this active engagement and application of the self to language learning that facilitates the ultimate success in the validation of this particular cultural obstacle. Further reinforcing the boost already provided by language acquisition will be the awareness of non-verbal communication disparities. Although this aspect is often underestimated, it is what allows the second level in this game of communicative adaptation to be unlocked. Being able to handle the signals that come from non-verbal communication plays a pivotal role in the adaptation process because these signals manifest themselves in ways that are different from one culture to another, and this can cause deviations in the perceptions of the surroundings (Toppelberg & Collins, 2010). To succeed in appropriating this extra strength, would certainly mean arriving at a more effective communication style, and allowing ourselves the possibility of maintaining a mentality based on respect for the opinions of others and the ability to think critically, which only gives a more positive recognizable form to our socially interactive skills.
The need for adaptation, and the success of success in this endeavor, can vary exponentially depending on the culture one is going to interface with. This makes it possible to assert a decision-making span of the physical places themselves in establishing the degree of influence they have on the very success of this endeavor. Empirical research in cultural psychology reflects on individuals who present themselves in new cultural contexts, armed with a wealth of prior experience of the need to adapt, judging the experience of applying the self to novelty as a further gear in the outcome in which this umpteenth attempt at adaptation will result. It is clear that the broader the experience of adaptation, the greater the likelihood of approaching contexts whose similarities to previously explored cultures are detected and recognized, and which have therefore already previously required an effort to adapt. It is important, however, to keep in mind the need to maintain a mindset that is open to novelty and possible new challenges, which keeps us from a superficial act of self-belief that our amount of experience can protect us from any unforeseen events. Approaching a Western context may result in a greater possibility of using one's knowledge to minimize the degree of influence that the disparities of the chosen culture may impose on one's adaptive capacity. A non-Western culture, on the other hand, would certainly imply a greater difficulty of adaptation as it is proportional to the degree of influence imposed by the chosen culture. This general rule is, however, a simplification of what really happens in each cultural context: each of these manifests itself in disparate internal facets that are defined through imbalances in values, communication styles, and social norms. Sometimes these differences are taken lightly precisely because of a superficial approach to the reality with which one is confronted, and to the comparison of this with one's own. Sometimes the awareness of a deeper diversity facilitates the success of our attempt to adapt, much more so than an unfounded security aroused by contextual and cultural proximity that leads us to ignore the subtle deep-rooted dynamics (Heine, 2019).