Question

A new religious cult in the United States has been discovered that does not use any modern technology, lives in primitive conditions with no electricity or running water, and treats women as less valuable than men. Children born into this cult are forced to work sixteen-hour days beginning at the age of ten.

Which of the following scenarios related to the above example are likely to lead to culture shock?
a.a man from the cult who is regularly tasked with traveling to a nearby town to collect supplies chats with the store clerk
b.a sociologist goes undercover and becomes a member in an effort to learn more about the cult
c.a woman who has been in the cult for less than a year leaves to return to her family
d.a child born into the cult escapes at the age of sixteen and travels to the nearest large city

Answer 1

Culture shock is likely to affect the sociologist studying the cult, the woman leaving the cult to return to her family, and the child escaping to a large city. These scenarios entail the transition from a highly controlled, isolated cult environment to the mainstream society with significantly different norms and expectations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenarios likely to lead to culture shock are those that involve individuals moving from one cultural environment to a significantly different one. Culture shock occurs when people are suddenly subjected to an alien culture or way of life and deal with feelings of disorientation and anxiety as a result of losing familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse.

Scenario b, where a sociologist goes undercover to learn about the cult, is likely to experience culture shock due to the stark difference between their academic environment and the primitive, highly controlled conditions within the cult. Scenario c, involving a woman who leaves the cult to return to her family, would also face culture shock as she re-enters mainstream society and adjusts to the freedoms and behaviors that stand in contrast to the cult's norms. Lastly, scenario d, where a child born into the cult escapes to a large city, is likely to confront immense culture shock, facing modern technology, diverse social norms, and increased personal autonomy for the first time.

These examples reflect how the rigidity and isolation of cults can significantly affect members' ability to adapt to outside societal norms, as seen in the controversies surrounding groups like the YFZ Ranch and others labeled as new religious movements (NRMs).