Final answer:
Culture shock (a) is the correct answer, describing the stress and anxiety caused by constant exposure to unfamiliar cultural norms and practices. It is often faced by those in new and different environments and can result in a period of adjustment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The answer to the student's question is a) Culture shock. This term refers to the frustration and anxiety that individuals often experience when they are constantly exposed to unfamiliar cultural cues and social norms. It can lead to feelings of disorientation and discomfort as one attempts to understand and adapt to a new environment with different language, food, schedules, and social etiquette. Anthropologist Kalervo Oberg first coined the term "culture shock" to describe this phenomenon, and it is something that travelers, expatriates, and even people within their own country may encounter when faced with a significant change in cultural surroundings.
Culture shock occurs when an individual is taken out of their familiar cultural context and must navigate the unfamiliar cues of a new culture, often leading to a period of adjustment where they may initially reject the unfamiliar culture while glorifying their own. Over time, however, individuals typically adapt to the new culture and find their own way to fit in, although this process can vary in duration from weeks to years.