Final answer:
The degree of culture shock depends on individual traits, cultural differences, and available support systems. Adaptable personalities, minor cultural contrasts, and strong support networks lead to a lower degree of culture shock, while the opposite can increase the degree of shock experienced.
Step-by-step explanation:
The degree of culture shock a person may experience depends on three things: individual personality traits, the level of difference between the old and new cultures, and the support systems available. People with flexible and open personalities tend to adapt more easily to new cultural environments, hence experiencing a lower degree of culture shock. Conversely, those with less adaptable personalities may struggle more and face a higher degree of culture shock.
The second factor is the contrast between the familiar and the unfamiliar; the greater the differences in language, norms, and daily routines, the more intense the culture shock is likely to be. Finally, having an active support network of friends, family, or a welcoming community can help alleviate the stress and reduce the degree of culture shock.
Examples of culture shock can vary widely, from a Chicago traveler unsettled by the silence in rural Montana to an exchange student from China frustrated by the different classroom etiquette in the U.S. In more extreme cases, refugees like Sanai, who fled war-torn Bosnia, have to adjust to an entirely new way of life. Each of these scenarios involves varying degrees of culture shock, influenced by the three primary factors mentioned above.