Have you ever felt stuck between your personal values and the culture of your new home? If the answer is yes, then you might feel cognitive dissonance. It's a common mental challenge among expats. By recognizing and tackling cognitive dissonance, you can start to reduce its negative effects. This can improve your mental health and overall well-being, so let's see what it is all about.
Cognitive Dissonance Explained
A theory of cognitive dissonance, introduced by Leon Festinger, explains that people feel psychological discomfort when they hold two opposing beliefs. Or when their actions don't match their beliefs (10).
If you're experiencing cognitive dissonance as an expat, it can happen when you start new cultural practices or adjust to a new job. Many expats feel this way about their jobs abroad.
Cognitive dissonance can explain why you might feel anxious, embarrassed, guilty, or stressed in your expat life. It's like feeling stuck between two worlds. These feelings can harm your mental health and happiness. The more you value conflicting beliefs, the more cognitive dissonance you'll feel.
Expats might feel caught between their old and new cultural identities. They might struggle to fit their values with their new surroundings. For example, adapting to a new work culture can be tough. Many expats find counseling useful in adjusting to their new life, but we'll get to that. Let's first focus on understanding cognitive dissonance among expats.
Besides cultural differences and work challenges, expats often face challenges like language barriers. This can also lead to cognitive dissonance.
It's important for expats to recognize these challenges and seek help. By facing these issues and getting support, they can feel better.
Signs You're Experiencing Cognitive Dissonance as an Expat
As an expat, you might not even notice cognitive dissonance symptoms at first. It can seem like an unimportant belief or value conflict between your old and new culture. You might not recognize it as a big problem.
However, the process of adapting to a new culture and environment can make these feelings worse for expats.
Some common signs of cognitive dissonance include:
- Feeling torn between traditional and modern values
- Questioning your own beliefs and values
- Experiencing guilt or anxiety when confronted with cultural differences
It's key to spot these signs as early as possible, and get help. Research shows that social support can really help with homesickness and cultural dissonance (6). So, don't be shy to talk to other expats or a mental health expert.
How Culture Shock Increases Psychological Discomfort
As an expatriate, you might feel culture shock, which makes you feel lost and confused (7). This feeling is common, with about 70% of expats feeling this way when they move to a new place (7). The way we interact with our environment is key, and this can be tough for expats (5).
Expatriates face many challenges, like not speaking the language, feeling alone, and adjusting to new surroundings (7). Language barriers can cause misunderstandings, and feeling isolated can make you feel lonely and disconnected (7). To feel better, it's important to find ways to reduce this discomfort, like getting support, taking care of yourself, and trying new cultural things.
Some important things to think about when dealing with culture shock include:
- Individualism and collectivism: Knowing the cultural norms and values of your host country can help you fit in and feel more comfortable (5).
- Cognitive styles: Understanding how different cultures think, like holistic thinking in East Asia, can help you adjust to new places (5).
- Social support: Keeping in touch with loved ones back home and making friends in your new country can help you feel less lonely and isolated (7).
By recognizing how culture shock affects our feelings and taking steps to deal with it, expatriates can handle the move better and feel less cognitive dissonance (7).
Practical Strategies for Reducing Cognitive Dissonance
As an expat, It's important to keep your mental health good. One way is to get expat counseling to question your beliefs and values (6). Also, doing things that help you fit in can lessen this feeling (7).
Studies show that about 65% of people change their beliefs to deal with cognitive dissonance. But only 45% actually change their actions (6). This shows why it's important to act on cognitive dissonance. Here are some ways to do so:
- Seeking expat counseling to explore and challenge your beliefs and values
- Engaging in activities that promote cultural adaptation and integration
- Practicing mindfulness and self-reflection to increase cognitive flexibility (7)
- Engaging in experiential learning methods, such as hands-on activities or simulations, to bridge the gap between theory and practice (8)
- Seeking expat counseling to explore and challenge your beliefs and values: that's why Expathy is here for.
At Expathy, we connect you with psychologists from your home country who are also expats themselves. We can support you in overcoming these mental health challenges. You can get professional support whenever and wherever you want. All you have to do is download the Expathy app. It's fast, easy, and affordable, but most importantly - helpful!
These methods can help you in reducing cognitive dissonance and boost your mental health as an expat. Remember, taking care of your mental health is vital for a good expat life. And asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
To Sum Up: Take Control of Your Mental Health!
As an expat, you have the power to take control of your mental health and grow in your new environment (9). Studies show that effective interventions can reduce the incidence of expat mental health challenges by up to 40% (9). Expathy is committed to supporting you in this process, providing the tools and resources you need to beat the challenges of cognitive dissonance and cultural adaptation.
Remember, 70% of expatriates report experiencing cognitive dissonance when transitioning to a new culture (9). But with the right strategies and a proactive mindset, you can reduce this dissonance and find greater fulfillment in your expat experience (9). A longitudinal study shows that 45% of expatriates develop coping mechanisms for managing mental health over their time abroad.
By seeking support, challenging your beliefs and values, and engaging in activities that promote cultural integration (9), you can take control of your mental health and enjoy your surroundings (9). Surveys reveal that 85% of expatriates who seek mental health support are more satisfied with their expatriate experience overall.
Download the Expathy app, and connect with us now!
Source Links
- Cognitive Dissonance and Ways to Resolve It - https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-cognitive-dissonance-2795012
- Cognitive dissonance: Definition, effects, and examples - https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326738
- When learning is not enough: A process model of expatriate a - https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jobhdp/v108y2009i1p66-78.html
- Cracking the code of homesickness: What science tells us about your challenges as an expat - https://medium.com/@sarah-turc/cracking-the-code-of-homesickness-what-science-tells-us-about-your-challenges-as-an-expat-b62dbd3fdd19
- Culture and decision making - PMC - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7126161/
- How to Reduce Cognitive Dissonance - https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/cognitive-dissonance/how-why-reduce-cognitive-dissonance-you-feel/
- Overcoming Cognitive Dissonance: A Guide to Staying True to Yourself - https://topresume.com/career-advice/overcoming-cognitive-dissonance-a-guide-to-staying-true-to-yourself
- How to reduce cognitive dissonance in corporate training | SC Training - https://training.safetyculture.com/blog/how-to-reduce-cognitive-dissonance/
- Summary | Applied Social Psychology - https://www.worldsupporter.org/en/summary/applied-social-psychology-59469
- Cognitive Dissonance In Psychology: Definition and Examples - https://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive-dissonance.html
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