Happy Sunday!
Here is something to consider this week.
Research has shown that navigating a new environment involves an initial period of shock, which is often filled with isolation and anxiety. This is followed by a gradual, lifelong transformation during a "reshape" period. Having experienced these shocks since 1994, my conversations with others who have moved from one part of the world to another for different reasons, mostly for money, have been consistent.
I was fascinated by the psychological aspects. Specifically, I was interested in how our brains process these differences and how the resulting effects impact our wellbeing. Learning is like peeling an onion, with each layer revealing something new. My curiosity was thus expanded to other scientific areas, the history of groups, and risky geographical adjustments.
In the past four years, I have read hundreds of books and studies on this subject. Unknowns between natural, social, and man-made factors pose risks. This can result in less than stellar results if combined with unawareness.
A newcomer faces many risks. I have compressed them into themes with summaries and some questions.
1. Capability Risk
Capability is “Know how” and preparedness to effectively deal with new problems. What are you able to do with the knowledge and experience you have in a new system? This is vastly different and more important than “know what”.
My definition of capability is based on three elements: action, knowledge, and timing. Taking the right action at the right time based on the right knowledge.
Capability risk is the one we can most control. Understanding capability risk implies understanding the others as well, since it interacts with them.
Cognitive biases and the newcomer
But then we have to deal with our inner wirings. The period of uncertainty magnifies cognitive biases that affect decision making. It is because of the high stakes involved. The kind that prevents one from understanding simple American jokes. As well as amplifying the tendency to overreact when things go wrong.
The all-or-nothing tendency is also counterproductive. In place of a deeper understanding of risk sources, Newcomers often think "if I just try really hard I will make it by the grace of God.".
Human nature confounds the newcomer’s capability.
2. Geographic
Being healthy in a different climate, with increased genetic predispositions to certain diseases. More difficult access to organic foods as to be the case in developed societies.
3. Economic
Your income level relative to new society. Choosing a university, a career, or a type of business can be difficult. Until you figure this out, how do you remain financially resilient? So it is no surprise that we have tunneled into this problem for so many years at the expense of others.
Perhaps the biggest drawback of this risk is that it blinds us to other risks, mostly due to modern ways of living and social pressures, even after our basic needs have been met.
4. Family
Impact on familial relationships. Some practical problems as follows:
How to deal with changing family dynamics? How to deal with family separation? How to raise kids without the “village”?
5. Social
Stress from “fitting in”. The loss of old, proven values and the cost of a new lifestyle. Stress associated with acculturation cannot be avoided. It is a question of how to deal with it so that it doesn't become chronic. And, how to approach new social experiences in a healthy manner.
6. Gender
Gender specific negative outcomes in different situations
Do you know any practical problems here?
7. Age
Age specific negative outcomes.
It is not easy to learn how to program in Java as I discovered my freshman year of college. To avoid coding, I switched from computer science to information systems. In his late 50s, my father taught himself how to code effortlessly, but finding work was difficult.
Programming would have been a much better use of his mathematical and engineering mind in his later years, as it would have made a much better story. Not driving a cab to make ends meet which he despised.
Some practical problems are as follows:
How to acquire skills at an older age? How to stay productive? How to manage health?
8. Ethnic
There are downsides of Outgroup dynamics for the newcomer. There are no exceptions!
The question is how to be robust to prejudice?
Until next week,
Nnamdi