Younger immigrants embrace new cultures faster
By IANSFriday, February 4, 2011
TORONTO - Adapting to a new country or culture can be challenging but it is easier for those under 15 years, says a research.
Psychological scientists have found that many aspects of learning and development have a critical window — if it doesn’t happen by a particular age, it never will.
Steven Heine, professor of cultural psychology at the University of British Columbia in Canada, wondered if this was also true for the process of learning the culture in a new place, the journal Psychological Science reports.
His team surveyed 232 people who emigrated from Hong Kong to Vancouver at various ages, from infancy to age 50. At the time of the survey, people were aged 18 to 60, according to a British Columbia statement.
They were asked how much they identified with their heritage culture and with Canadian culture.
Those who had immigrated to Canada before the age of 15 identified more with Canadian culture than those who had immigrated when they were older.
Our cultures fundamentally shape the way we think, so a change in cultures is a big event, especially if you’ve been in that one culture throughout your childhood, Heine says.
