New research led by SMU Assistant Professor of Marketing Shilpa Madan, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, investigated how individual differences in stress reactivity affect sociocultural learning. Her research found that individuals with higher stress reactivity learn new sociocultural norms more quickly. Asst Prof Madan explained that this challenges the traditional view of stress as a hindrance, suggesting instead that stress can be a catalyst for accelerated learning and adjustment in unfamiliar cultural settings.
