CULTURE SHOCK

'Culture shock' is a term used to describe the anxiety and feelings (of surprise, disorientation, confusion, etc.) felt when people have to operate within an entirely different cultural or social environment, such as a foreign country. It grows out of the difficulties in assimilating the new culture, causing difficulty in knowing what is appropriate and what is not. Often this is combined with strong disgust (moral or aesthetical) about certain aspects of the new or different culture.
The term was introduced for the first time in 1954 by Kalvero Oberg. Other researchers who have subsequently worked on culture shock include Michael Winkelman.
Culture shock is a research area in intercultural communication. Recently, some researchers claim that culture shock does have many positive effects on intercultural sojourners, like increasing self-efficacy ^[1] and helping improve self-motivation ^[2].

Contents

Phases of Culture Shock

Symptoms of culture shock

Coping with culture shock

See also

External links

References

Phases of Culture Shock

Severe culture shock (moving to a foreign country) often consists of distinct phases. Not everyone moves through the phases and not everyone is in the new culture long enough to pass through all three^[3]:

★ The "Honeymoon Phase" - During this period the differences between the old and new culture are seen in a romantic light, wonderful and new. For example, in moving to a new country, an individual might love the new foods, the pace of the life, the people's habits, the buildings and so on.

★ The negotiation phase - After a few days, a few weeks, or a few months, minor differences between the old and new culture are resolved. One may long for food the way it is prepared "back home," may find the pace of life too fast or slow, may find the people's habits annoying, etc.

★ The "Everything is OK" phase - Again, after a few days, weeks or months, one grows accustomed to the new culture's differences and develops routines. At this point, an individual no longer reacts to the new culture positively or negatively, because it no longer feels like a new culture. An individual becomes concerned with basic living again, as they were in their original culture.

★ Reverse Culture Shock - Returning to one's home culture after growing accustomed to a new one can produce the same effects as described above.
In some cases, it may be impossible to deal with culture shock. Some people will give up on assimilating into the newer culture and return to their own culture.

Symptoms of culture shock

Culture shock manifests itself in different forms with different people but some symptoms can be the ones in the following list.

★ eating more than usual - gaining weight

★ not eating enough - loss of weight

★ having an increased need for hygiene - e.g. cleaning the flat on a daily basis

★ calling home much more often than usual

★ being hostile / complaining all the time about the hosting country / culture

★ avoiding meeting people

★ increased need of sleep

Coping with culture shock

Experienced travelers tend to cope much better with the difficulties of travel. To ensure that they may have a more enjoyable trip they can^[4]:

★ Read up about the country and its culture before they leave. This way the country and its people seem more familiar when they arrive. They will be aware of any differences in this new country and they will be prepared to deal with them whenever possible (e.g. differences in hygiene).

★ Avoid being offended themselves, offending locals, or being engaged in any more general cultural misunderstanding. This way you can familiarise yourself with the local customs and language.

★ Be open-minded about the culture they visit.

★ Take 'time out' or rest apart from cultural exchange in order to reduce the 'shock' of adjustment.

See also

★ Future shock

★ Outside Context Problem

★ Student exchange program

★ Intercultural competence

External links

★ Culture shock In Taiwan

★ Culture shock definition on San Diego University

★ Culture shock term credited to Oberg

References

1. Milstein, T. (2005). Transformation abroad: Sojourning and the perceived enhancement of self-efficacy. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 29, pp.217-238
2. Lin, C. (2007). Intercultural sojourning: Self-motivation and ecoshock/reentry ecoshock.Master's thesis (Unpublished). Department of Communications, University of Hawai'i at Manoa.
3. Amigos - Culture Shock http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/CGuanipa/cultshok.htm
4. Working Abroad
Unravelling the Maze http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/pubs/working_abroad-en.asp