13_1_CultureShock

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Culture Shock

Forms and Coping Strategies

The training of cross-cultural competence and skillsWS 2001 / 2002 Prof. Dr. Beneke

Jessica AckmannNikolaus Kster


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1. Introduction

2. General Oberg-based models: U- and W-curve

3. Reasons

4. Symptoms5. Possible Outcomes

6. Specific Groups, Motives & Problems

7. New Models and Criticism

8. Preparation, Training and Coping Strategies9. Bibliography

Contents


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Introduction

"Culture shock might be called anoccupational disease of people who havebeen suddenly transplanted abroad.

(Oberg 1960: p. 185)


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Introduction

When you are transferred to another culture, you lose allyour familiar symbols and values as well as the frameworkof communication.

When do you shake hands? How long do you keep eye contact?

What 's the r ight dis tance when

talk ing to someone?

What do gestures and bod y

language mean?

and so on

The foreigner feels like a fish out of water.

Oberg (1960): p. 185


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1. 3.2. 4.

Feelings

+

-

Time

U - Curve

1. Euphoria

2. Culture shock

3. Acculturation

4. Stable state

Hofstede (1997): p. 210


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host culture after return home

W - Curve


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Reasons

The "software of the mind" (Hofstede) does not work in a

different cultural environment.

cultural dimensions


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Symptoms

- depression, feeling of helplessness- hostility towards the host culture and its members

- home sickness

- fear of physical contact with host culture members anditems (such as water for drinking and washing, food,

medical assistance...)

- Foreigners often join together to complain about the

host culture and strengthen their mutual belief that it isevil and responsible for their problems.

- stereotyping


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Identification withhost culture

Identificationwith originalculture

High

Low High

Low

Assimilation

Separation

Integration /Multiculturalism

Marginalisation

Possible Outcomes

Ward, Furnham, Bochner (2001): p. 102


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Assimilation:The culture traveller rejects his culture oforigin and adapts to the host culture, completely convertingto its norm, values and behaviours.

Separation:The host culture is rejected and the norms of

the original culture are strengthened. This leads tosegregation, ethnocentrism and racism.

Possible Outcomes


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Integration:Both cultures are perceived as being equal

AND mutually compatible. The sojourner becomesmulticultural and feels at home in both his original and hostculture.

Marginalisation:Both cultures are perceived as beingequal, but mutually incompatible. The culture travellerdoesn't feel at home in neither his original nor his host

culture.

Possible Outcomes


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1. Tourists

2. Student Sojourners

3. Business Sojourners

4. Spouses and children

5. Immigrants

6. Refugees

Specific Groups, Motives & Problems


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TouristsThere are several types of tourists with different motives for

visiting a foreign country:

culture contactlow high

mass tourists backpackers



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Student SojournersInternational students experience various difficulties:

problems other cultural travellers have as well

problems related to their studies

financial problems

homesickness, loneliness

language problems

social problems



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Business Sojourners [...] there are large numbers of expatriates; they provide the human link

in international business; and their effectiveness has a direct impact on

the profitability and often the viability of international commerce. That is

why business travellers are also the sojourner group most likely toreceive at least some pre-departure cultural orientation and training [...]

(Ward, Furnham, Bochner (2001): p. 168)



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Expectationsassignments have to be fulfilled

represent corporate philosophy

Problems

culturally influenced management and working styles

DILEMMA


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Spouses and Children


Companies should take the spouse and family of the future expatriate into

consideration when planning a business operation abroad.

Most common reason for early repatriation: discomfort of family abroad

Situation of spouse and children abroad:

- schools for children

- Is it possible for the partner to work as well? Does he / she want to work?If not, what will he / she do? Can the company support him / her? How

does the expatriation affect the spouses future career?

- coping with the emotional stress, missing support of the working partner


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ImmigrantsImmigrants are pulledtowards a new country mainly due to

personal motives such as

economic improvement and

family reunification.

Other motivating factors may be political pressures, social goals,etc.



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Problemsobstacles concerning economic success, unemployment,menial

jobs

language problemsdifficulties within the family (childrenparents relationship,

values)



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RefugeesUnlike immigrants, sojourners or tourists, however, the relocation of

refugees is involuntary. Rather than being pulled by the attractiveness

of a new host host culture, refugees are pushed into an alien

environment.(Ward, Furnham, Bochner (2001): p. 221)

Motives

Escape threatening circumstances such as

war, famine, torture, loss of family members, etc.

premigration trauma



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Problemsthe most disadvantaged group

stressful premigration experiences

involuntary relocation (push instead of pull); oftenunanticipated

and therefore disruptive (poor or no preparation), homesickness

poor or no language skills, no financial resources


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New Models and Criticism

Despite 40 years of research in different fields, there hasbeen no salient follow-up theory to Oberg's original model.

However, numerous studies have shown that the u-curvemodel is not always relevant and that culture travellers have

to be divided into different groups (see 6.).

Ward, Furnham and Bochner came up with theABC modelwhich is based on extensive reviews of therelevant literature and which divides culture shock into three

different components: Affective, Behavioural and Cognitive.


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AffectiveBehavioural

Cognitive

The ABC model of Culture Shock


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The ABC model of Culture Shock

Affective: Cross-cultural transition is regarded as anextremely stressful life event (like marriage or the death ofa close relative).

Cognitive: Cultural differences lead to problems withsocial identity: how people perceive themselves andothers, in- and outgrouping and stereotyping.

Behavioural:Sojourners do not understand the culturaldifferences in their host country. This leads tomisunderstandings and communication problems.


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Preparation, Training and Coping Strategies

- It is possible and advisable to let sojourners receive at

least somepre-departure preparationand training.

- Also on-site mentoring(business people, students) and

psychological treatment are useful in dealing with culture

shock.

-careful selectionof candidates for positions abroad

(positive and negative characteristics, willingness to stayabroad, family)


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- The motivesof sojourners are often ignored and their will

to go abroadis often overestimated.

- The expectationsof expatriates should be realistic.

- There are numerous possibilities for training sojourners.

We already heard about these in this seminar (culture

general / culture specific training, simulations, cultural

assimilator...).

Preparation, Training and Coping Strategies


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Hofstede, Geert(1997): Cultures and Organizations: Software of the

Mind. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Maletzke, Gerhard(1996): Interkulturelle Kommunikation. Opladen:Westdeutscher Verlag.

Oberg, Kalvero(1960): Culture Shock and the Problem ofAdjustment in New Cultural Environments. In: Weaver, Gary R.

(Ed.)(1998): Culture, Communication and Conflict. Readings inIntercultural Relations. Needham Heights, MA: Simon & SchusterPublishing.

Ward, Colleen/Bochner, Stephen/Furnham, Adrian(2001): The

Psychology of Culture Shock. Hove, East Sussex: Routledge.

Marx, Elisabeth(2000): Vorsicht Kulturschock. So wird Ihr

beruflicher Auslandseinsatz zum Erfolg. Frankfurt/New York: Campus

Verlag

Bibliography

Documents

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