Chapter 3 Culture shock

1:38 spacehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6C2e84a5lc&feature=related

Q: Define culture shock (p.108) and describe your experience (p.110).

Oberg (1960) defines culture shock as the distress of new comers to a different culture experience as a result of being confronted with an environment in which their familiar patterns of social interaction are no longer valid.

People from the west are shocked by th

e squat toilet prevalent in Asia most especially, China, Thailand, Indonesia, and even found in Singapore's spotlessly clean, ultra-modern Changi Airport toilets. Cleansing after defecating is done with water (and preferably soap) douche, and the user is expected to flush their resultant mess on the toilet or floor manually via the ladle or bucket provided. As such, many Asians are revolted by Western toilets not providing the post-defecation toilet hose.……………………………

Q: What are the factors of culture shock?

The factors of culture shock1. Degree of difference between the individual’s

culture and the new culture

2. An individual’s prior cross-cultural experiences

3. The individual’s preparedness

4. The social support networks

5. The cultural distance between the two cultures

6. The psychological characteristics of the individual

Q: Explain Oberg (1960)’s four-stage model of culture shock.

Oberg (1960)’s four-stage model

1. Honeymoon stage (tourist phase) open to new experience, focus on positive aspects

2. Culture shock feel overwhelmed and confounded by the new culture,

experience disorientation and unease. Homesick.

3. Adjustment (acculturation) stage develop problem-solving skills.

4. Recovery (adaptation) stage function effectively in the new culture,

successful in resolving problems

Q: Lysgaard (1955) and Ward & Kennedy (1996) have different ideas about culture shock (p.112). Which do you think fits your case?

Q: Explain Adler (1972)’s five-stage model.

Adler (1972)’s five-stage model

1. Contact stage 2. Disintegration stage

(They experience a loss of self-esteem) 3. Reintegration stage

(Anger occurs. The new culture is rejected) 4.Autonomy stage

(Cross-cultural situations are handled easily) 5.Independence stage

(Choice and accountability join a respect for one’s culture and the culture of others)

Q. What are the causes of culture shock? Reflect on your own experience with culture shock (p.114).

Contact with another culture

The need for a new language/ culture

When the shared expectations of appropriate social behavior through enculturation process in the given culture are violated

When most of the cues of social behavior familiar to them are no longer present

Q: What are the individual’s psychological characteristics that may ease the culture shock?

The psychological characteristics of the individual

1. Individual’s tolerance for ambiguity (Gudykunst,1998; Kohls,2001; Marx,1999)

2. Motivation (Taft, 1985)

External vs. internal dimensions to culture shock (Triandis 1975)

External dimensionsSocioeconomic differenceseducational and vocational opportunities

Internal dimensionsSelf-identitySocial support networksCollectivism vs. individualism

Q. What are the three levels that culture shock impacts? Provide examples.

Culture shock on emotional level * * *

Culture shock on rational level * *

Culture shock on identity level * * *

Culture shock on emotional level* Emotional turmoil, anger, anxiety, depression, loneliness, homesickness, frustration, worry, irritation, helplessness, hostility, obsession with cleanliness etc. * Mood swings.

* Both physical and psychosomatic illnesses

Culture shock on rational level* Norms and perspectives of one’s own culture are no longer valid* Negative stereotyping and ethnocentricity

Cognitive fatiguehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d3ZKhcyN3M&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxIsfUN7hhU&feature=related

Culture shock on identity level

* Human identities – things we share with other human beings* Social identities – individual’s societal roles, nationality, gender, membership* Personal identities- individual’s personality traits

Communication is an “act of creating and validating self-images”

(Zaharna 1989, p.510)

The culture is different, and the expected parameters of social roles and social associations are no longer valid, so newcomers are faced with uncertain and ambiguous communication events as well as inconsistent self-images. The result is self-shock. ……..

Q. How would you make culture shock a learning experience in your classroom?

Negative consequenceNegative consequence Positive Positive consequence consequence

Permanent state Permanent state Transitional phaseTransitional phase

Culture Culture shock shock

Positive effects of culture shock • Opportunities to examine the degree to which we are

influenced by our own culture

• More cognitive openness and flexibility

• Greater tolerance for ambiguity

• New understanding of what elements contribute to our sense of self

• Opportunities to face our own ethnocentrism

• New attitudes and perspectives on the nature of culture