Scribd
Upload
11 views13 pages

Culture Shock

Culture shock is the disorientation felt when encountering an unfamiliar culture, characterized by stages such as honeymoon, negotiation, adjustment, and adaptation. Individuals respond differently, with some becoming rejectors who retreat to their home culture, while others, like cosmopolitans and adopters, embrace their new environment. Effective intercultural communication, including understanding non-verbal cues and overcoming language barriers, is essential for managing culture shock and building relationships with locals.

Uploaded by

Perijoc Ana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
11 views13 pages

Culture Shock

Culture shock is the disorientation felt when encountering an unfamiliar culture, characterized by stages such as honeymoon, negotiation, adjustment, and adaptation. Individuals respond differently, with some becoming rejectors who retreat to their home culture, while others, like cosmopolitans and adopters, embrace their new environment. Effective intercultural communication, including understanding non-verbal cues and overcoming language barriers, is essential for managing culture shock and building relationships with locals.

Uploaded by

Perijoc Ana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 13

Culture

shock
and intercultural communication
What is culture shock?
Culture shock is the feeling of disorientation experienced by
someone when they are suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar
culture and way of life.

confusion
homesickness
loneliness

frustration anxiety
Stages
of culture shock

1 2 3 4
honeymoon negotiation adjustment adaptation
fascinated by all the excitement routine sets in as sometimes known
the new aspects of wears off and you you begin to as the bicultural
your life: food, are faced with the understand the stage, you now feel
people, unique difficulties of language and comfortable with
experiences. fitting in culture your new life
Rejectors
are people who tend to retrreat to the safety of
their own home and can’t wait to return to their
home country. Expats can become rejectors
during the adjustment phase.

Cosmopolitans
find balance in their new lives and embrace the
adventure. The key to becoming comfortable in a
new country is making the effort to learn the
language. Not being able to engage in basic
conversations with locals can cause confusion and
anxiety.

Adopters
enjoy their new lives so much that they “become
locals” and decide to embrace the culture
wholeheartedly.
How to deal with culture shock
find familiar things
personalize your space

avoid hiding, go out and explore

keep an open mind

communicate
Intercultural communication
respect
avoiding stereotypes patience
and prejudices
adaptability
empathy
Non-verbal
communication
body language is deeply intertwined
with cultural norms and values

it’s essential to educate ourselves


about how different cultures use
body language
standing too close to
direct eye contact the thumbs-up gesture someone while talking
signifies respect and is generally seen as a might be percieved as an
attentiveness positive symbol invasion of personal
space

in some Asian cultures, in the Middle East and in Latin America, it’s
prolonged eye contact some African countries, customary to maintain
can be considered the thumbs-up gesture close physical proximity
impolite or is considered offensive during conversations
confrontational and vulgar
How to overcome language
barriers
• Plan ahead
it’s easy to learn a few phrases for common situations you might find yourself in, such as asking
for directions to get home

• Learn essential words and phrases


you have to make an effort to blend in, learning basic words will make locals more open to talking
to you
How to overcome language
barriers
• Communicate visually
most experts agree that 70 to 93 percent of all communication is nonverbal, so it’s important to
use hand gestures and body language to express yourself
you could even point to the things you’re talking about

• Use simple words and speak clearly


many words can be misunderstood, so make sure you pronunciation is correct and clear
Conclusion
Culture shock is a natural part of
cross-cultural experiences
Culture shock can be managed by understanding its
stages and adapting to each of them accordingly.

In my opinion, the best way to reduce culture shock


symptoms is effective intercultural communication.
Building relationships with locals prevents
loneliness and isolation and helps with fitting in.
Resources
https://web.archive.org/web/20190808131645/https://www.concordiashanghai.org/community/co
ncierge/concierge-post/~board/concierge/post/culture-shock

https://www.now-health.com/en/blog/culture-shock-stages/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_shock

https://tanjafromnuminos.medium.com/beyond-words-the-power-of-body-language-in-
intercultural-communication-62cfc2df410e

https://www.middlebury.edu/language-schools/blog/language-learning-why-intercultural-
communication-important

You might also like