What is Culture Shock?
Culture Shock refers to the feelings of discomfort, uncertainty, and unease that arise from exposure to a foreign culture. It is a reaction to displacement from one’s familiar environment. Kalo Oberg first coined the term “Culture Shock” in 1960.
Causes of Culture Shock
We experience culture shock because the new culture has rules that are different from our own. Things that we take for granted in our own culture turn out differently in a foreign environment.
A new society’s rules of behavior and nonverbal communication are usually different from our own. We do not know how to act appropriately in our new environment, and others do not act as we expect them to, causing culture shock.
Who Experiences Culture Shock?
Anyone who spends some time abroad can experience culture shock. This holds for tourists, exchange students, sojourners, expatriates, migrants, refugees, and local, indigenous, or ethnic groups faced with a large-scale influx of visitors from another culture. Culture shock can arise in organizations due to recruitment and transfers to new locations.
Common Symptoms of Culture Shock
- Feelings of frustration, loneliness, confusion, irritability, insecurity, and helplessness
- Unstable temperament bordering on paranoia
- Criticism of local people, culture, and customs
- Excessive concern over food, water, and bedding
- Fear of physical contact with locals
- Overreaction to minor difficulties
- Loss of sense of humor
Stages of Culture Shock
There are several typical stages of culture shock that people go through when adapting to a new culture.
- Enthusiasm: This stage can be described by initial excitement about the new culture. The individual perceives everything about the culture as great.
- Symptoms of Culture Shock: This is when everything appears different and weird, if not worse. Symptoms of culture shock become evident, including a longing to spend time with people of your own culture.
- Gradual Adjustment: This stage begins when we understand the differences in behavior to feel more comfortable in the new culture.
- Adaptation: This final stage occurs when the individual can appreciate life and companionship in the new culture.
Impact of Our Perceptions of Other Cultures
Our cultures define and embody our lives. Our worldviews are grounded in our cultural beliefs, providing a reference point for observations and behavior.
People from different backgrounds have different frames of reference; what one perceives to be “normal” is a consequence of the environment in which one is raised.
It is also essential to realize that we are often unaware of the elements of our own culture until we are faced with another. Remembering this when encountering a new culture and interacting with people from different backgrounds is helpful.
