Dealing with Cultural Differences

College 1Pasadena City College

Fall 2012

What is one unexpected cultural situation you have experienced since you came here? How did you respond?

When you encounter a cultural situation that is very new or different for you, how does that make you feel?

QUESTION

Influence #1: Expectations

• The ideas, attitudes, and knowledge you have about a new culture greatly affects the experience you will have.

• The expectations we have come from a variety of sources—media, friends, and family, etc.

• Unrealistic expectations can lead to unhappiness for newcomers in the U.S.

Influence #2: Personality Characteristics

Characteristics that can help you adapt:

• Patience• Sense of humor• Tolerance for ambiguity– “Well, I don’t know what’s going on

here. I’ll just have to wait and see, or try to figure out.”

Traits & Situations

• People’s behavior results from some combination of their personality traits and situations in which they find themselves.

• Unfamiliar cultural situations misunderstanding of people’s responses

Culture Shock

• The process of adjusting to a new culture begins from the time we decide to go abroad

• Stage 1: excitement, curiosity, stimulation• Stage 2: Culture shock: feeling of confusion &

disorientation– Smells, flavors, feeling of the air, language, behavior…– Everyone experiences it– Passes with time

• Stage 3: Negative feelings: disappointment, frustration, depression, anger, hostility

• Stage 4: Learning & understanding more competent and comfort

D-I-E to Adapt

• D = Describe–What you see, objective facts

• I = Interpret–What you think about what you see

• E = Evaluate–What you feel about what you see– Being judgmental usually isn’t helpful

Activities for Learning about American Culture

• Ask questions• Learn and practice local English• Take field trips – observe people, places & things

– E.g., a busy intersection, parent-child interactions, male-female interactions, a public commercial building, a restaurant, the reception area of an office, an American business meeting, a public bus, a local neighborhood, a local school, a drugstore/grocery store/department store, a church service, the local police station, a meeting of the city council, an American home, a sporting event, garage sales, an “open house”

• Talk with experienced foreigners• Keep a journal• Learn the names of local and institutional VIPs, • Read, reflect

Resource (on Canvas)

• Althen, Gary. “Part 3: Coping with Cultural Differences.” American Ways, 2nd Ed. Boston: Intercultural Press, 2003: 259-284.