Culture-shock Culture-shock in in

Cross-Cultural Cross-Cultural CommunicationCommunication

How culture shock?How culture shock?

If you are going abroad, you may find…If you are going abroad, you may find… The climateThe climate: grey and wet, especially during the : grey and wet, especially during the

winter months and difficult to get used to. winter months and difficult to get used to. The foodThe food: strange, may taste different, or be : strange, may taste different, or be

cooked differently, or it may seem bland or heavy cooked differently, or it may seem bland or heavy compared to what you are used to. compared to what you are used to.

The languageThe language: you miss your familiar language : you miss your familiar language which at home would have been part of your which at home would have been part of your everyday environment. everyday environment.

Social behaviorsSocial behaviors: people appear cold and : people appear cold and distant or always in a hurry…distant or always in a hurry…

…………..

You are getting culture shock!!!You are getting culture shock!!!

What culture shock?What culture shock?#…#… Culture shock is thought to be a form of Culture shock is thought to be a form of

anxiety that results from the loss of anxiety that results from the loss of

commonly perceived and understood signs commonly perceived and understood signs

and symbols of social intercourse. The and symbols of social intercourse. The

individual undergoing culture shock individual undergoing culture shock

reflects his anxiety and nervousness with reflects his anxiety and nervousness with

cultural differences through any number of cultural differences through any number of

defense mechanism: repression, defense mechanism: repression,

regression, isolation and reflection…regression, isolation and reflection…

(Peter Adler, 1972:8)(Peter Adler, 1972:8)

# George,M. Foster (1962):# George,M. Foster (1962): “ “Culture shock is a mental Culture shock is a mental

illness……”illness……”

# “ Strong feelings of discomfort, fear, or insecurity which a person may have when they enter another culture”

Longman dictionary of Applied Linguistics

# Yule, G. (1996:195):# Yule, G. (1996:195):

“ “ Culture shock occurs as a result Culture shock occurs as a result of total immersion in a new of total immersion in a new culture. It happens to people culture. It happens to people who have been transplanted who have been transplanted abroad. Newcomers may be abroad. Newcomers may be anxious because they don’t anxious because they don’t speak the language, know the speak the language, know the customs, or understand people’s customs, or understand people’s behavior in daily life”behavior in daily life”

Barriers caused Barriers caused by cultural differencesby cultural differences

Sociolinguistics inappropriatenessSociolinguistics inappropriateness

Stereotyping or overgeneralisationStereotyping or overgeneralisation

Conflict of different value systemsConflict of different value systems

Inadequateness of language Inadequateness of language proficiencyproficiency

Two main factors Two main factors creating culture shockcreating culture shock

Unawareness of cross-cultural Unawareness of cross-cultural differences different values, differences different values, perceptions, cultural thought perceptions, cultural thought patterns, beliefs etc.patterns, beliefs etc.

Unawareness of different roles of the Unawareness of different roles of the S and H: age, social distance, work S and H: age, social distance, work power and relationship, marital power and relationship, marital status, education, etc.status, education, etc.

SymptomsSymptoms 1. Feeling very angry over 1. Feeling very angry over

minor minor inconveniencesinconveniences

2. Irritability2. Irritability 3. Withdrawal from people 3. Withdrawal from people

who are different from who are different from youyou

4. Extreme homesickness4. Extreme homesickness 5. Sudden intense feeling 5. Sudden intense feeling

of loyalty to own cultureof loyalty to own culture 6. Overeating or loss of 6. Overeating or loss of

appetiteappetite 7. Boredom7. Boredom 8. A need for excessive 8. A need for excessive

sleepsleep

9. Headaches9. Headaches 10. Upset stomach10. Upset stomach 11. Small pains really 11. Small pains really

hurthurt 12. Depression12. Depression 13. Loss of ability to work 13. Loss of ability to work

or study effectivelyor study effectively 14. Unexplainable crying14. Unexplainable crying 15. Marital or relationship 15. Marital or relationship

stressstress 16. Exaggerated 16. Exaggerated

cleanlinesscleanliness 17. Feeling sick much of 17. Feeling sick much of

the timethe time

How does it happen?How does it happen?

HoneymoonHoneymoon

Culture shock

Initial Adjustment

Mental Isolation (or Depression)

Acceptance and Integration

(Levine and Adelman. 1993)

Situation 1Situation 1Bob returns from a meeting and his secretary, Trinh, bursts into Bob returns from a meeting and his secretary, Trinh, bursts into

tears. Her voice is hoarse and he can not understand what she tears. Her voice is hoarse and he can not understand what she is saying. Something has happened in her family. He reaches for is saying. Something has happened in her family. He reaches for a box of tissues and hands it to her, putting his arm around her a box of tissues and hands it to her, putting his arm around her in a comforting manner. Trinh freezes and races for the door. in a comforting manner. Trinh freezes and races for the door. She brushes past Huong, whose face resembles a wooden mask.She brushes past Huong, whose face resembles a wooden mask.

Bob races out to Huong and asks her to go and comfort Trinh Bob races out to Huong and asks her to go and comfort Trinh because she is crying and he does not know what is wrong.They because she is crying and he does not know what is wrong.They are gone for some time and he returns to his work. When Huong are gone for some time and he returns to his work. When Huong returns, Bob goes to check. She will not look him in the eyes but returns, Bob goes to check. She will not look him in the eyes but mumbles that it has something to do with Trinh’s brother. Bob mumbles that it has something to do with Trinh’s brother. Bob explains his concern and his actions – why he put his arm explains his concern and his actions – why he put his arm around her. Huong relaxes and says “yes”, she understands. around her. Huong relaxes and says “yes”, she understands. Trinh returns the next day. Bob does not make a fuss about her Trinh returns the next day. Bob does not make a fuss about her absence and work continues as usual.absence and work continues as usual.

Three days later, an official from the Ministry of Labour visits and Three days later, an official from the Ministry of Labour visits and tells Bob that he has been accused of seriously mistreating his tells Bob that he has been accused of seriously mistreating his employees, taking advantage of his position as supervisor and employees, taking advantage of his position as supervisor and making sexual advances towards his staff. Bob is horrified. making sexual advances towards his staff. Bob is horrified. What does he do?What does he do?

Possible solutions to Situation 1Possible solutions to Situation 1

A.A. Talk to the official in thTalk to the official in the presence ofe presence of Trinh and Trinh and Huong and tell what really happened.Huong and tell what really happened.

B.B. Pull a bottle of whisky out of his bottom drawer Pull a bottle of whisky out of his bottom drawer and explain what had happened, hoping that the and explain what had happened, hoping that the official will realise the mistake.official will realise the mistake.

C.C. Tell the official he has a wife and two lovely sons Tell the official he has a wife and two lovely sons at home and how dare he come into the office and at home and how dare he come into the office and make accusations about Bob’s fidelity – as if he make accusations about Bob’s fidelity – as if he would try it on a Vietnamese secretary.would try it on a Vietnamese secretary.

D.D. Send out a memo explaining his actions, Send out a memo explaining his actions, apologising for his behaviour and for any apologising for his behaviour and for any misunderstanding that has occurred.misunderstanding that has occurred.

Comments on the solutionsComments on the solutions

Option A would be good but is highly Option A would be good but is highly unlikely to work.unlikely to work.

Option B will be seen for the direct Option B will be seen for the direct bribe that it is.bribe that it is.

Option C will not work and will make Option C will not work and will make the official even more suspicious.the official even more suspicious.

Option D may be the best betOption D may be the best bet

Managing Managing cross-cultural conflictscross-cultural conflicts

Building relationships of trust Building relationships of trust takes top prioritytakes top priority Observing, asking nonjudgmental questions, Observing, asking nonjudgmental questions,

learning, and seeking understandinglearning, and seeking understanding when when entering another cultural contextentering another cultural context

Being Being particularly careful about making particularly careful about making evaluative statements, blame statementsevaluative statements, blame statements when when with people different from another culturewith people different from another culture

Being Being gracious, courteous, calm, and patientgracious, courteous, calm, and patient when in an ambiguous or conflictual situationwhen in an ambiguous or conflictual situation

First-hand experience First-hand experience in culture shockin culture shock

Situation 1Situation 1: : Culture shock related to Culture shock related to belief.belief.

CausesCauses: :

- Ignorance of the interlocutor’s culture. - Ignorance of the interlocutor’s culture.

- Lack of concern with the interlocutor’s belief.- Lack of concern with the interlocutor’s belief.

SolutionsSolutions: :

- Often exchange information to get to know - Often exchange information to get to know the interlocutors’ culture. the interlocutors’ culture.

- Respect people’s interests and choices when - Respect people’s interests and choices when inviting them to eat out.inviting them to eat out.

How to cope with How to cope with culture shock?culture shock?

Implication for CCCImplication for CCC

Implication for ELTImplication for ELT

Implications for CCCImplications for CCC

Be aware of one’s own cultural Be aware of one’s own cultural behaviorbehavior

Be aware of the cultural behavior of Be aware of the cultural behavior of othersothers

Be able to explain one’s cultural Be able to explain one’s cultural standpointstandpoint

Avoid negative attitudes: Avoid negative attitudes: Misinterpretations; Ethnocentrism; Misinterpretations; Ethnocentrism; Stereotypes/overgeneralization; Stereotypes/overgeneralization; prejudice; superior/inferior complex.prejudice; superior/inferior complex.

Implications for ELTImplications for ELT

Teachers should notice the Teachers should notice the importance of incorporating importance of incorporating cultural factors in ELT lessonscultural factors in ELT lessons

Provide students with both Provide students with both linguistic as well as culture linguistic as well as culture awareness. Attach importance to awareness. Attach importance to both target language and culture both target language and culture teaching equally.teaching equally.

Implications for ELTImplications for ELT

Develop students’ communicative Develop students’ communicative competencecompetence

Provide students with knowledge of Provide students with knowledge of different target culturesdifferent target cultures

Sensitise learners to expect cross-Sensitise learners to expect cross-cultural differences in the linguistics cultural differences in the linguistics realisations of politeness and realisations of politeness and truthfulnesstruthfulness

Take the teaching of language beyond Take the teaching of language beyond the realms of mere training and make it the realms of mere training and make it truly educationaltruly educational

More specifically,More specifically,

Teach students to be more Teach students to be more aware of conventional behaviour aware of conventional behaviour in common situations in the in common situations in the target culturetarget culture

Integrate cultural awareness Integrate cultural awareness with language materials and with language materials and methodologymethodology

Syllabus design should focus on Syllabus design should focus on culture- related topicsculture- related topics

Thank you for Thank you for listening!listening!