Week 9Week 9Intercultural Communication Intercultural Communication

Cultural Identity Article • cultural differences are in the structures of expectation of identity

• communicators must thus seek to infer as they interact

• In this case, a single term used to define a particular culture is often exclusive; therefore, "culture is a group which shapes a person's values and identity" 

• Multiple identities exist for one individual

• Communication constitutes and reflects identity (due to salience)

• Construction of cultural identity is based on interaction/comparison with others

• A dominant culture or dominant cultural practice always exists

• Intrusions from other cultures often signifies loss of autonomy and therefore loss of identity

• Threats include cultural imperialism, defensive cultures, and trans-cultural practice

Harvard Business Review Article • contradicts the Lewis model

• nothing is obvious when it comes to appreciating the impact a person’s culture has on interpreting (or accepting) information

• case study reveals that cultural misperceptions or unintended affronts (faux pas) exist

• Conclusion: “Even in a world of globalization there remains an ever-present need for executives/individuals to anticipate and appreciate this frequently hidden culture factor and early on to place it on both the written and unwritten agenda of every similar meeting in the days ahead. If not, decision-makers may overlook basic data — and miss major strategic opportunities.”

In-class group work

a) I will task your group with connecting an excerpt from one of the three articles to an IC concept we have covered.

b) Choose one of the three articles and specifically relate it to an IC concept, using at least one point from the text.

Project 1 Details First, articles/multimedia (link will suffice) and groups must be emailed to me. Task one group member to take responsibility for this.

Each group member should prepare one point/topic/observation/response about the article/video/photos.

If applicable, you can apply a concept(s) we have studied.

PPT is not necessary. However, if your group wants to generate class discussion, one slide will serve this purpose.

You have creative license as a group.

My goal: Get you talking about IC!

I will give you feedback. Your classmates or I may ask questions.

Questions about Project 1?

Questions about Project 1?

Ch. 5 wrap-up

• Have you ever personally experienced culture shock? If so, what happened?

• If not, do you know anyone who experienced culture shock?

• What is culture shock?

• Discuss some examples of culture shock and the stage in which it occurred.

• Provide some characteristics of culture shock.

• What is reverse culture shock?

Ch. 5 wrap-up

• Have you ever personally experienced culture shock? If so, what happened?

• If not, do you know anyone who experienced culture shock?

• What is culture shock?

• Discuss some examples of culture shock and the stage in which it occurred.

• Provide some characteristics of culture shock.

• What is reverse culture shock?

What is Culture Shock?

• Culture shock is the stress and the feeling of disorientation you experience in a new culture

• Sojourners, or temporary visitors are most susceptible to experiencing some degree of culture shock

• Learning more about people’s culture shock experiences, you can:

• develop new knowledge

• display more respectful attitudes

• learn to apply more flexible intercultural skills

Understanding Culture Shock • Culture shock is experienced whenever anyone uproots

themselves from a familiar setting and moves to an unfamiliar one

• an emotional experience of highly intense emotions followed by behavioral confusion and cognitive disorientation

• short-term sojourners and long-term immigrants can experience culture shock occurs at different stages of adaptation

• Ex. of sojourners: international students, businesspersons, diplomats, journalists, military personnel, or Peace Corps volunteers

Characteristics

• Text’s def. of culture shock - a stressful transitional period when individuals move from a familiar environment into an unfamiliar one

• every interaction moment could create unintentional awkwardness or stress.

• unfamiliarity creates a perceived threat, and a perceived threat triggers fear and emotional vulnerability.

• According to Oberg (1960), culture shock involves:

• 1) a sense of identity loss and identity deprivation with regard to values, status, profession, friends, and possessions

• 2) identity strain as a result of the effort required to make necessary psychological adaptation

Characteristics (cont.)

• 3) identity rejection by members of the new culture

• 4) identity confusion, especially concerning role ambiguity and unpredictability

• 5) identity powerlessness as a result of not being able to cope with the new environment

• ABC’s of culture shock:

• Affectively: anxiety, bewilderment, confusion, disorientation, perplexity as well as the intense desire to be somewhere else

• Behavioral: confusion stage in terms of norms and rules

• Cognitive disorientation: lack cultural interpretive competence to explain “bizarre” behaviors

Pros & Cons • negative:

• psychosomatic problems (stomachaches etc.) due to stress

• affective upheavals such as feelings of loneliness, isolation, depression, and drastic mood swings

• interaction awkwardness due to the inability to perform optimally in the new language and nonverbal postures

• cognitive exhaustion due to difficulties in making accurate attributions

• positive:

• a sense of well-being

• heightened positive self-esteem

• emotional richness and enhanced tolerance for ambiguity

• behavioral competence in social interaction, cognitive openness and flexibility

• an enhanced optimism about self, others, and everyday surroundings

Underlying Factors • motivational orientation - voluntary vs. involuntary

• personal expectations - realistic and positive expectations generally results in successful adaptation

• cultural distance - cultural values, language, verbal styles, nonverbal gestures, learning styles, decision-making styles, and conflict negotiation styles, as well as religious, sociopolitical , and economic systems

• sociocultural adjustment - ability to fit in and execute appropriate and effective interactions in a new cultural environment

• factors include the quality or quantity of relations with host nationals and the length of residence in the host country; culture-specific knowledge , language fluency as well as the previously mentioned factors are related to lower levels of sociocultural difficulty

• psychological adjustment - feelings of well-being and satisfaction during cross-cultural transitions (Table 5.1); primary vs. secondary strategies

• personality attributes - personality traits such as tolerance for ambiguity, internal control, personal flexibility, and mastery can contribute to good adjustment and positive psychological well-being

Managing Culture Shock • 1) increase motivations to learn about the new culture

• 2) keep realistic expectations and increase familiarity concerning the various aspects of the new culture

• 3) increase linguistic fluency and learn why, how, and under what situations certain phrases or gestures are appropriate as well as understanding the core cultural values linked to specific behaviors

• 4) work on tolerance for ambiguity and other flexible personal attributes

• 5) develop strong ties (close friends), and weak ties (acquaintanceships) to manage identity stress and loneliness

• 6) be mindful of the host culture’s interpersonal behaviors and get rid of ethnocentric evaluations

Intercultural Adjustment

• short-term and medium-term adaptive process of sojourners in overseas assignments

• Tourists don’t count towards IA although they can experience culture shock

• Sojourners try to achieve instrumental goals (task-based) as well as socio-emotional (relational, recreational, and personal development) goals

U-Curve Adjustment Model

• Lysgaard U-Curve: honeymoon phase, “slump” or stressful phase followed by pulling themselves back up to an effective phase in the IA process

• Gullahorn six-stage W-shaped model: successive honeymoon, hostility, humorous, at-home, reentry culture shock, and re-socialization stages

The Revised W-Shaped Adjustment Model

• Figure 5.1 Seven stages:

• the honeymoon

• hostility

• humorous

• in-sync

• ambivalence

• reentry culture shock

• re-socialization

Peaks & Valleys

• 1) need to understand the peaks and valleys, or positive and negative shifts; the roller-coaster ride is part of the process

• 2) need to be aware and keep track of their instrumental, relational, and identity goals in the new culture

• 3) need to give themselves time and space to adjust

• 4) need to develop strong ties and weak ties to support themselves and seek help in times of crisis

• 5) need to reach out to participate in the host culture’s major cultural events and immerse themselves in a once-in-a-lifetime experience

• model consist of back-and-forth looping movements

Reentry Culture Shock a.k.a Reverse Culture Shock

• the realignment of one’s new identity with a once familiar home environment

• Elements that affect reentry culture shock:

• sojourners’ identity change

• nostalgic and idealized images of their home culture

• difficulty in reintegrating themselves into their old career path

• letdown in their expectations as to close ties

• family and friends’ lack of interest in listening

• home culture’s demand for conformity

• absence of change in the home culture

Resocialization

• Three profiles:

• Resocialized returnees

• Alienated returnees

• Proactive returnees

Culture Shock Article & Video Culture Shock Article & Video

After reading Ch. 5, can you think of any additional ways to deal with/overcome/battle culture shock? OR What do you think is the most important tip for

managing culture shock?

Video: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjQ1OTI4ODQ=.html

Why is this video an example of culture shock? Provide at least one or two examples to support the previous

question.

After reading Ch. 5, can you think of any additional ways to deal with/overcome/battle culture shock? OR What do you think is the most important tip for

managing culture shock?

Video: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjQ1OTI4ODQ=.html

Why is this video an example of culture shock? Provide at least one or two examples to support the previous

question.

Project 2 Introduction First, let’s make a list of 33 countries/cultures/ethnicities together(not including any in China or America).

You can each give me one country/culture/ethnicity.

Now, I will write each on a piece of paper and we will each pick out one slip of paper from a bag.

The assignment is as follows:

Explore the perceptions, stereotypes, or generalizations you have for that country/culture/ethnicity.

After doing some general research (Wikipedia is acceptable), you will report your findings to the class. Are your perceptions, stereotypes, or generalizations true? Not true?

During the multimedia week, you will discuss your findings, NOT present them. No visuals allowed. I will also participate. 2-3 minutes worth of discussion.

Culture Shock group work

Find one real world example of culture shock.

Multimedia format such as video, photo, article, OR blog entry

Keep it short. You do not need to email it to me prior to class. Therefore, you need to consider giving a VERY BRIEF summary or introduction.

Prepare to discuss your findings, observations, analysis, commentary etc., NOT present it.

Only one item per group

Week 9 Assignments • Prepare Project #1 materials and submit via email

by Sunday, May 4 at 2 p.m. 

• You will present the projects on May 6, during week 10’s class. Every group will present. Keep presentations to a maximum of 5-7 minutes.

• Prep Project #2 for our make up class on May 9, week 11’s class. You will pick countries/ethnocultural groups/cultures on May 6, week 10’s class. It’s an individual assignment. I’ll look for volunteers before rousing students to speak up.

• Student will present Culture shock group work on May 13, week 12’s class.