CultureCulture shockshock

““The active process of dealing The active process of dealing with change rather than a with change rather than a

noxious event”noxious event”

Harry C. TriandisHarry C. TriandisCited in Ward, C Boechner, S and Furnham, ACited in Ward, C Boechner, S and Furnham, A

(2001)The Psychology of Culture Shock(2001)The Psychology of Culture Shock

Routledge. HoveRoutledge. Hove

Culture Shock Cycle: Oberg’s modelCulture Shock Cycle: Oberg’s modelCulture Shock Cycle: Oberg’s modelCulture Shock Cycle: Oberg’s model

Mood

Months1 2 3 4 5 6

Stages of Personal Stages of Personal TransitionTransition

Honeymoon

Anger / confusion

Integration

Depression

Acceptance

Bargaining

PERFORMANCE

TIME

PERIOD OF LOSS

INCREASING STRESS

DECREASING STRESS

POSITIVE GROWTH

Testing

Culture Shock the signsCulture Shock the signs

Confusion about what to do.Confusion about what to do.anxietyanxietyfrustrationfrustrationExhilarationExhilarationInappropriate social behaviourInappropriate social behaviourInability to get close to the taskInability to get close to the taskIsolationIsolationdepressiondepression

Aspects of Culture shockAspects of Culture shock

Strain caused by effort to adaptStrain caused by effort to adaptSense of loss and feelings of deprivation in Sense of loss and feelings of deprivation in relation to friends, status, profession and relation to friends, status, profession and possessions.possessions.Feeling rejected by or rejecting members of new Feeling rejected by or rejecting members of new culturecultureConfusion of role and self identityConfusion of role and self identityAnxiety/disgust/anger about ‘foreign’ practicesAnxiety/disgust/anger about ‘foreign’ practicesFeelings of helplessness, not being able to cope Feelings of helplessness, not being able to cope with the new environment with the new environment

Studies on Culture shockStudies on Culture shock

Canadian expats in Africa who were Canadian expats in Africa who were utimately the most effective had utimately the most effective had experienced culture shock experienced culture shock Hawes and Kealey (1981) cited in Marx 2001Hawes and Kealey (1981) cited in Marx 2001

70% of international managers 70% of international managers experienced culture shock for 5 weeksexperienced culture shock for 5 weeks

30% for up to 10 weeks30% for up to 10 weeks Marx / Centre for International Briefing (1998) cited in Marx Marx / Centre for International Briefing (1998) cited in Marx

Approaches to the study of Culture Approaches to the study of Culture ShockShock

A medical problem emerging from research A medical problem emerging from research on migration and ‘needing’ treatmenton migration and ‘needing’ treatment

To research on culture learning and To research on culture learning and psychological models of stress and copingpsychological models of stress and coping

To intercultural effectivenessTo intercultural effectiveness

Culture LearningCulture Learning

““The process whereby sojourners aquire The process whereby sojourners aquire culturally relevant social knowledge and culturally relevant social knowledge and skills to survive and thrive in their new skills to survive and thrive in their new society”society”

(Ward et al 2001 pp51)(Ward et al 2001 pp51)

Intercultural competence modelIntercultural competence model

Ability to Ability to

–manage psychological stressmanage psychological stress

–Communicate effectivelyCommunicate effectively

–Establish interpersonal Establish interpersonal relationships.relationships.

Behavioural adjustmentBehavioural adjustment Black and Stephen Black and Stephen

General daily

adjustment

Interaction adjustment

Work adjustment

Not dealing with culture shockNot dealing with culture shock

““The longer the International Manager The longer the International Manager experienced culture shock, the greater experienced culture shock, the greater were the feelings of helplessness and were the feelings of helplessness and performance deficit”performance deficit”

Marx, E (2001) Marx, E (2001) Breaking Through Culture Breaking Through Culture Shock: Shock: London. Nicholas Brealey London. Nicholas Brealey publishingpublishing

Psychic distancePsychic distancemeasuring Psychic distance between parties Hallen and Wiederheim –Paul measuring Psychic distance between parties Hallen and Wiederheim –Paul (1999) (1999) cited in Tayeb, M. (2003)cited in Tayeb, M. (2003) International Management International Management Pearson Education. Pearson Education. HarlowHarlow

Total distance between A and BTotal distance between A and B

Psychic distance ZPsychic distance ZPsychic distance YPsychic distance Y

Inter-firm distance XInter-firm distance X

A B

Psychic DistancePsychic Distance

X X is the distance which would exist is the distance which would exist between parties any two parties even if between parties any two parties even if they shared the same cultural provenancethey shared the same cultural provenanceYY is the psychic distance due to the is the psychic distance due to the failings of A’s cultural and linguistic failings of A’s cultural and linguistic perception of B’s positionperception of B’s positionZZ is the psychic distance due to the is the psychic distance due to the failings of B’s cultural and linguistic failings of B’s cultural and linguistic perception of A’s positionperception of A’s position

Similarity – attraction hypothesisSimilarity – attraction hypothesisByrne 1969, Cited in Ward, C Boecner, S and Furnham, A (2001)The Psychology of Culture ShockByrne 1969, Cited in Ward, C Boecner, S and Furnham, A (2001)The Psychology of Culture Shock

““Individuals are more likely to seek out, enjoy Individuals are more likely to seek out, enjoy understand, want to work and play with, trust, understand, want to work and play with, trust, believe, vote for and generally prefer people with believe, vote for and generally prefer people with whom they share salient characteristics”whom they share salient characteristics”

Cited in Berkowitz L. (ed) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology Vol 4 , Cited in Berkowitz L. (ed) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology Vol 4 , pp 35 – 89, New York academic Presspp 35 – 89, New York academic Press

Eg Interests, values, religion group Eg Interests, values, religion group affiliation, skills, physical attributes, age, affiliation, skills, physical attributes, age, languagelanguage

Sense of differenceSense of difference

Plain Truth page 376 Plain Truth page 376 by Jodi Picoultby Jodi Picoult

Describing the collectivist Amish culture from an Describing the collectivist Amish culture from an individualistic perspectiveindividualistic perspective

Picoult, J, (2000) Picoult, J, (2000) Plain Truth Plain Truth Hodder and Stroughton, LondonHodder and Stroughton, London

““Our culture promotes individuality, while the Our culture promotes individuality, while the Amish are steeply entrenched in community. To Amish are steeply entrenched in community. To us, if someone stands out, it’s no big deal us, if someone stands out, it’s no big deal because diversity is respected and expected. because diversity is respected and expected. To the Amish, there’s no room for deviation from To the Amish, there’s no room for deviation from the norm. It’s important to fit in, because that the norm. It’s important to fit in, because that similarity of identity is what defines the society. If similarity of identity is what defines the society. If you don’t fit in, the consequences are you don’t fit in, the consequences are psychologically tragic – you stand alone when all psychologically tragic – you stand alone when all you’ve ever known is being part of a group”you’ve ever known is being part of a group”

Describing the shock: ExpectationsDescribing the shock: Expectations

Small IslandSmall Island by Andrea Levy by Andrea Levy

Saree of the Gods Saree of the Gods by GS Sharat Chandraby GS Sharat Chandra

Saree of the Gods Saree of the Gods by G.S Sharat by G.S Sharat Chandra Short Story International, 1981, Chandra Short Story International, 1981, pp 43 – 50 cited in Puffer, S.M., (1996) pp 43 – 50 cited in Puffer, S.M., (1996) Management across Cultures: Insights Management across Cultures: Insights from Fiction and Practicefrom Fiction and Practice. Blackwell , . Blackwell , Cambridge MassachusettsCambridge Massachusetts

The incident takes place at a dinner party held The incident takes place at a dinner party held by Shekar and his wife Prapulla shortly after by Shekar and his wife Prapulla shortly after their arrival as expatriates in New York. Prapulla their arrival as expatriates in New York. Prapulla thinks this is too soon. thinks this is too soon. Prapulla……. began to explain the ritual Prapulla……. began to explain the ritual importance of the wedding saree. The silver importance of the wedding saree. The silver border with the embroidered legend of the border with the embroidered legend of the creation of the universe. ……….Shirley with a creation of the universe. ……….Shirley with a snifterful of brandy leaned from her chair for a snifterful of brandy leaned from her chair for a closer look. The brandy tipped. “oh, no!” closer look. The brandy tipped. “oh, no!” screamed everyone. Judy ran into the kitchen for screamed everyone. Judy ran into the kitchen for a towel but the alcohol hissed like a magical a towel but the alcohol hissed like a magical serpent over the saree spreading its poisonous serpent over the saree spreading its poisonous hood. The silver corroded fast……..hood. The silver corroded fast……..Prapulla sat dazed, just staring at her saree. The Prapulla sat dazed, just staring at her saree. The silence was unbearable.silence was unbearable.

Modes of AdjustmentModes of Adjustment

Marginalisation: Poor mental Marginalisation: Poor mental health and high stresshealth and high stressAssimilationAssimilationSeparation/SegregationSeparation/SegregationIntegration: good mental Integration: good mental health and low stresshealth and low stress

‘‘Berry et al. (1987) Berry et al. (1987)

The concept of home – el caserThe concept of home – el caseríoíoadapted from Tremlett, G.(2006) adapted from Tremlett, G.(2006) Ghosts of Spain, Travels Through a Country’s Ghosts of Spain, Travels Through a Country’s

Hidden Past,Hidden Past, Faber. London Faber. London

The caserThe caserío had a life of its own, almost above ío had a life of its own, almost above that of their occupants. In the Basque Country it that of their occupants. In the Basque Country it is the people who belong to the is the people who belong to the etxeetxe or or etxeaetxea, , the house, not the house that belongs to the the house, not the house that belongs to the people.people.Many Basque surnames begin with Many Basque surnames begin with etxe:etxe:– EtxeberriaEtxeberria– EchanovaEchanova

Families are described by their housesFamilies are described by their housesThe emotional roots of nationalism?The emotional roots of nationalism?

By Gabriel ArestiBy Gabriel Aresti

Nire aitaren etxea defendiituko dut,Nire aitaren etxea defendiituko dut,

Oesoen kontra, Oesoen kontra,

sikatearen kontra, sikatearen kontra,

Lukurreriariaren kontraLukurreriariaren kontra

Justiziaren kontraJustiziaren kontra

………….. Now a translation.. Now a translation

I shall defend my father’s house,I shall defend my father’s house,

against wolves,against wolves,

against drought, against drought,

against usury, against usury,

against the law……..against the law……..

… …

I shall dieI shall die

my soul will be lostmy soul will be lost

my descendents will be lost,my descendents will be lost,

but my father’s house will endure on its feetbut my father’s house will endure on its feet

Phases of adjustmentPhases of adjustment(Black et al 1999)(Black et al 1999)

Adjustment to:Adjustment to:

– interaction with host country nationalsinteraction with host country nationals– Work and business organisationWork and business organisation– general environment; culture, customs, living general environment; culture, customs, living

conditionsconditions

Required skills (and also Required skills (and also organisational responsibility)organisational responsibility)

Cultural toughnessCultural toughness

Stress managementStress management

Involved managementInvolved management

Relationship buildingRelationship building

Business networkingBusiness networking

EpilogueEpilogue

By Grace NicholsBy Grace Nichols

I have crossed an oceanI have crossed an ocean

I have lost my tongueI have lost my tongue

from the root of my old onefrom the root of my old one

a new one has sprunga new one has sprung

Staying Alive, real poems for unreal times (2002)Bloodaxe Books. TarsetStaying Alive, real poems for unreal times (2002)Bloodaxe Books. Tarset