Causes And Effects Of Culture Shock

In my own opinion, culture shock refers to the symptoms produced when a person is subjected to a dissimilar environment. Traveling to a foreign country is an extreme example of a time and place where one might experience these symptoms; but they can occur from slight changes too. For example, starting a new job, traveling to a neighboring state or town within the state you live. I personally remember feeling these emotions when I left for college.

The culture shock may be one challenge in the beginning, but it will be overcome. The locals may do something unusual that we may not do, but it might be nothing out of the ordinary for them. One way that the culture shock can be avoided or

Culture shock was the first thing that blew my mind when I first arrived in America. Alot of people define culture as a way in which an individual choose lead or live their life, their beliefs, customs, traditions and way of life. Being that Kenyan and America are two different countries from different continents, they might be differences in cultures and customs. This cultures present may not only distinguish them from each other’s, but there are some things in which they share with other cultures. There are some several differences and similarities between Kenyan culture and the American culture. This differences will helps us understand why people act and behave the way they do, thus preventing culture shock. Culture revolves around the high cost of living, family and food.

A sudden change in one’s surroundings can result in culture shock. Culture shock refers to the anxiety and surprise a person feels when he or she is discontented with an unfamiliar setting. The majority of practices or customs are different from what a person is used to. One may experience withdrawal, homesickness, or a desire for old friends. For example, when a person goes to live in a different place with unfamiliar surroundings, they may experience culture shock. Sometimes it is the result of losing their identity. In the article “The Phases of Culture Shock”, Pamela J. Brink and Judith Saunders describe four phases of culture shock. They are: Honeymoon Phase, Disenchantment Phase, Beginning Resolution Phase, and Effective

Cultural shock is a common feeling a person experiences when transitioning into a completely different environment and living situation. Throughout the world, immigrants experience many difficulties when assimilating into a new culture.

Now, if it happens in your own city, I believe you will feel extra shocked. That is because you know the accepted norms where you’re from. So the culture shock will hit you even harder because you will see it as something awfully weird to happen in, let’s say, America. That type of culture shock happens often. Therefore, in other words, you don 't need to be outside of your comfort zone (different city or country, for example) to experience culture

Culture shock is the feelings of alienation, hostility, heightened ethnocentrism, sense of loss, depression and/or self doubt that may result from immersion in a new culture.

Eckermann (2010), defines culture shock as segregation of two communities, creating conflict, inequality of rights, and inhuman treatment. Due to the divide, and Aboriginals being the minor group, they lost their identities and experienced tremendous stress and anxiety due to culture shock.

Pederson (7) explains that there are stages of culture shock, which he identifies as the honeymoon, negotiation, adjustment, and adaptation. In the honeymoon phase, a person is likely to get excited about being in a new place, meeting new people, tasting new foods, and acquiring new habits. However, as time passes by, they get into a phase of negotiation, where the differences between the culture one is used to and the one they find themselves in start to become apparent. Feelings of anxiety, anger, and frustrations start to take shape as unfavorable events perceived as strange come in the way of the person 's life, especially if a person does not feel accepted in the new culture (Mukherjee 273). Loneliness may set in, and the urge to go back to the familiar culture strongly comes into play. However, as time goes by, adjustment sets in, usually within six to twelve months, and one gets accustomed to the culture and also comes up with a routine. By this phase, one knows what is expected of them, and life once again becomes ‘normal.’

The feeling of culture shock, defined by macionis as “personal disorientation when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life”, is in part due to our closed mindedness. In general, we want to believe that our way of doing things is correct, so when we come across something that contradicts it, we become uncomfortable. This discomfort is most common and obvious when traveling abroad. In some South American countries it is normal to hug and give a kiss on the cheek when being introduced to someone. To an American, this would be considered an invasion of personal space and may be met with hostility, causing a

1. Culture shock- The disorientation that people experience when they come in contact with a fundamentally different culture and can no longer depend on their taken for granted assumptions about life. Pg. 35

Cultural tremor is like riding roller coaster, a student truly monitors a normal form of hitting mountains and valleys. The student will face problem of unhappiness, confusion and frustration as they go from one culture to another. They will notice all the ups and downs in their life during the time. A process is important for them to get stabilize and get settled into a new surroundings. It is mutually meant for students to pay attention on what they understand as faults in overseas culture. Student can easily figure out what overseas culture is short of, this always this makes them feel irritating on what is lost or what can’t be gained abroad the similar system as

Culture Shock has played a tremendous role in the growth of cultural ecology because it is an issue that is constantly growing all over the world. In the United States, it may not seem like things are changing involving culture shock, but it is not any different then the changes in places like Africa and China for example. It is developing equally across the world because there are now more ways to travel. So, what exactly is culture shock anyways? Well, it is known as going to a foreign or unfamiliar territory that one is not used to, so they may feel symptoms of anxiety such as nervousness or shock because the customs, actions, beliefs, etc of those people may not seem familiar to them, so one may feel ill-prepared for the changing environment. Also, for example, if one was to go to school in the U.S. but came from China, they would feel culture shock because the rules in China are not the same as rules in the U.S. and so it may make one feel uneasy about the situation because they are not use to change and maybe the move was to quick for them to adjust properly. The United States is very different from foreign areas because the culture is very different. Where have people of Africa seen movie productions, music, sports, universities, iPhones, computers, etc? The answer is not where they live but in the United States if they traveled there before. This is exactly the issue with culture shock in ecology. Culture is what people behave like, feel, and do. Shock is a symptom

Once there the fourth, and most unexpected, stage occurs and this is referred to as the reverse culture shock stage. Upon arriving back, the returning resident will be eager to share their experiences of another culture that have made them a different person. However, they have returned to a group of people, and indeed a country, that has changed in the interim. These changes can be subtle or far-reaching, but they will affect the way that the returnee is accepted by, or accepts, their own host country and its residents. Often the change required will be too great. The returnee will in many cases deal with this by returning to the host culture or exploring another culture and language.How can Culture Shock be Lessened?The most important factor in coping with culture shock is to accept that, however well you prepare, it will affect you to some extent. As Schumann found in the course of his research, the four stages outlined above can never be avoided, but the length of time spent in each of the stages can be greatly reduced by taking certain courses of action.Firstly, the would-be immigrant should study the culture and language of their intended destination. This may sound obvious, but in the maelstrom of moving and sorting out affairs it is often forgotten. Even having a few words of the target language can help smooth your path in the early days. Also the realisation that there

Statement of Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gather valuable information about these three areas of culture shock that will affect the daily life of the Stellar Home Improvement expatriates who will be moving to India. This information will be used as a training ground