intercultural communication_intercultural adaptation

Intercultural Communication

-- Intercultural adaptation

I. INTRODUCTION

In other countries or environment, most people will meet intercultural communication problems

like culture. So they must experience acculturation. In this paper I will introduce acculturation,

culture shock and then talk about intercultural adaptation and the strategies of avoiding culture

shock and engaging in intercultural adaptation. From these introduction, people can get more

academic knowledge about intercultural adaptation and some good methods to deal with it.

II. BODY

Lead in case

Wu Lian, an English major student in the U.S, start out confidently. She knows her language

skills are better than most Chinese students. At first, everything is fine Later, professors no not

present well- organized materials and speak clearly. foreign accents or fast language speed. A

whole book every week each class. Term papers longer than graduation y is big and

finds she cannot understand the group conversations of her native speaking

classmates. They use a lot of slangs and jokes that she cannot understand. Some treat her kindly

but like an incapable child. The way they talk about < /p>

“

partying

”

< br> frightens her. She has neither

time nor money to participate social activities. In the meantime she gets letters from her family

and friends at home, expressing their pride and confidence in her. Her parents tell her to work

hard and take care of her health

Questions and discussions:

1. Why does Wu Lian at first feel proud but later depressed?

2. What causes her so many troubles?

3. If you were Wu Lian, would you also feel the same way and how would you deal with the

problems?

A: Acculturation

Pre-reading Task:

If you go abroad now, what kinds of situations will you be in and what kinds of

relationships can you develop with people of that culture? Please list some possible results.

1. The definition of acculturation

Acculturation

（ 文化适应）

acculturation is the term used to describe what happens when people

from one culture enter a different culture. It refers to an individual

’

s learning and adopting the

norms and values of the new host culture. The individual must find a new source of livelihood

and build a new life. This adaptation to the new host culture is called acculturation.

2.

Modes of acculturation

A. Assimilation

is a process in which members of an ethnic group are absorbed into the dominant culture, losing

their culture in the process

b. Integrationis

a process of desiring a high level of interaction with the host culture while maintaining identity

with their native culture.

c. Separation and segregation

Separation is when individuals prefer low levels of interaction with the host culture and

associated microcultural groups while desiring a close connection with, and reaffirmation of,

their native culture. If such separation is initiated and enforced by the dominant society, this is

called segregation

d. Marginalization

Marginalization occurs when the individual chooses not to identify with his or her native culture

or with the host culture.

3.

Factors Affecting Acculturation

Communication, personal communication, social communication

Host environment, host receptivity, host Conformity Pressure, Ethnic Group Strength

Predisposition, Preparedness, Ethnicity, Personality

B. Culture Shock

Pre-reading Task:

Have you ever experienced any strange situations? What were your

responses? Tell them to your group members and discuss why you had certain feelings or

responses towards these situations.

Definition: It refers to the traumatic experience that an individual may encounter when entering a

different culture.

1.

Symptoms of culture shock

a.

physical symptoms

Physical symptoms are over-concern about cleanliness of food, bedding, and dishes, extreme

stress on health and safety; fear or physical contact with anyone in the new country; great

concern over minor pains and skin eruptions; craving

“

home cooking

”

; use of alcohol and

drugs; and a decline in work quality.

logical symptoms

Psychological symptoms are insomnia, fatigue, isolation and loneliness, disorientation,

frustration, criticism of new country, depression, nervousness, self-doubt, irritability, anger, and

emotional and intellectual withdrawal.

2.

Forms of culture shock

a.

Language Shock

Language shock occurs when we are unfamiliar with the host language. Many sociorelational

cues lie in the domain of human language. If we do not understand the language, we lose the

ability to adjust ourselves to the new symbolic environment.

b. Role Shock

Role shock refers to the feeling of loss of personal status in an ambiguous new environment in

which we make efforts to switch our role in order to fit and function well in the host culture.

c. Transition shock

Transition shock is used to describe the distress we experience when trying to cope with the

multitude of changes required by the host culture. It is similar to the state of losing a close family

member, divorce, or geographic relocation.

d. Culture fatigue

Culture fatigue is used to describe the physical and psychological discomforts experienced by

sojourners trying to adapt to a new culture.

e. Education shock

Education shock is frequently used to describe what happens to international students who try to

adapt themselves to academic life, especially when the learning situation is new and distressing.

f. Adjustment stress

Adjustment stress is a term used to indicate bodily physical tension that signals a person

’

s

readiness to face the challenges of the new cultural environment.

g. Culture distance

Culture distance refers to the distance between a sojourner

’

s culture and the host culture and

signals the degree of alienation, estrangement, and psychological distress the sojourner feels as a

result.

3.

Effects of culture shock