3. Culture shock
Anxiety and feelings felt when people have to operate
within a different and unknown cultural and social
environment
Grows out of the difficulties in assimilating the new
culture, causing difficulty in knowing what is
appropriate and what is not
Often combined with a dislike or even disgust with
certain aspects of the new or different culture
4/2/2014Kirsi Korkealehto
4. Phases of culture shock
3-5 phases (depending on the research)
Many different effects, time spans, and degrees of
severity
Symptoms hard to hide
Irritability, homesickness, withdrawal, sleepiness, co
compulsive eating/drinking
Stereotyping
Hostility toward host country/people
Subcategory of transition shock
A state of disorientation cased by a change in one’s familiar
environment which requires adjustment
4/2/2014Kirsi Korkealehto
7. Euphoria/honeymoon
Exitement, honemoon phase
Differences between the old and new culture are seen
in a romantic light, wonderful and new
New food, pace of local life, habits, buildings…
The first few weeks
Observations and new discoveries
All honeymoon eventually end…
4/2/2014Kirsi Korkealehto
8. Culture shock
Disintegration, negotiation phase, withdrawal
Differences between old and new culture become
clear
Unpleasant feelings of frustration and anger
Language barrier, habits, traffic, safety, food
Mood swings, negative stereotyping, hostility,
anxiety
Excitement turns to disappointment
Depression not uncommon
4/2/2014Kirsi Korkealehto
9. Adjustment
Autonomy stage
Growing accustomed to the new culture and
developing routines
Becoming concerened with basic living again
Negative reactions and responses to the culture are
reduced
4/2/2014Kirsi Korkealehto
10. Adaptation
Acceptance, inter-dependence stage
Feeling at home
Enjoy being in the culture
May prefer certain cultural traits of the new culture
rather than their own
Adopt certain behaviours from the new culture
Maintaining the native culture and language
4/2/2014Kirsi Korkealehto
11. Re-entry shock
Reverse culture shock
Returning to one’s home culture
Readjustment process to the primary culture
Often found more difficult to deal with than the
original culture shock
4/2/2014Kirsi Korkealehto
12. Homework
Present your relationship with the Finnish culture
Your expectations
Your stages of culture shock
Use visual aid, comics, animations, video…
Post it to our blog
Present it in the class on Wednesday, 9. March
4/2/2014Kirsi Korkealehto
