2023學(xué)年完整公開課版CultureShockTheProblemOfAdjustmentToNew

CultureShock&TheProblemOfAdjustmentToNewCulturalEnvironments

Iwouldliketomakeafewremarksaboutcultureshock,amaladywhichafflictsmostofustosomedegree.Wemightalmostcallcultureshockanoccupationaldiseaseofmanypeoplewhohavebeensuddenlytransplantedabroad.

Customs,Cues,Norms

Cultureshockisprecipitatedbytheanxietythatresultsfromlosingallfamiliarsignsandsymbolsofsocialintercourse.Thesesignsarethethousandandonewaysinwhichweorientourselvestothesituationsofdailylife:whentoshakehandsandwhattosaywhenwemeetpeople,whenandhowtogivetips,howtogiveorderstoservants,howtomakepurchases,whentoacceptandwhentorefuseinvitations,whentotakestatementsseriouslyandwhennot.

Thesecues,whichmaybewords,gestures,facialexpressions,customs,ornormsareacquiredbyallofusinthecourseofgrowingupandareasmuchapartofourcultureasthelanguagewespeakorthebeliefsweaccept.Allofusdependforourpeaceofmindandourefficiencyonhundredsofthesecues,mostofwhichareunconsciouslylearned.

Whenanindividualentersastrangeculture,allormostofthesefamiliarcuesareremoved.Heorsheislikeafishoutofwater.Nomatterhowbroad-mindedorfullofgoodwillhemaybe,aseriesofpropshavebeenknockedfromunderhim.Thisisfollowedbyafeelingoffrustrationandanxiety.Peoplereacttothefrustrationinmuchthesameway.Firsttheyrejecttheenvironmentwhichcausesthediscomfort:"thewaysofthehostcountryarebadbecausetheymakeusfeelbad."

ForexampleAmericanswhoareinastrangelandgettogethertogrouseaboutthehostcountryanditspeople,youcanbesuretheyaresufferingfromcultureshock.

Anotherphaseofcultureshockisregression.Thehomeenvironmentsuddenlyassumesatremendousimportance,everythingbecomesirrationallyglorified.Alldifficultiesandproblemsareforgottenandonlythegoodthingsbackhomeareremembered.Itusuallytakesatriphometobringonebacktoreality.

Symptoms

Someofthesymptomsofcultureshockare:excessiveconcernovercleanlinessandthefeelingthatwhatisnewandstrangeis"dirty."Thiscouldbeinrelationtodrinkingwater,food,dishes,andbedding;fearofphysicalcontactwithattendantsorservants;afeelingofhelplessnessandadesirefordependenceonlong-termresidentsofone'sownnationality;irritationoverdelaysandotherminorfrustrationsoutofproportiontotheircauses;delayandoutrightrefusaltolearnthelanguageofthehostcountry;excessivefearofbeingcheated,robbed,orinjured;greatconcernoverminorpainsandirruptionsoftheskin;andfinally,thatterriblelongingtobebackhome,tobeinfamiliarsurroundings,tovisitone'srelatives,and,ingeneral,totalktopeoplewhoreally"makesense."

Individualsdiffergreatlyinthedegreeinwhichcultureshockaffectsthem.Althoughnotcommon,thereareindividualswhocannotliveinforeigncountries.Thosewhohaveseenpeoplegothroughaseriouscaseofcultureshockandontoasatisfactoryadjustmentcandiscernstepsintheprocess.

TheHoneymoonStage

Duringthefirstfewweeksmostindividualsarefascinatedbythenew.Theystayinhotelsandassociatewithnationalswhospeaktheirlanguageandarepoliteandgracioustoforeigners.Thishoneymoonstagemaylastfromafewdaysorweekstosixmonthsdependingoncircumstances.Ifoneisaveryimportantpersonheorshewillbetakentotheshowplaces,pamperedandpetted,andinapressinterviewwillspeakglowinglyaboutprogress,goodwill,andinternationalamity.Ifhereturnshomemaywellwriteabookabouthispleasantifsuperficialexperienceabroad.

Butthis"Cook'stour"typeofmentalitydoesnotnormallylastiftheforeignvisitorremainsabroadandhastoseriouslycopewithrealconditionsoflife.Itisthenthatthesecondstagebegins,characterizedbyahostileandaggressiveattitudetowardsthehostcountry.Thishostilityevidentlygrowsoutofthegenuinedifficultywhichthevisitorexperiencesintheprocessofadjustment.Thereismaidtrouble,schooltrouble,languagetrouble,housetrouble,transportationtrouble,shoppingtrouble,andthefactthatpeopleinthehostcountryarelargelyindifferenttoallthesetroubles.Theyhelpbuttheyjustdon'tunderstandyourgreatconcernoverthesedifficulties.Therefore,theymustbeinsensitiveandunsympathetictoyouandyourworries.Theresult,"Ijustdon'tlikethem."Youbecomeaggressive,youbandtogetherwithyourfellowcountrymenandcriticizethehostcountry,itswaysanditspeople.

Thiscriticismisnotanobjectiveappraisalbutaderogatoryone.Insteadoftryingtoaccountforconditionsastheyarethroughanhonestanalysisoftheactualconditionsandthehistoricalcircumstanceswhichhavecreatedthem,youtalkasifthedifficultiesyouexperiencearemoreorlesscreatedbythepeopleofthehostcountryforyourspecialdiscomfort.Youtakerefugeinthecompanyofyourcountrymenandthiscocktailcircuitbecomesthefountainheadofemotionallychargedlabelsknowsasstereotypes.Thisisapeculiarkindofshorthandwhichcaricaturesthehostcountryanditspeopleinanegativemanner.

Stereotypes

The"dollargraspingAmerican"andthe"indolentLatinAmerican"aresamplesofmildformsofstereotypes.Theuseofstereotypesmaysalvetheegoofsomeonewithaseverecaseofcultureshockbutitcertainlydoesnotleadtoanygenuineunderstandingofthehostcountryanditspeople.Thissecondstageofcultureshockisinasenseacrisisinthedisease.Ifyouovercomeityoustay,ifnot,youleavebeforeyoureachthestageofanervousbreakdown.

Cultureshockislessenedasthevisitorsucceedsingettingsomeknowledgeofthelanguageandbeginstogetaroundbyhimself.Thisisthebeginningofhisadjustmenttothenewculturalenvironment.Thevisitorstillhasdifficultiesbuthetakesa"thisismycrossandIhavetobearit"attitude.Usuallyinthisstagethevisitortakesasuperiorattitudetowardpeopleofthehostcountry.Hissenseofhumorbeginstoexertitself.Insteadofcriticizinghemakesjokesaboutthepeopleandevencracksjokesabouthisorherowndifficulties.Heorsheisnowonthewaytorecovery.Andthereisstillthepoordevilwhoisworseoffthanyourselfwhomyoucanhelp,whichinturngivesyouconfidenceinyourabilitytospeakandgetaround.

Finaladjustment

Inthefinalstageofadjustmentthevisitoracceptsthecustomsofthecountryasjustanotherwayofliving.Hecanoperatewithinthenewmilieuwithoutafeelingofanxietyalthoughtherearemomentsofstrain.Onlywithacompletegraspofallthecuesofsocialintercoursewillthisstraindisappear.

Foralongtimetheindividualwillunderstandwhatthenationalissaying,butheisnotalwayssurewhatthenationalmeans.Withacompleteadjustmentyounotonlyacceptthefoods,drinks,habits,andcustomsbutactuallybegintoenjoythem.Whenyougobackhomeonleaveyoumayeventakethingsbackwithyouandifyouleaveforgoodyougenerallymissthecountryandthepeopletowhomyouhavebecomeaccustomed.

Itmightbewelltopointoutthatthedifficultieswhichthenewcomerexperiencesareveryreal.Ifindividualscometoatropicalareafromatemperateonetheyquiteoftensufferfromintestinaldisturbances.Strangefoodssometimesupsetpeople.InRio,forinstance,waterandpowershortagesareveryreal.Whenthesephysicaldifficultiesareaddedtothosearisingfromnotknowinghowtocommunicateandtheuncertaintiespresentedbycustomstheconsequentfrustrationsandanxietiesareunderstandable.

Inthecourseoftime,anindividualmakesthisadjustment.Youdowhatisessentialaboutwater,food,andtheotherminutiaeofdailylife.Youadaptyourselftowaterandpowershortagesandtotrafficproblems.Inshort,theenvironmentdoesnotchange.Whathaschangedisyourattitudetowardsit.Somehowitnolongertroublesyou,younolongerprojectyourdiscomfortsontothepeopleofthehostcountryandtheirways.Yougetalongunderanewsetoflivingconditions.

Yourattitude

Anotherimportantpointworthconsideringistheattitudeofotherstoapersonsufferingfromcultureshock.Ifyouarefrustratedandhaveanaggressiveattitudetothepeopleofthehostcountry,theywillsensethishostilityandinmanycasesrespondineitherahostilemannerortrytoavoidyou.Inotherwords,theirresponsemovesfromapreliminaryphaseofingratiationtoaggressiveridiculeandontoavoidance.

Toyourowncountrymenwhoarewelladjustedyoubecomesomewhatofaproblem.Asyoufeelweakinthefaceofthehostcountrypeopleyoutendtowishtoincreaseyourdependenceonyourfellowcountrymenmuchmorethanisnormal.Somewilltrytohelpyou,otherswilltrytoavoidyou.

Thebetteryourfellowcountrymanunderstandsyourconditionthebetterheisabletohelpyou.Butthedifficultyisthatcultureshockhasnotbeenstudiedcarefullyenoughforpeopletohelpyouinanorganizedmannerandyoucontinuetobeconsideredabitqueer-untilyouadjustyourselftothenewsituation.

AlthoughIamnotcertain,Ithinkcultureshockaffectswivesmorethanhusbands.Thehusbandhashisprofessionaldutiestooccupyhimandhisactivitiesmaynotdiffertoomuchfromwhathehasbeenaccustomedto.Thewife,ontheotherhand,hastooperateinanenvironmentwhichdiffersmuchmorefromthemilieuinwhichshegrewup.

Aproductofhistory

Inanefforttogetovercultureshock,Ithinkthereisvalueinknowingsomethingaboutthenatureofcultureanditsrelationshiptotheindividual.Inadditiontolivinginaphysicalenvironment,anindividuallivesinaculturalenvironmentconsistingofmanmadephysicalobjects,socialinstitutions,andideasandbeliefs.

Anindividualisnotbornwithculturebutonlywiththecapacitytolearnitanduseit.ThereisnothinginanewbornchildwhichdictatesthatitshouldeventuallyspeakPortuguese,English,orFrench,northatheeatwithaforkinhislefthandratherthanintheright,orusechopsticks.Allthesethingsthechildhastolearn.Noraretheparentsresponsiblefortheculturewhichtheytransmittotheiryoung.Thecultureofanypeopleistheproductofhistoryandisbuiltupovertimelargelythroughprocesseswhichare,asfarastheindividualisconcerned,beyondhisawareness.Itisbymeansofculturethattheyounglearntoadaptthemselvestothephysicalenvironmentandtothepeoplewithwhomtheyassociate.

Asweknow,childrenandadolescentsoftenexperiencedifficultiesinthisprocessoflearningandadjustment.Butoncelearned,culturebecomesawayoflife,thesure,familiar,largelyautomaticwayofgettingwhatyouwantfromyourenvironmentandassuchitalsobecomesavalue.

Peoplehaveawayofacceptingtheircultureasboththebestandtheonlywayofdoingthings.Thisisperfectlynormalandunderstandable.Tothisattitudewegivethenameethnocentrism,abeliefthatnotonlytheculturebuttheraceandnationformthecenteroftheworld.

Individualsidentifythemselveswiththeirowngroupanditswaystotheextentthatanycriticalcommentistakenasanaffronttotheindividualaswellastothegroup.Ifyoucriticizemycountry,youarecriticizingme.Ifyoucriticizeme,youarecriticizingmycountry.

Alongwiththisattitudegoesthetendencytoattributeallindividualpeculiaritiesasnationalcharacteristics.Forinstance,ifanAmericandoessomethingoddorantisocialinaforeigncountrywhichbackhomewouldbeconsideredapurelyindividualact,itisnowconsideredanationaltrait.

Insteadofbeingcensuredasanindividual,hiscountryiscensured.Itisbesttorecognizethatethnocentrismisacharacteristicofnationalgroups.Ifanationalcriticizessomeaspectofhisownculture,theforeignershouldlistenbutnotenterintothecriticism.

Thestudyofculture

Specificculturesareproductsofhistoricaldevelopment.BrazilandtheUnitedStates,forinstance,havedifferentculturaloriginsanddifferentculturehistorieswhichaccountforpresentdaydifferences.

Inthiscase,however,thedifferencesarenotgreat,bothculturesbeingpartsofWesterncivilization.Itmightbeusefultorecognizeherethatthestudyofcultureperseisnotthestudyofindividuals.Psychologyisthestudyofindividualpersonality.Sociologyisthestudyofgroupsandgroupbehaviors.

Thestudentofculturestudiesnothumanindividualsbuttheinterrelationshipsofcultureformsliketechnologies,institutions,ideaandbeliefsystems.Hiisinterestednotsomuchinthestudyofcultureassuch,butitsimpactupontheindividualunderspecialconditions.

Commonelements

Anymodernnationisacomplexsocietywithcorrespondingvariationsinculture.Incompositionitismadeupofdifferentethnicgroups,itisstratifiedintoclasses,itisdifferentiatedintoregions,itisseparatedintoruralandurbansettlements,eachhavingitsowndistinctiveculturalcharacteristics.Yetsuperimposeduponthesedifferencesarethecommonelementsofofficiallanguage,institutions,andcustomswhichknitittogethertoformanation.

Thesefactsindicatethatitisnotasimplemattertoacquaintoneselfwiththecultureofanation.Similarlythecultureofone'sownnationiscomplex.Ittoo,differsbyregionandclass.

Americans,forinstance,whogoabroadinvariousgovernmentalandbusinesscapacities,areusuallymembersofthemiddleclassandcarrythevaluesandaspirationsofthisclass,someofwhichareanaccentonthepracticalorutilitarian-workasameanstopersonalsuccess,andsuspicionofpersonalauthority.

Accustomedtoworkinginlargehierarchicalinstitutionslikebusinesscorporations,governmentalagencies,orscientificfoundationswhichhavealifeoftheirownandpersistintime,Americanstendtobecomeimpersonal.Individualsnomatterhowablearereplaceablepartsintheselargeinstitutions.

Alackofunderstanding

Anobjectivetreatmentofyourculturalbackgroundandthatofyournewenvironmentisimportantinunderstandingcultureshock.Thereisagreatdifferenceinknowingwhatisthecauseofyourdisturbanceandnotknowing.

Onceyourealizethatyourtroubleisduetoyourownlackofunderstandingofotherpeople'sculturalbackgroundandyourownlackofthemeansofcommunicationratherthanthehostilityofanalienenvironment,youalsorealizethatyouyourselfcangainthisunderstandingandthesemeansofcommunication.Andthesooneryoudothis,thesoonercultureshockwilldisappear.

Thequestionnowarises,whatcanyoudotogetovercultureshockasquicklyaspossible?Theansweristogettoknowthepeopleofthathostcountry.Butthisyoucannotdowithanysuccesswithoutknowingthelanguage,forlanguageistheprincipalsymbolsystemofcommunication.

Weallknowthatlearninganewlanguageisdifficult,particularlytoadults.Thistaskaloneisquiteenoughtocausefrustrationandanxiety,nomatterhowskillfulthelanguageteacher.

Butonceyoubegintobeabletocarryonafriendlyconversationwithyourmaid,yourneig