Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
'La culture, c'est l'environment
tangible et intangible édifié
par l'hommeˆ.' (Culture is that
tangible and intangible
environment man creates.)
—H Triandis
the basic rationale, the easier it will
be. For the professional and for
the organisation that sent him or
her abroad, cultural understanding
and adjustments are required for
success.
Culture shock is the beginning of cultural transition. It was
described by P. Block in 1970 as 'primarily an emotional
reaction that follows from not being able to understand,
control and predict another's behaviour.'
Dr Kalervo Oberg, an anthropologist who dei ned the
term 'culture shock' in 1960, says culture shock is brought
on by 'the anxiety that results from losing familiar signs and
symbols of social intercourse'.
Considered among the founding fathers in the i eld of
cross-cultural communication, Oberg dei ned several aspects
of culture shock for the United States Agency for International
Development. To briel y summarise Oberg's i ndings, there
are at least six aspects of culture shock:
Strain due to the effort required to make necessary
psychological adaptations.
A sense of loss and feelings of deprivation in regard to
friends, status, profession and possessions.
Being rejected by and/or rejecting members of the new
culture.
Confusion in role, role expectation, values, feelings and
self-identity.
Surprise, anxiety and even disgust and indignation after
becoming aware of culture differences.
Feelings of impotence due to not being able to cope with
the new environment.
The Stages of Culture Shock
The pseudo-medical model of cross-cultural stress
was developed first by Oberg and others and is still
used today. Oberg's model is combined with the
U-curve approach, developed about the same time, and
described in detail in the topic by Adrian Furnham and
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