Culture Shock, Stress-Adaptation-Growth Dynamic, and Social Challenges

Johanna Abrams is a 21-year old senior Economics major at State University. At State, she has been on Orientation staff for 3 years, facilitates the freshman Leadership learning community, and is an active member in both the economics and accounting honors societies. She lives with three roommates in a house located in Hanover, Ohio. Johanna’s mother and father currently live in San Francisco, California, and her brother attends law school in Oregon. Johanna has never lived in the same location for more than 10 years. Her family must relocate due to her father’s job. Born on Toledo, Ohio, Johanna has lived in Germany, Ohio, California, and Texas. She attended boarding school for three years during high school in Pennsylvania. Growing up in various locations proved to be difficult for Johanna. She had to assimilate to many new cultures while attempting to create and maintain an identity. As a self-proclaimed “sojourner,” it was interesting to speak with Johanna about how she negotiates her identity through an intercultural communication lens.

Culture Shock

“Culture shock is the psychological and emotional reaction people experience when they encounter a culture that is very different from their own (Furnham & Bochner, 1986)” (Oetzel, 2009, p. 126). Although we all experience culture shock differently, researchers have compiled six different stages, which describe what sojourners should expect when experiencing a culture for the first time (Oetzel, 2009, p. 128): 1) honeymoon, 2) crisis, 3) recovery, 4) adjustment, 5) reentry culture shock, and 6) resocialization. The honeymoon stage is when sojourners are excited about being in a new location (Oetzel, 2009, p. 128). Crisis then starts after the enthusiasm wanes (Oetzel, 2009,...

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...g with people from other cultures is that learning and adapting to the culture should not be coupled with stereotyping. You also cannot generalize or stereotype a society based on a single interaction or observation. What may be acceptable and polite to one German person may be considered unacceptable and rude to another. For example, not all German families allow their children to drink beer or wine at dinner, but others do. Johanna maintains that observation is key to communicating amongst different cultures. Johanna has learned that it is important to learn from every different individual from every culture you interact with (Johanna Abrams, personal communication, February 1, 2011).

Works Cited

Oetzel, J. G. (2009). Intercultural communication: A layered approach. University of New Mexico. Vango Books.

Abrams, J. (2011, February 1). Personal Interview.