Topic > An Overview of Culture Shock

According to the article written by Winkelman (1994), culture shock is an all-round experience resulting from various factors of coming into contact with another culture. Culture shock reactions can lead to psychological or physical disorders if they hinder our performance. Having awareness of culture shock and implementing strategies to overcome this problem are necessary to achieve stable adaptations. There are three key elements to help increase understanding of culture shock: the nature, stages, and causes of culture shock. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Culture shock is of course the concept of increased stress and anxiety resulting from an individual's contact with a new culture. This situation challenges an individual to live in a new environment away from the familiar culture he or she knows. There are various answers to this; influences both psychological, physiological and other social factors. There are four main stages of culture shock. The honeymoon or tourist phase is the first phase of culture shock typically experienced by people who penetrate another culture in a short time. The experience at this stage is generally exciting and fascinating and the contribution of other cultures is still limited. The reason is because the local culture is hidden by institutions such as hotels, resorts or airports. Secondly, the crisis phase can occur already upon arrival or in the following weeks or months. It generally emerges due to escalating issues of negative experiences that may cause an individual to want to return to their home country. The acceptability of the new culture will lead to the effective adaptation of the new environment. Therefore, the third stage is called the adjustment and reorientation stage where an individual has realized that to facilitate the adjustment is to accept it. The fourth phase is the adaptation, resolution or acculturation phase. Adaptation to the new culture can lead to the creation of a bicultural identity of one's self; therefore, a positive reaction is necessary for adaptation to be effective. To overcome culture shock, we must identify the causes. There are four main factors that cause culture shock: stress reactions, cognitive fatigue, role shock and personal shock. Adapting to a new culture can cause a stress reaction on both a physiological and psychological level. Stress could reduce your immune system and increase your anxiety level. Secondly, cognitive fatigue can occur in the process of understanding every aspect of the new culture which requires great effort and concentration. As a result, the intensity usually causes mental and emotional exhaustion. Third, you may also experience role shock. Role shock basically occurs when one is not ready with the new cultural structure which may not fit the role and expectations of the previous one. Personal shock is the last primary cause of culture shock. This experience occurs because the new culture disrupts one's core belief, principle, or value. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, this article defines that culture shock will occur if an individual is not ready to accept the recent situation and does not try to adapt to the new local culture. Adjustment will definitely happen and is generally classified into four main stages. Explanation of the causes of culture shock is also provided to help identify the reaction to the problem.