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Cornell note- Taking on Culture Shock

Preethi Miyapuram

CS 106 0Q Inter business communication

Farrah McKinnon

Friday, June 02, 2023

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Culture Shock
Cue Column Notes Column
(key points/terms) (point form details for each “cue”)
Ethnocentrism • “ Sumner (1840-1910) described the term, involves a belief or
attitude that one’s own culture is better than all others (1906).
Everyone is a little bit ethnocentric”.Ex-1) Canadians often
label the British driving on the "wrong" side of the road,
instead of the "other" side. Ex-2) Similarly, individuals from
cultures where dogs are viewed as unclean may feel
uncomfortable encountering a dog in a French restaurant.
(Little,2016, para 3)”.
• “It can lead to disdain or dislike for other cultures, causing
misunderstanding and conflict (Little,2016, para.4)”.
Cultural imperialism • “Little(2016), It is the deliberate imposition of one’s own
cultural values on another culture (para. 4)”.
• “This may include the work of international aid agencies who
introduce modern technological agricultural methods and plant
species from developed countries while overlooking
indigenous varieties and agricultural approaches that are better
suited to the particular region (Little,2016, para. 4)”.
Cultural relativism
• “Little(2016) It is the practice of assessing a culture by its own
standards rather than viewing it through the lens of one’s own
culture (para.6)”.
• “Benedict (1887–1948) argued that each culture has an
internally consistent pattern of thought and action, which alone
could be the basis for judging the merits and morality of the
culture’s practices (para 6)”.
• It demands a discussion for adapting a new standards and rules
(Little,2016, para 6).
Xenocentrism • “Little(2016), Opposite of ethnocentrism, mention that another
culture is superior to one’s own (para 7)”.
• “Sociologists attempting to engage in cultural relativism may
struggle to reconcile aspects of their own culture with aspects
of a culture they are studying( Little,2016, para 8)”.
Culture shock When encountering a different culture individuals experiences a
natural and emotional response. It can involve feelings of depression,
anxiety, disorientation, and even physical effects on a person's health,
sleep patterns, or appetite(Little,2016, para 9).
Issues -people are not always expecting cultural differences.
-Survival skills are highly esteemed which were indispensible
in their environment. Individuals effort will be the most
important factor between life and death(Little,2016, para 5).
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• Honeymoon It is the initial stage -“The cultural newcomer is in love with their new
surroundings. The host culture seems ideal. Every interaction and
experience in the host culture is exciting and interesting (The Global
society, 2019, para 10)”.

• Negotiation (The Global society, 2019).This is the second, or slum, stage. New
arrivals have experienced social challenges in a different society.
Compared to their own culture, people could harshly condemn the new
culture. The effects of culture shock might be either physical or
psychological. People who have symptoms have reported difficulty
sleeping, sleeplessness, weight gain or loss, pains, cold sensations, and
psychological issues( para 11).
• Adjustment Also known as realization stage. The immigrant begins to acclimatise
to the new culture. They learn to comprehend the host culture better,
improve their ability to carry out everyday activities like purchasing
groceries and utilising public transportation, and begin to feel more at
ease in the new environment(The Global society, 2019, para 12).
• Stabilization This is a final stage also known as adaption stage. It is assumed that
the cultural outsider fully assimilates into the host culture. The cultural
outsider has successfully integrated into the host culture(The Global
society, 2019, para 13).
• Rejection Not everyone has a same opinion some will adapt or reject the new
culture .A newcomer hasn't successfully adapted if they reject the host
culture. They might avoid connecting with locals, experiencing local
cuisine, or participating in other practises since they spend the
majority of their time with individuals from their own culture. No urge
to "fit in" with the host culture exists in them. They could have strong
negative feelings towards the host culture and decide to go back home
(Hofstede, 2010, para 17).
• Assimilation The newcomer might fully integrate into the local culture. In this
situation, they feel like a part of the host culture, and their new cultural
identity nearly supplants their old one. They have picked up the dialect
and the regional mannerisms. They could even feel contempt for their
own culture and superiority towards other cultural outsiders (Hofstede,
2010, para 18).
Negative symptoms The individual may experience identity shifts, role changes, minor
difficulties and confusion in carrying out routine daily tasks,
competing emotions of excitement and trepidation, an inability to
understand the actions and viewpoints of others, and a mentally
exhausting re-evaluation of existing values, behaviours, and beliefs as
a result of these adjustment challenges, rather than simply because
they have encountered a new culture (Hofstede, 2010, para 19).
Solutions (from video) Your ability to quickly acclimatise to a new culture is facilitated by a
cultural adaptation plan. Confusion is where the trip begins, and
adaptability is where it ends. In order to communicate more
effectively, you must adapt your perspective and be receptive to the
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new culture. You can begin even if you are illiterate in the language.
Avoid wasting time. You don't want to be an intelligent but perplexed
extraterrestrial (Priyanka,2016, 6.05).

Reflection (see As a student, my experiences taught me how to adjust with the new
questions above) culture and situations which resulted in my ability and confidence in
performing all the activities. Firstly when I came to Canada Iam at
intial stage then I made adjustments with all the surroundings which
resulted me a good impact of living here. According to the video
communication plays a major role in adapting the new culture.
Everyone experiences the new culture at any degree in their life.
Optional:
Additional Questions