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UNIT 2:
CROSS-CULTURAL CONFLICT & ADJUSTMENT

A. Fish Out of Water

[A] "A fish out of water": This expression has been used to describe someone who is living in
a new culture. Such a person will experience a variety of emotional "ups and downs" lasting
from weeks to years. Cultural adjustment can indeed be difficult, and newcomers adjust in
many different ways. In thinking about how someone will adjust to a new culture, the
following questions should be considered:

1. Motivation: Why did the person leave his or her native country? Did the person have a
choice, or was he or she forced to leave for political, religious, or economic reasons?
2. Length of stay: How long will the person be in the new country?
3. Language and cultural background: How similar are the language and culture of the new
country to the person's native language and culture?
4. Language and cultural knowledge: How well does the newcomer speak the language and
understand the culture of the new country?
5. Personality: How flexible and tolerant is the newcomer?
6. Relationships with others: How much support from either family or friends does the
newcomer have?
7. Financial situation: What financial resources does the person have?
8. Job: Does the newcomer have a job? Is it a lower status job than the one the person had in
the native country?
9. Age: How old is the person?
10. Degree of ethnocentrism; How ethnocentric is the newcomer? Does this person think that
the new culture is inferior to his or her culture of origin? To what degree does the newcomer
consider everything back home to be "normal" and everything in the new environment to be
"strange"?

[B] One might predict that the easiest and fastest adjustment would be made by the flexible,
tolerant person who had chosen to come to the new country and who had a job. Additionally,
adjustment would be easier for someone whose culture and language are similar to those of
the new country. Finally, a person who has a lot of support from friends and family would
probably adjust more quickly. Undoubtedly, in many cases, these would be good predictors of
a relatively smooth adjustment. However, sometimes there are surprises in people's cultural
adaptation to a new country.
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adaptation to a new country.

B. Unpredictable Cultural Adjustment

[C] Some newcomers to a society do well in their first year of cultural adjustment. However,
they may have a more difficult time later. Perhaps they expected the second year to be as easy
and successful as the first year, but are not prepared to deal with obstacles that arise during the
second year. Those who had problems from the beginning may actually find the second year
easier because they are used to solving problems. They expect difficulties and aren't surprised
by them.

[D] There is yet another unpredictable variable in cultural adjustment. Sometimes people
come to a second culture speaking the new language very well, but still do not have an easy
adjustment. The newcomers think that because they have a good grasp of the language, they
will not have much difficulty. In addition, if people think that the new country is very similar
to their 'country of origin when, in fact, it is not, they may actually adapt more slowly. This is
because the newcomers only imagine the similarity between the two cultures. Therefore they
may deny that differences exist. Cultural differences do not go away, of course, just because a
person denies that they exist.

C. A Ride on a Roller Coaster

[E] What happens to someone living in a different culture? The experience can be like riding a
roller coaster. People can experience both elation and depression in a very short period. They
can vacillate between loving and hating the new country. Often, but not always, there is an
initial period when newcomers feel enthusiasm and excitement. The cultural differences they
experience at first can be fascinating rather than troubling. At first, there is often a high level
of interest and motivation because the newcomers are eager to become familiar with the new
culture. Life seems exciting, novel, exotic, and stimulating. However, after a while, the
newness and strangeness of being in another country can influence emotions in a negative
way. Many people in a new culture do not realize that their problems, feelings, and mood
changes are common.

[F] When people are immersed in a new culture, "culture shock" is a typical response. They
should anticipate that they will probably feel "bewildered and disoriented" at times. This is
normal when people neither speak the language nor understand the details of daily behavior.
The newcomer may be unsure, for example, about when to shake hands or when to 'embrace.
In some cases, it may even be difficult to know when a person means "yes" or "no".
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In some cases, it may even be difficult to know when a person means "yes" or "no".

[G] After all, people can become overwhelmed when deprived of everything that was once
familiar. The adult trying to become familiar with another culture may feel like a child. Stress,
fatigue, and tension are common symptoms of culture shock. In most cases, however, at least
a partial adjustment takes place. This adjustment (even if incomplete) allows the newcomer to
function and sometimes succeed in the new country. Certainly, there are many examples of
successful adjustment among refugees, immigrants, and others who have settled in the United
States. Many have made very notable contributions to American society.

D. From Honeymoon to Culture Shock to Integration

[H] Reactions to a new culture vary, but experience and research have shown that there are
distinct stages in the adjustment process. Visitors coming for short periods do not always
experience the same intense emotions as do immigrants from another country. A short-term
adjustment for a one-year stay in a country could be represented by the following W-shaped
diagram.

[I] The "W" pattern of adjustment can also apply to longer stays (including permanent ones)
in another culture. Each stage in the adjustment process is characterized by symptoms or
outward signs typifying certain kinds of behavior:

1. Honeymoon period: Initially many people are fascinated and excited by everything in the
new culture. The newcomer is elated to be experiencing a new culture. Interestingly, this level
of elation may not be reached again.

2. Culture shock: The individuals are immersed in new problems: housing, transportation,
employment, shopping, and language. Mental fatigue results from continuously straining to
understand the new language and culture.

3. Initial adjustment: Everyday activities such as housing and shopping are no longer major
problems. The visitors may not yet be fluent in the spoken language, but they can now express
their basic ideas and feelings.

4. Mental isolation: Individuals have been away from their family and good friends for a long
time and may feel lonely. Many cannot express themselves as well as they could in their
native language. Frustration and sometimes a loss of self-confidence result. Some individuals
remain at this stage, particularly if they haven’t been able to find a job.

5. Acceptance and integration: A routine (e.g., work, business, or school) has been established.
The newcomers have become accustomed to the habits, customs, foods, and characteristics of
the people in the new culture. They feel comfortable with friends, associates, and the language
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the people in the new culture. They feel comfortable with friends, associates, and the language
in the new country.

The Adjustment Process in a New Culture

[J] Individuals experience the stages of adjustment in different ways. Some people never
experience a "honeymoon" period because the circumstances of their coming to a new country
may have been too painful. In addition, certain stages last longer for some than for others,
depending on such factors as the newcomer’s personality, age, language and cultural
competence, support from family and friends, financial situation, job status, and motivation
for being in the new country.

[K] Can a person accelerate or skip some of the more difficult stages of adjustment? Some
people can, yet others cannot. This depends on individuals’ ability to cope with changes in
their life. Change is easier for some people than for others. Whenever people happen to be
experiencing a negative stage of adjustment, they must be extremely patient and let time do its
work.

[L] How do people know that they are having problems adjusting to the new culture? Typical
"symptoms" include the following:

1. Homesickness
2. Inability to work well
3. Too much eating, drinking, or sleeping
4. Anger toward the members of the new culture
5. Glorifying the native culture and emphasizing the negative in the new culture
6. Withdrawal and avoidance of contact with people from the new culture
7. Lack of ability to deal with even small problems
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7. Lack of ability to deal with even small problems

To a certain extent, all of these reactions are normal, and, in a healthy adjustment, should be
relatively short-term. When these responses last a long time or become exaggerated, the
person may find it difficult to function on a daily basis. The above list is not complete. The
reader can probably think of more "symptoms".

[M] One of the most important things a newcomer can do to facilitate adjustment is to try to
develop social relationships with people from one’s own country, with other newcomers, and
with members of the new culture. It is essential to try to develop a group of people with whom
one can share new experiences. This is perhaps one of the fastest ways to begin to feel more at
ease in another country.

[N] Sometimes newcomers are eager to integrate and choose to give up their own culture.
(Some people refer to this as "going native".) Others are fearful of cultural change and cling
even more strongly to their own cultural traditions. Both giving up one’s own culture and
clinging to one’s traditions may be extreme behavior. Studies on cross-cultural adjustment
suggest that maintaining a balance between two cultural patterns of behavior and beliefs can
be helpful in the long term.

[O] If newcomers try to become aware of cultural differences and make some modifications
without attempting to change their basic personality, they will probably adjust fairly well to
the new society. Especially in the United States, where there is already so much diversity, the
newcomer doesn’t need to become a "carbon copy" of an American in order to be a part of the
society. Newcomers can retain their individuality while becoming aware of differences. And,
of course, some changes will have to be made. Feeling like a "fish out of water" shouldn’t last
forever.

Exercises:

I. Multiple Choices

1. The phrase “a fish out of water” refer to: [A]

a. a person poorly adapted to his or her own culture.
b. the reaction of a person living in a new culture.
c. a person who is adjusting well to a new culture.

2. Language fluency does not guarantee smooth adjustment because: [D]

a. Language fluency is not difficult to achieve.
b. Although language fluency is needed, “cultural fluency” is also important.
c. Language fluency is the least important part of cultural adaptation.

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3. A person who is adjusting to another culture typically: [A, E]

a. make steady progress without having difficult times.
b. is continually depressed.
c. has “ups” and “downs”.

4. The newness of a country can: [E, F]

a. be very interesting and motivating for the new comer.
b. be bewildering and disordering for the newcomer.
c. both (a) and (b)

5. What are common symptoms of culture shock? [G]

a. fatigue
b. tension
c. both (a) and (b)

6. In most of people’s experience in another country, what usually takes place? [G]
a. total adjustment
b. partial adjustment
c. no adjustment

7. The graph showing cultural adjustment is typical of: [H]

a. all newcomers, travelers, and immigrants.
b. some people who spend a year in another country.
c. refugees who were forced to leave their countries.

8. Why might some people never experience a “honeymoon” stage? [J]

a. They may have never married.
b. They may have been forced to leave their country.
c. They might have to work immediately when they arrive.

9. Why do individuals have different rate of adjustment? [K]

a. Because some people are extremely patient.
b. Because the ability to cope with change varies among individuals.
c. Because some people hate change.

10. One of the fastest ways to begin to feel comfortable in another country is: [M]
a. to develop a group of friends from your own country.
b. to share your experiences with one or two individuals.
c. to develop a group of friends, including people from your own country, other
newcomers, and members of the new society.

Answer Key

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II. Answer the following questions

1. In Paragraph A, the authors list ten variables that affect people’s ability to adapt to new
culture. What are they? Can you think of others? [A]

2. Why might some people have had an easy first year in another country find the second year
more difficult? [C]

3. Why is it normal to experience culture shock? [F, G]

4. What does the term “going native” mean? Why do newcomers “go native”? [N]

Answer Key

III. Cultural Adjustment Cycle

The following are direct quotes from people visiting or living in the United States. Based on
the information in the reading, what stages in the cultural adjustment cycle are they
experiencing?

1. “Frankly speaking, I do not feel that there are many pleasures for me in the United States
right now. I am still seriously homesick, but I am getting better. I understand that this is the
adjustment period. Hopefully, I will be back to normal soon. I think that when shock and
frustration fade away, confidence and certainty of feeling will appear. I do believe that there
are pleasures awaiting me.”

Stage of adjustment:

2. “My feeling about living in a new country are quite complicated, but I can put them in one
word: “marvelous”. Everything seems wonderful and fresh to me. You can always learn
something new every minute. And you can never tell what will happen the next minute.”.

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Stage of adjustment:

3. “When I arrived in this country, I could only say, “Thank you” and “Good bye”. In spite of
that, I had to get an apartment. My situation was really miserable because I couldn’t
understand what the managers were saying. They spoke so fast that I didn’t understand
anything except “OK?” or “All right?” I almost started crying like a child on the street.”

Stage of adjustment:

Answer Key

Review

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