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Monika Wrobel, Ph.D.
M17. People Across Cultures: An Introduction to Cross-Cultural Psychology
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INTERCULTURAL
INTERCULTURAL
ENCOUNTERS
ENCOUNTERS
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P
P
lural
lural
societ
societ
y
y
In a stark contrast with
unicultural society ( “one
culture, one people”)
2 views of plural societies
(Berry, 1998)
a “melting pot”
–
mainstream vs. minority
a “mosaic”
– multicultural
society
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Minority groups in plural
Minority groups in plural
societies
societies
Indigenous/native groups
Descendants of early immigrants
Immigrants
Sojourners
Forced migrants (refugees and asylum
seekers)
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Motives
Motives
for
for
migration
migration
Push factors
negative, constraining and exclusionary
e.g. poverty in a country of origin, political views
Pull factors
positive, facilitating and enabling
e.g. better educational or work perspectives in a host
country
Country of
origin
push factors
Host
country
pull factors
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Socialization
Socialization
and enculturation
and enculturation
Processes of cultural transmission.
Provide an individual with the skills and habits
necessary for acting and participating within the
culture.
Mechanisms that are
responsible for cultural
similarities and
differences.
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Acculturation
Acculturation
ACCULTURATION
A process that individuals
undergo in response to
the changing cultural
context.
Starts when an individual
start his/her life in a host
culture.
Clashes with an adult
role.
SOCIALIZATION AND
ENCULTURATION
Link developing
individuals to their
primary cultural contexts.
Start at the birth.
Proceed almost
unnoticed (integral part
of a child role).
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Acculturation
Acculturation
strategies
strategies
(
(
Berry
Berry
et al., 2003)
et al., 2003)
Maintenance of one’s
culture of origin
Seeking
for contact
with one’s
host
culture
assimilation
integration
separation
marginalization
Shedding of one’s
culture of origin
Isolation
from one’s
host
culture
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Cultural
Cultural
identity
identity
A complex set of beliefs and attitudes that people
have about themselves in relation to their culture.
2 dimensions of cultural identity:
identification with one’s heritage and ethnocultural
group;
identification with dominant society.
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I
I
dentity
dentity
dimensions and
dimensions and
acculturation strategies
acculturation strategies
A correlation between cultural identity and
acculturation strategies:
when both identifications are asserted
integration
when one feels neither of them
marginalization
when one’s own cultural maintenance is stronger than
involvement in other cultures
separation
when one’s own cultural maintenance is weaker than
involvement in other cultures
assimilation
Global vs. selective strategies
(“chameleon identity”)
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Multicultural societies
Multicultural societies
Widespread acceptance of cultural diversity
(
multicultural ideology
).
Relatively low level of prejudice (minimal
ethnocentrism, racism, and discrimination).
Positive mutual attitudes among ethnocultural
groups.
Sense of attachment to (or identification with) the
larger society by all individuals and groups.
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Culture
Culture
shock
shock
The term coined by Kalervo Oberg (1960).
The process of initial adjustment to an unfamiliar culture.
Indicators of culture shock:
familiar cues about how others are supposed to behave
are missing;
a person feels disoriented, anxious, depressed, or hostile;
social skills that used to work do not seem to work any
longer;
there is a sense that this horrible, nagging culture shock
will never go away.
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Causes
Causes
of
of
culture
culture
shock
shock
Daily hassles
Incomprehensible
culture code
Physical changes
Lack of resources and social support
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Cross
Cross
-
-
cultural communication
cultural communication
barriers
barriers
(
(
LaRay
LaRay
Barna,1982)
Barna,1982)
Language differences
Nonverbal communication
Stereotypes and prejudices
The tendency to evaluate behaviour of people
from the other culture as good or bad
High level of stress
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Some gestures to be careful with
Some gestures to be careful with
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Characteristics of
Characteristics of
c
c
ulture
ulture
shock
shock
Shock is usually…
sudden,
short-term,
intense.
But… culture shock is
gradual,
long-term,
cumulative.
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Stages of culture shock
Stages of culture shock
Honeymoon
Disorientation
Hostility
Adjustment
Biculturality
time
U-, J- and W-shaped
models of culture shock
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The ABC model of culture shock
The ABC model of culture shock
(1)
(1)
(
(
Bochner
Bochner
, 2003)
, 2003)
Affective component
Behavioral component
Instrumental adjustment
I know where to shop for what I need.
Interaction adjustment
I have no difficulty asking for directions.
Relational adjustment
I make friends with people of different ethnic
background.
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The ABC model of culture shock
The ABC model of culture shock
(2)
(2)
(
(
Bochner
Bochner
, 2003)
, 2003)
Cognitive component
Interest in other cultures
When I meet people different from me, I want to learn more
about them.
Tolerance for cultural differences
When I meet people from other cultures I easily accept the fact
that they differ from me.
Positive attitudes towards new or unusual cultural
environments
I believe I can live a fulfilling life in another culture.
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Factors determining the
Factors determining the
intensity of culture shock
intensity of culture shock
(1)
(1)
Culture distance between a culture of origin and a
host culture (similarity-attraction hypothesis)
Demographic variables
Age
Gender
Education
Personal factors
Openness to experience, extraversion, neuroticism
Locus of control, self-efficacy, dispositional optimism
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Factors
Factors
determining
determining
the
the
intensity
intensity
of
of
culture
culture
shock
shock
(2)
(2)
Reasons for migrating
Importance of goals that one wants to
achieve
Available resources and social support
networks
Previous experience
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Tips for dealing with
Tips for dealing with
cultur
cultur
e
e
shock
shock
(1)
(1)
Prepare yourself for new
experience.
Analyze your
expectations.
Identify available
resources and social
support networks.
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Tips for dealing with
Tips for dealing with
cultur
cultur
e
e
shock
shock
(2)
(2)
Try to overcome cross-cultural communication barriers
Ask for clarification if you are not sure what someone is saying.
Do not assume you understand non-verbal signals until you get
to know their meanings.
Make every effort to increase the awareness of your own
stereotypes and realize that you will often be treated according to
the stereotype.
Do not judge someone from another culture by your own cultural
values.
Accept the ambiguity of cross-cultural situations.
Learn from your experiences.
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P
P
hases
hases
of re
of re
-
-
entry
entry
shock
shock
(re
(re
-
-
acculturation)
acculturation)
Excitement
Frustration
Sense of Control
Re-adaptation