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Intercultural Adjustment Cycle
— Adapted from Stephen Rhinesmith's Bring Home the World.
The chart above shows the mental and emotional highs and lows which are common to all people who move from one culture into a different culture.
Two periods are of particular importance because of the depression and irritability which accompany them. These are the initial culture shock and the mental isolation periods. These periods of depression and irritability arise from the loss of familiar cues for appropriate behavior that occurs when we move from our own culture where behavior is learned and largely habitual to another culture with different norms and guidelines for behavior. Until one becomes familiar with the new norms, there is discomfort that develops because we want to do what is appropriate but we do not know what is appropriate. The symptoms of culture shock are frustration, mental fatigue and disorientation about how to work with and relate to others, boredom, lack of motivation and some physical discomfort.
The obvious approach to coping with the discomfort that comes from culture shock is to become familiar with the norms that govern daily living in the new culture. One way to do this is to look for the differences. Ask questions like: Are needs met differently here from the way they are met at home? Are things organized differently? (What's the logic or custom behind the naming of streets?) Are there different combinations of food or other goods in the stores or markets? What goods are displayed most prominently? What does that tell you? What buildings stand out? How do you get a taxi, pay on a bus? What is totally missing that is vital to you? Does this society ignore a basic human need? Or is that need met in a different way from what you're used to? In this way, begin mapping the culture you have entered. The more it begins to make sense to you, the more comfortable you will feel with it. As you become more comfortable, you will find the symptoms of culture shock fading away.
It has been said that "the barriers to communication caused by perceptual variance can best be lowered by knowledge and understanding of cultural factors that are subject to variance, coupled with an honest and sincere desire to communicate successfully across cultural boundaries." (Porter and Samovar)
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