Culture Shock �&� Identity Crisis

Challenges The Evangelist Might Face

When you are transferred to another culture

…and so on…

Challenges The Evangelist Might Face

What is “Culture?”

The way of life of people passed down from one generation to the next through learning

Culture is what makes you a stranger when you are away from home - Philip Bock

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What makes us “us” and them “them”

Bob Sjogren

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Culture �is like an Iceberg.

Most of it is UNDER the water of awareness

What is “Culture?”

BEHAVIOR

BELIEFS

VALUES AND

THOUGHT

PATTERNS

What is “Culture?”

WHEN ICEBERGS COLLIDE

WHEN ICEBERGS COLLIDE

WHEN ICEBERGS COLLIDE

Causes of Culture Shock

1. Collision of “Icebergs” or Internal Cultures
2. Breakdown of Communication
3. Identity Crisis

Breakdown Of Communication

• Human beings are social.
• When communications break down, we experience pain and frustration
• In a cross-cultural encounter, communications will break down

Identity crisis

• It occurs when we go outside our home culture into a foreign culture and alien environment.
• Identity Crisis is our psychological reaction to a totally unfamiliar or alien environment.

Culture Shock

Culture shock is a normal but unpleasant and negative experience

• Positive Effects of Culture Shock are:

– Learning experience

– Increase intercultural

• understanding
• adaptation
• integration

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The "software of the mind" does not work in a different cultural environment. (Hofstede)

Culture Shock

Is a psychological phenomenon resulting from the stress produced when we leave our home cultural environment.

The “symptoms” and “prognosis” vary with each individual.

Symptoms

1. Depression, feeling of helplessness
2. Hostility towards the host culture and its members
3. Home sickness
4. Lethargy
5. Fear of physical contact
6. Foreigners often join to complain about the host culture
7. Stereotyping

Six stages of Culture Shock

1- The preliminary stage (preparation)

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2- The spectator stage (honeymoon)

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Six stages of Culture Shock

3- The participation stage

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4- Problems begin to arise, the shock stage

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Six stages of Culture Shock

5- Adjustment stage

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6- Reentry stage. Culture shock in reverse may set in with individuals but this time in their native land.

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1.

3.

2.

4.

Feelings

+

-

Time

1. Euphoria

2. Culture shock

3. Acculturation

4. Stable state

Stages of Culture Shock

Possible Outcomes

One rejects his culture of origin and adapts to the host culture, completely converting to its values & behaviours.

The host culture is rejected and the norms of the original culture are strengthened.

Both cultures are perceived as being “equal“, but mutually incompatible

Both cultures are perceived as being “equal“ AND mutually compatible. The person feels “at home“ in both Cultures

“Culture Shock”

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFbPCj_cajY

Lot’s Wife

Oprah

Peter when he refused to eat

Gal 2: 11

Lot

Moses

Joseph

Ester

Daniel

St. Paul

Possible Outcomes

Is it possible to minimise the impact?

• First: Be Aware

• Next: Remember

• Third: Accept

Curing culture shock

1. Pray
2. Don’t think that you’re strange or abnormal
3. Prepare yourself for Cultural Adaptation:

- Knowledge: Forewarned is forearmed.

- Skills: Learn Local Communication Complexities.

- Abilities

- Attitudes

Curing culture shock

4) Force yourself to look for the best

5) Train yourself to enjoy the diversity of people, not fear it.

6) Find a host national who is sympathetic whom you trust.

7) Be Realistic in Expectations

8) Be Patient, Understanding, and Accepting of Self and Hosts.

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Cope or Cop Out?!!

• The positive result can be: Increased self-development.
• The negative result: Losing a possible growth opportunity.

What Is The Real Value Of The International Experience?

1. Self-control and self-confidence
2. Awareness of another international culture through experience
3. Awareness of our own internal culture
4. Self-awareness of our own values and identity

• Each situation represents a life turning point that can cause the person to advance.
• But who will view it as an opportunity and who will view it as a tragedy.

THANK YOU!