W6 - 8004 - Handout

C U L T U R A L A D A P T A T I O N

Communication Across Cultural Contexts

HG8004 Stefanie Stadler

Intercultural & Interlanguage Pragmatics

Pragmatics is the study of

Context

Why people say something

How people say something

What situation it is taking place in

Presupposition

Common ground

Assumptions

Inference

Interpretation of utterance



Speech Act Theory Scripted and conventionalized types of regular linguistic

actions

Rules govern appropriateness of how speech acts are carried out

Cultural differences in what speech acts are carried out, to what extent they are scripted, when they are appropriate and how they should be enacted

For speech acts to be successful, they have to be:

Said with right intentions

Interpreted in the way intended by the speaker

Meet cultural expectations

Comply with a cultures rules and regulations



Politeness Theory

Utterances are never innately polite/impolite

Cultural rules based on social and situational context determine if and when something is polite



Sociopragmatic Factors

Power

Distance

Imposition



Interlanguage Pragmatics

Similarity between cultures

Transferrability of pragmatic norms



Pragmatic Transfer

Transfer of L1 norms to L2

Interference or facilitative

Depends on:

Perception of language distance between L1 and L2

Learning context/access to L2

Instructional effect

L2 proficiency



Pragmatic failure

Miscommunication

Communication breakdown

Based on overgeneralization

Based on simplification


Adaptation The Basics


Purpose of this Class

Get you ready for intercultural communication in action

Help prepare you for your own exchange programme or help you understand experiences that you have already made abroad better

Introduce you to the concepts of culture shock & stress

Discuss several adaptation process models with you

Explore personal growth and development through intercultural adaptation processes


Adaptation

Adaptation

Geographical mobility

Intracultural (moving within a culture)

Across cultures (moving abroad)

Temporary sojourn

Mid-term sojourn

Permanent

In situ

Cultural & technological changes in society


Adaptation

Depends on

The personal drive

Voluntary

Involuntary


Adaptation

Depends on

Outer circumstances for the move

Occupational

Promotion

Refugee


Adaptation

Depends on

Sentiments for home country

Positive

Negative

Sentiments for host country

Positive

Negative


Adaptation

Depends on

Length of stay

Short term

Long-term

Permanent


Adaptation

Depends on

Personality type

Open/adventurous

Conservative/anxious


Adaptation

Depends on

Area of adaptation

Public order

Religious beliefs


Adaptation

Enculturation: childhood socialization processes

Acculturation: re-evaluation of ones behaviour and adaptation to new culture


Adaptation

Adaptation depends to a large degree on ethnic proximity

The more similarity, the easier the adaptation process

The higher the compatibility, the easier the adaptation process


Culture Shock and Stress

Misleading: the term culture shock implies a sudden onset with immediate effects

Reality: culture shock is a slow process

culture shock is accumulative

Time-frame: the onset of culture shock varies between individuals

often delayed

Further factors: e.g. motivation, personality, coping mechanisms, previous overseas experience



What does culture shock refer to?

A sense of loss and feeling of deprivation

Feelings of helplessness

Feelings of isolation

Confusion


Culture Shock

Reactions differ between different people

Individualized impact



Potential effects of culture shock Psychological

Anxiety Depression Frustration Paranoia Anger Self-pity Withdrawal Excessive concern over cleanliness and health Irritability Home-sickness

Physiological Effect eating and sleeping habits Minor illnesses Loss of ability to work effectively


Case Study

Soon after arriving in the US from Peru, I cried almost every day. I was so tense I heard without hearing, and this made me feel foolish. I also escaped into sleeping more than twelve hours at a time and dreamed of my life, family, and friends in Lima. After three months of isolating myself in the house and speaking to no one, I ventured out. I then began to have severe headaches. Finally I consulted a doctor, but she only gave me a lot of drugs to relieve the pain. Neither my doctor nor my teachers ever mentioned the two magic words that could have changed my life: culture shock! When I learned about this, I began to see things from a new point of view and was better able to accept myself and my feelings.

I now realize most of the Americans I met in Lima before I came to the US were also in one of the stages of culture shock. They demonstrated a somewhat hostile attitude toward Peru, which the Peruvians sensed and usually moved from an initially friendly attitude to a defensive, aggressive attitude or avoidance. The Americans mostly stayed within the safe cultural familiarity of the embassy compound. Many seemed to feel that the difficulties they were experiencing in Peru were specially created by Peruvians to create discomfort for gringos. In other words, they displaced their problem of adjustment and blamed everything on Peru.


Culture Shock

Some researchers argue that culture shock is no different/differs little from other forms of transition shock

Culture shock is an emotional reaction to loss of the familiar/change

In that sense it is no different from other forms of transitions, such as

Divorce

Death of a loved one

Change of lifestyle related to passages


Adaptation Process


U-curve model

Honeymoon At Home

Hostility Humour


Sergeants Model

Exploratory Phase: fight

Crisis Phase: flight

Adjustment Phase: filter

Accommodation Phase: flex


W-curve model

Home Host Country Home


Reverse Culture Shock

Top 10 re-entry challenges

Boredom

No one wants to hear

You cant explain

Reverse homesickness

Relationships have changed

People see wrong changes

People misunderstand

Feelings of alienation

Loss of experience

Inability to apply new knowledge/skill


Kims Model of Adaptation

Adaptation

Growth over time

Stress


Adaptation Process

Normality

Positive

Negative


Adaptation Process

Honeymoon Phase

Crisis Phase

Recovery Phase

Adjustment Phase


Adaptation

Intercultural adaptation requires 3 domains of adaptation

Workplace

Interpersonal

Environment


Adaptation

Adaptive domains interact

Spill-over links domains

General adjustment of expats is significantly related to work adjustment, which in turn is related to interaction adjustment

Cross-over links people

Adjustment of one individual is linked to adjustment of other individual(s)


Cultural Adaptation Model

Managing the Ups and Downs of Living and Studying (MUDLS)

A study on international student adaptation conducted primarily at the University of Nottingham in the UK by Gu, Q., Schweisfurth, M. and Day, C.


MUDLS: Alanna

Previous Years

Jan Sep 2006

Oct Dec 2006

Jan Mar 2007

Apr Jun 2007

Jul Sep 2007

Oct Dec 2007

Jan Mar 2008

Apr Jun 2008

Managing Well (most satisfied)

Satisfied

Not Managing Well (least satisfied)

First school; problems with roommate no friends; didnt get on with host family in 2nd year

Chineal friends; been invite by British girls to their parties; though not close friends, but feeling grateful!

Different school, nice Ts, learned a lot of things; disappointed with British girls cultural problems, couldnt be friends

Getting good results in new school

International school A-level

Missed people in school; didnt get on with people here

University

no guidance lost

Didnt go to lectures; not many friends

Difficulties in personal life had negative impact on study

Felt good and wanted to get 2.1

Friends getting her well

plagiarism, other problems in personal life (mobile phone, driving lessons) ,lack of motivation

Good results in coursework

Messy personal life (mobile, driving, Spanish)

Felt need to catch up with uni. work

Exams

Waiting for result


Previous Years

Jan Sep 2006

Oct Dec 2006

Jan Mar 2007

Apr Jun 2007

Jul Sep 2007

Oct Dec 2007

Jan Mar 2008

Apr Jun 2008

Managing Well (most satisfied)

Satisfied

Not Managing Well (least satisfied)

Christmas

Back to England

During semester

Exams 07

Holidays - summer

Back to England

Christmas

Exams

Results (Jan exam)

Exams

Holidays

MUDLS: Tristan


Adaptation

Predisposition to adaptation

Ethnic proximity

Overall similarity

Compatibility

Personality

Openness

Strength

Positivity

Preparedness

Knowledge

Realism


Adaptation

Denial Defense Minimization Acceptance Adaptation Integration

Bennetts Model of Adaptation

Ethnocentric Stages Ethnorelative Stages


Adaptation

Denial Characteristics

Inability to construe cultural difference

Benign stereotyping

Superficial statements of tolerance

Cognitive Structure

No categories

Affective Quality

Benign on the surface

Behavioural Emphasis

Aggressive ignorance

Stress on the familiar


Adaptation

Defence Characteristics

Dualistic us/them thinking Overt negative stereotyping Exaggerating positive aspects of own culture

Cognitive Structure Better elaborated categories for cultural difference, but protection of

original world view

Affective Quality State of siege Defense of identity

Behavioural Emphasis Same-culture segregation backlash actions


Adaptation

Minimization

Characteristics

Recognition and acceptance of superficial cultural differences

Retains emphasis on similarity of people and commonality of values

Cognitive Structure

Worldview is protected by subsuming difference into familiar categories

Affective Quality

Insistently nice


Active support for universal religious, moral or political principles


Adaptation

Acceptance Characteristics

Recognition and appreciation of cultural differences in behaviours and values

Cultural relativity

Beginning of ability to interpret phenomena within context

Cognitive Structure

Differentiation and elaboration of cultural categories

Affective Quality

Curiosity


Acquisition of knowledge about cultures, including own


Adaptation

Adaptation Characteristics

Development of communication skills (pertaining to intercultural communication)

Effective use of empathy Frame of reference shifting

Cognitive Structure Knowledge and behaviour are linked by conscious intention Category boundaries become more flexible and permeable

Affective Quality Competence

Behavioural Emphasis Intentional perspective-taking Empathy


Adaptation

Integration

Characteristics

Internalization of multiple frames of reference

Culture-independent identity

Cognitive Structure

Worldview categories are seen as cultural constructs

Affective Quality

Confusion, authenticity


Formation and maintenance of constructed affiliation groups; cultural mediation


Adaptation

Degrees of Adaptation

Adjustment

Adaptation

Acculturation

Assimilation


Assimilation or Adaptation?

What do you think?

Assimilation you should aim to become a member of the host society

Adaptation you should remain who you are and only adjust to a degree that allows you to function in the host society


Adaptation

When in Rome do as the Romans do?

This advice has been given to international business people for the past 2000 years, but is it really true?

This advice is based on the assumption that what works for natives will also work for foreigners

It is assumed that

The more similar foreigners are the more they are accepted

Adaptation reduced the probability of inappropriate behaviours and misunderstandings


Adaptation

When in Rome? However: this view fails to acknowledge that behaviour regarded as

appropriate for natives may be considered inappropriate for foreigners

In certain situations similarity is disliked (e.g. in competitive situations)

Research suggests that substantial adaptation can be viewed as presumptuous

Moderate adaption is seen to reflect respect and sensitivity to the other culture

Substantial adaptation, however, is disliked as it is perceived as signalling a less positive view of the observers culture than moderate or no adaptation

Substantial adaptation reduces interpersonal attraction


Adaptation: A Choice or No Choice?

A Choice:

Do I want to even make an effort to integrate into a new culture/society?

To what extent do I want to be integrated?

Isolate self

Function in society but keep a distance

Stay true to self, but adapt to local circumstances

Become part of local culture/society


Adaptation: A Choice or No Choice?

No Choice:

Can you decide if you want to adapt?

Does host society make the decision for you?

Even if you may want to adapt, the host society might not be receptive to letting you integrate

Some cultures embrace sojourners/immigrants

Some cultures exclude

Some cultures include some, but not other cultural groups


Homework

Reading

Textbook Jackson (2014) - Chapter 8

Gu, Q., Schweisfurth, M. and Day, C. (2010). Insights into the experiences of international students in the UK.


Documents

W6 - 8004 - Handout