UNIT 3.

Cross-Cultural Conflict and Adjustment

“What a wonderful country. People are so friendly. I love it

here. It’s better than back home!”
Newcomer (After One Month in the United States)
“They do everything backwards here. I can’t make friends. I
feel irritated all day long. Nothing’s the same. I miss my own
country.”
The Same Newcomer (After Seven Month in the United States)

Pre-Reading Discussion
1. According to the authors, cultural adjustment is like a roller
coaster ride with many ups and downs. The quotes above show
how someone’s reactions to living in another culture can
change over time. Explain the change in reaction of the
newcomer after one month and after seven months in the
United States.
2. There is a saying in English that if people feel that they do not fit
in, they are like “fish out of water.” Do you think a person in
another culture is like a fish out of water?
3. How important is knowing the culture of a country if you already
know the language? Name a few of the most important aspects
of cultural knowledge that one should have before going to live
in a foreign country.

Pre-Reading Vocabulary
1. Definitions

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 The words “to adjust” and “to adapt” both deal with changing
to meet the demands of a new situation.
a. To adjust : to change in order to fit
b. To adapt : to make fit or suitable by changing or adjusting
Discussion : To what extent, if at all, does a person have to
change in order to adjust or to adapt a new culture? Must an
individual’s personality change for the adjustment to be successful?
2. Definitions
a. Elation : great happiness (“up”)
b. Depression : great sadness (“down”)
Discussion : In which situations (in another culture) are people’s
feelings sometimes like a roller coaster ride?
3. Definitions
Culture shock : the response that an individual may have in a
new country; the person may feel confused and disoriented, and
every aspect of daily life may be difficult.
Discussion : Going to live in another country means that a person
will be “uprooted.” When you plant a tree or flower and then move
it to another place, what happens? Are there always problems? Are
there ways to minimize these problems? What happens when a
person is taken by the “roots” and moved?
4. Definitions
a. Integrate : to become a part or a member of
b. Carbon copy : an exact copy; the same as another
Discussion : Some people say, “When in Rome, do as the Romans
do.” Do you agree? Should people in a new culture try to retain
some of their own culture, or should they become just like the
“Roman”?

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Skimming : For General Information
To get the general idea of the reading that follows:
1. Read the titles and headings of the sections,
2. Read the first and last paragraphs of the readings.
From your skimming, answer the following:
1. Is cultural adjustment possible?
2. Does cultural adjustment vary among individuals?

Scanning : For Specific Information

To find specific information in the reading, look for clues such as
certain words and numbers. Scan the reading to find the answers to
the following:
1. Where is the list of questions to consider when thinking about
variations in people’s cultural adjustment?
2. Adjustment to life in another country is a complicated process.
The authors suggest that it can be a “shock” (a surprising,
confusing experience). What type of shock is it? Where do the
authors first introduce this concept?

Reading Text
Cross-Cultural Conflict and Adjustment

A Fish Out of Water

“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

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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”?
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

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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 adaptations to a
new country.
Unpredictable Cultural Adjustment
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. 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
new 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.
A Ride on a Roller Coaster
What happens to someone living in a different culture? The
experience can be like riding a roller coaster. People can

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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
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.
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.”
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.

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From Honeymoon to Culture Shock to Integration
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:
The “W” pattern of adjustment can also apply to longer stays
(including permanent one) 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 anything in the new culture. The newcomer is elated
to be experiencing a new culture. Interestingly, this level of
elation may not be reached again.
The Adjustment Process in a New Culture

A (1) (5)
d Honeymoon Period Acceptance &
j Integration
u
s
t (3)
m Initial
e Adjustment
n (2) (4)
t Culture Depression
Shock
Time

2. Culture shock : The individuals are immersed in new

problems: housing, transportation, employment, shopping, and
language. Mental fatigue results from continuously straining to
understand new language and culture.

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3. Initial adjustment : Everyday activities such as housing and
shopping are no longer major problems. The visitors may not yet
be fluent 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 image,
particularly if they have not been able to find job.
5. Acceptance and integration : A routine (e.g. work, business,
or school) has been established. The newcomers have been
accustomed to the habits, customs, foods, and characteristics of
the people in the new culture. They feel comfortable with friends,
associates, and the language in the new country.
Individuals experience the stages of adjustment in different
ways. Some people experience a “honeymoon” period because
the circumstances of their coming to the 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, marriage and cultural competence, support from family
and friends, financial situation – job status, and motivation for being
in the new country.
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 in their life. Change is easier
for some people than for others. Some people happen to be
experiencing a negative stage of adjustment; they are extremely
patient and let time do its work.

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 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.
To a certain extent, all of these reactions are normal, and, in a
healthy adjustment, should be relatively short-term. When the
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.”
One of the most important things a newcomer can do to
facilitate adjustment is to develop social relationships with people
from one’s own country, with 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.
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 differences cling even more
strongly to their own cultural traditions. Both giving up their own
culture and clinging to one’s traditions may be extreme behavior.
Studies on cross-cultural adjustment suggest that maintaining a

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balance between two cultural patterns of behavior and beliefs can
be helpful in the long term.
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” should not last forever.
Cultural Re-Entry Adjustment
A cultural readjustment process occurs when visitors return to
their native countries, although stages are usually shorter and less
intense than those of adjustment to a new culture. The following W-
shaped diagram illustrates reactions and emotions experienced
when people leave a foreign country and return to their own.
As in the diagram of the adjustment process in a new culture,
each stage in the reentry process is characterized by certain
symptoms and feelings:
1. Acceptance and integration: A routine has been established in
the new culture. The foreigner has accepted and is comfortable
with cultural differences.
2. Return anxiety : There may be confusion and
emotional pain about leaving because friendships will have to
be disrupted. Many people realize how much they have
changed because of their experiences and may be nervous
about going home.

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3. Return honeymoon : Immediately upon arrival in the
person’s home country, there is generally a great deal of
excitement. There are parties to welcome back the visitor, and
friendships are renewed.
4. Re-entry shock : Family and friends may not
understand or appreciate what the traveler has experienced.
The native country or city may have changed in the eyes of the
traveler.
5. Reintegration : The former traveler becomes fully
involved with friends, family, and activities, and once again feels
integrated in the society. At this stage many people realize the
positive and negative aspects of both countries, and have a
more balanced perspective about their experiences.
The “Re-entry Adjustment Process”
(1) Acceptance and (3) Return honeymoon (5) Re-integration in the
A integration in foreign in the native country native country
d culture
j
u
s
t
m
e
n
(2) Return anxiety in the (4) Re-entry shock in the
t
foreign culture native country

Time

Discussion
1. Do you know people who experienced “re-entry shock” when
they returned to their own country? Describe their experience.
2. In what ways is the re-entry adjustment cycle similar to the
process of cultural adjustment in a new culture? In what ways is it
different? Refer to the reading, if necessary.

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3. A refugee usually has no opportunity for “re-entry shock,” as most
cannot return to their countries of origin. Discuss how this
restriction may affect their cultural adjustment in comparison to
the adjustment of international students, business people, and
tourists.
Ethnocentrism and Adjustment
Ethnocentrism: the emotional attitude, often unconscious that one’s
own ethnic group, nation, or culture is superior to all others; that
one’s own cultural values and behavior are normal; and that other
cultural values and behavior are “strange.”
People can have difficulty adjusting to another culture for
many reasons. One of those reasons is ethnocentrism. When people
are ethnocentric, they cannot interpret cultural values and
behavior except through their own cultural perspective. Sometimes
people do not recognize that they appear ethnocentric to others.
One can, innocently say things that demonstrate a belief that “our
way is right,” or “my way is best.” For example, someone can say,
“In my country, children are much happier than in your country.”
How do you think the other person will respond or feel? The purpose
of the following activity is to show how ethnocentrism’s
communicated in language.
1. Read the following statements made by people from Levadel, a
fictitious country, and underline the words that convey
ethnocentric attitudes. Then, compare your answers with those
of the rest of the class.
a. Levadelians have been very generous in teaching other
people how to do things the right way.
b. Non-Levadelians do many things backwards.

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 c. Since the only true God is the one in the Levadel culture, all
other people’s Gods and religions are false.
d. Levadel has produced the best technology in the world;
therefore, it is a superior country.
e. Levadel is the best language for poetry.
f. In Levadel, people don’t talk in circles.
g. Minorities and foreigners in Levadel have to change their
ways so they become like the majority of Levadelians.
h. When world leaders learn to do things the way Levadelians
do, the world will be a better place.
2. In groups of three, choose two or three of the above statements
and revise the wording so that the sentences are no longer
ethnocentric. All group members must agree on the wording.
Share your revised sentences with the rest of the class.
Example:
Ethnocentric statement
Levadel has produced the finest works of art in the world.
Revised wording
Levadel has several superb artists who have produced well-
known works of art.

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