What is Missing When We Talk About Culture Shock?
Culture shock is usually defined as...
“A feeling of disorientation, confusion, or anxiety experienced by someone who is subjected to an unfamiliar culture.”
It’s experienced by living in another country, by working with those from abroad, or even just by being surrounded by people different than you. For those of us who travel and work internationally, it’s a familiar experience that is par for the course.
Over the years, many have wanted to avoid using the word "shock" - citing that it's perhaps too strong of a word or too severe to describe what someone is going through when adjusting to a new culture. I would agree....to an extent.
When most speak of culture shock, they often only speak of the differences one encounters - differences in language, customs, protocols, etc. So maybe using the word "shock" to describe such differences is too strong of a word... BUT, culture shock is more than just comparative differences. Discussions on culture shock often miss 2 key components - components that can definitely be shocking to many.
Don't get me wrong though. There needs to be a discussion around basic differences - how meetings are run in Johannesburg, how to communicate with your team in Seoul, how to negotiate in Paris, how to take out the recycling in Switzerland. These differences add up and cause frustration while in the new culture. Throw in a language barrier, and it is information overload.
But this isn't the whole story of culture shock.
Before I get to what's missing in the discussion on culture shock, let me review the various stages of culture shock, as well as tips for managing any "shock."
Culture shock has been broken down into the following stages to illustrate the ups and downs of adjustment.
The most common stages of culture shock are:
Individuals may experience each stage differently and at different times. Sometimes you go forward, then back, then forward again. There's no one set way to go through culture shock. However you experience it, it's a normal part of immersing yourself into another culture.
Common tips for managing culture shock include:
While the above stages and tips do a very good job of explaining what a person may go through and what they can do about it, there’s no real explanation of WHY someone may go through this cycle (other than encountering differences).
Most information out there on culture shock misses the mark and omits 2 very important components:
Identity Construction
Reality Construction
Without discussing these two ideas, it’s nearly impossible to give people the proper tools to work through what they are experiencing.
Let’s first talk about Identity Construction.
Identity can be a tricky thing. It is fluid and malleable. The creation of one's identity is shaped by her values & beliefs and by her surroundings. However, identity is more than just how you think, what you value, what makes you tick; It delves into more personal aspects - gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, race, religion. You've been YOU your entire life. But when put into a completely different culture, you may start to question your own identity. An old classmate of mine from Mexico recounts the time when she first moved to the US and learned she was "Latina." Identity is a socially constructed concept, so your identity may not make sense (or feel the same) in another society or culture. Your identity may transform in another culture, and this can certainly be quite a shock!
Reality Construction is the second component of Culture Shock that is usually left out.
Reality is also a social construct that differs from culture to culture. When you have believed a specific set of rules to be true your whole life, it can be shocking to discover that others do not share that same reality. Even if you understand how your reality differs from the new reality, how do you go about "entering" (or becoming part of) a new reality? How can you change your idea of reality overnight? How can you construct a new reality when you've believed in your own reality for so long? It’s not that easy. It takes time and lots of patience.
Identity construction and reality construction must be included in the conversations on culture shock if we are truly going to help people thrive abroad. In fact, I think we should come up with a new definition of Culture Shock - one that incorporates these two elements. What about the following?
"Culture shock is the way in which an individual reconfirms her own identity and reality in the face of a new social environment."
What do you think? Should we change the word "shock" or get rid of the phrase "culture shock" altogether? Or should we perhaps change the definition?
What aspects of culture shock do you think are missing from the conversation?
Contact me at hello@nicolebarile.com to learn more about working across cultures, or visit me here. #futureofglobalwork