6.1: Chapter Resources

Activities

The Fish Can’t See the Water

There is a saying, ​ask a fish about the water they swim in, and they'll look at you blankly. The fish is so IN the water that they can’t see it or describe it. It’s all they know; the fish doesn’t know anything else; how can one describe something when it is all there is? For humans, culture is the water. We are so IN our culture that we don’t know anything else. It is not until we leave our culture for another that we can begin to see what has surrounded us the whole time.

Chapter 6.1 describes it this way “When a person moves to a cultural environment that is different than their own, they often experience personal disorientation called culture shock. Culture shock refers to the anxiety and discomfort we feel when moving from a familiar environment to an unfamiliar one.” This activity has students reflect upon the dominant US culture through the eyes of those who have experienced culture shock when coming to the United States. Listening to these experiences lets us see our own culture in a new light and explore things that we take for granted.

Student Activity: Share one of the following lists with students:

• 23 Things That Are Considered 'Normal' in The US But That The Rest of The World Finds Weird, Jessica Booth, The Insider, May 3, 2021
• 31 Things Americans Think Are Normal, But Are Actually Reeealllyyy Weird, Kat Pickhardt, Buzzfeed, September 19, 2021.
• 25 Things The World Finds Strange About America (That Even We Question), Lili Morwood, The Travel, December 8, 2018.

Investigation:

1. Do these things seem normal to you? Why or why not?
2. Did any of the things on the list strike you as odd? Why?
3. Have you ever stopped to wonder why these things are ‘normal’ in the US? Were you aware that they weren’t in many other parts of the world?
4. Why does it take someone from outside the dominant culture to point these things out?
5. Now that they have been brought to your attention are there ones that you agree are weird? Would you be willing to change them in your own practice or in the larger culture?
6. Are there ones that you think should stay? How would you convince others about these?

Motivational Orientation

“Research suggests that nearly everybody who enters a new culture will experience some form of culture shock, but not everybody experiences culture shock the same way. How long culture shock lasts and the degree to which it is felt will vary according to several underlying factors. One of the most important factors is motivational orientation” (Section 6.1: Underlying Factors).

Those who have a high motivational orientation are more inclined to travel willingly and are excited to explore new cultures. These individuals may describe themselves as having wanderlust or the desire to explore the world through work, vacation, study abroad, etc.

Student Activity: Have students begin by rating their own motivational orientation on a scale of 1-10? Ask them to identify what evidence they would point to in order to support this claim (e.g. How much have they traveled from where they were raised? Have they been abroad? Do they want to study abroad? Do they visit culturally diverse areas (Chinatown, Little Saigon) in their current location? Once they have thought about their own motivational orientation, have them explore general trends in the US. What kind of data might we examine to get a sense of Americans’ motivational levels?

• Study Abroad Participation by State
• Share of Americans Holding a Passport
• Percentage of Americans Who Never Traveled Beyond the State Where They Were Born.
• The Geography of America’s Mobile and ‘Stuck,’ Mapped.

Investigation:

1. Based on the data that you examined, where would put US motivational orientation on a scale from 1-10.
2. How does your personal perception compare to the general data that you explored?
3. What factors do you think contribute to the data about Americans generally? Can we say that this is a reflection of motivation or are there extenuating circumstances that may hinder someone who is highly motivated?
4. Do you think the US values travel and specifically travel abroad to different cultures?
5. What could we do to help motivate people to seek out new cultural experiences?

Hello

In initial interactions communication plays a pivotal role in first impressions. As we learned in Chapter 5 nonverbal communication means we cannot not communicate because our very existence communicates, how we dress, how we present ourselves, etc. is all communication. When we first meet someone we will most likely engage in a greeting. This greeting is as much nonverbal as it is verbal (Chapter 4). Yet greeting behaviors are not universal; they vary from culture to culture and they can be one of the first things we notice when we explore a new culture. Culture shock happens in part because our way of doing things is not the same.

This activity has students explore this idea when it comes to greeting behaviors across cultures. In some cultures, a kiss is best. In others, a hug or handshake is preferred. In others, just saying “Hi” without any physical contact is safest. How we greet depends not just on culture but also on context. Who are you greeting, are you, strangers, coworkers, friends? The relational context (section 1.3: Communication Meets Needs) also influences our greeting behavior and what is appropriate.

Student Activity: Ask students what are some typical verbal greetings that they are familiar with. In English, this might include: hello, hi, hey, how are you, how’s it going? These tend to be relatively informal, how would you change the verbal greeting in a more formal environment? In addition to the verbal, greetings are also nonverbal. Again, in English speakers, this usually means a handshake, a wave, or a hug if you know the person. What other kinds of physical greetings might you encounter?

Once you have discussed the kinds of verbal and nonverbal greeting behaviors you might encounter you can have students practice different variations. This portion of the activity can be done in pairs, groups, or as the whole class. Give each student/pair/group a specific greeting and have them interact with each other.

• Nose Bump
  • Bring your nose in for a few friendly taps with theirs.
• Air Kiss (cheek)
  • In Argentina, Chile, Peru, Mexico, São Paulo (Brazil) and Colombia, one air kiss is standard, whereas in Spain, Portugal, Paraguay, Italy, and cities like Paris and Québec, it’s two. In Russia and Ukraine, three is the norm, and in some parts of France, it’s up to four air kisses on alternating cheeks
• Hand Shake
  • In some countries, handshakes only involve the right hand because the left is considered unclean.
  • Some countries expect a firm grip while others prefer a lighter touch.
• Clap your hands
  • An evening greeting in Zimbabwe involves hand clapping. Men clap hello and goodbye with their flat hands while women traditionally cup their hands. A few quick claps can also mean “thank you.”
• Hand to heart
  • Take the opposite person’s hands lightly in yours. Then, release the other person’s hands and bring your own hands to your chest and nod slightly to symbolize goodwill and an open heart.
• Bow
  • Press your palms together in an upward-pointing prayer position at heart level or higher, then bend your head slightly forward to take a bow.

Investigation:

1. How comfortable were you with the greeting assigned?
2. How did others react when you went to initiate a greeting with your assigned gesture?
3. When two parties meet and attempt to greet each other using different verbal and nonverbal behaviors what should they do?
4. Does one party have more of an obligation to change?
5. How does the uncomfortableness of engaging in behaviors that others might not be expecting help us understand culture shock?

Discussion Questions

1. Imagine you will be moving to [you can provide a specific country here or simply say abroad and have students choose] for an extended period of time, it could be to study, or for a job, or simply to travel. Using the discussion from section 6.2 on Tips for Managing Culture Shock lay out what you would do to prepare. Explain the general advice provided in the text and then explain how you would specifically go about doing it for your trip.
2. When people immigrate or travel to the United States it can be a difficult experience to find their place and navigate all of the differences between the culture they left and the one they now find themselves in. One factor that influences their degree of culture shock is sociocultural adjustment, which refers to the ability of the travel to fit in and interact with members of the host culture. In section 6.1 (Introduction to Culture Shock) you learned about several different attitudes (retreatism, resistance, revitalization) that hosts can have towards newcomers. Explain the different attitudes. As a member of the host culture, how do you think you would react? What specific behaviors would you engage in that would help demonstrate this attitude?

Supplemental Materials

Why We Need to Embrace Culture Shock, Kristofer Gilmour, TED Talk

The newness and unknown of cultures other than what we are already familiar with can be daunting. Moving from a mental place of culture shock to ‘culture comfort’ involves a process of three steps we each can follow in our own time and in our own ways; 1) Flâneurie (or wandering while wondering), 2) Embrace the space around us and 3) Reflection on our actions and activities.

Culture Shock: the Educational Adventure, Shiyi Ji, TED Talk

As an international student studying in America, Shiyi has experienced the highs, lows, and everything in between. Her new life has challenged her but she has grown so much and learned so much about herself. In this passionate talk, Shiyi shares her story, and the true experiences of culture shock, and encourages others to study abroad.

Culture Shock + Compassion = Community, Ibrahima Sow, TED Talk

Coming to the United States at a young age, Ibrahima Sow endured a number of experiences that qualified as culture shock. Navigating his way in this new world, he met each challenge with heart and courage all the while determined to maintain his identity. What he learned is something that we can all benefit from; when culture shock is met with compassion, it can create a vibrant and strong community.

Reverse Culture Shock, US Department of State

This section will discuss reverse culture shock -- the psychological, emotional, and cultural aspects of reentry. While the phenomenon of culture shock is increasingly well known (and relatively well prepared for in the foreign affairs community), reverse culture shock is not as recognized and understood. This is due in part to the fact that people are returning home. So why should "returning home" result in culture shock?

Culture Shock, Virginia Tech, Global Education Office

This website provides information on culture shock, including what it is, stages, symptoms, and strategies for dealing with it.