This section will help you to identify the phases of Culture Shock using a video to explain the ‘V-curve’.

Defining Culture Shock

There are many definitions for the concept of culture shock. These are two definitions that are used in the DigiPass context:

“Anxiety that results from losing all of our familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse” (Oberg, 1960)

Culture shock is primarily a set of emotional reactions to the loss of perceptual reinforcements from one's own culture, to new cultural stimuli which have little or no meaning, and to the misunderstanding of new and diverse experiences. It may encompass feelings of helplessness, irritability, and fears of being cheated, contaminated, injured or disregarded.” (Adler, 1975)

Culture shock and you

While studying abroad in another country you will experience many intercultural encounters – you will meet many people from your host country but also people from other countries, who, just like you, decided to undertake a study abroad program.

You will all speak different languages, represent different cultures, religions, and habits. It is a great opportunity, and you should take as much as you can from this variety because every intercultural encounter is a chance to learn about different cultures and about ourselves. Very often we are not aware of how much we are shaped by our culture. We assume that cultural rules – the ways people greet, talk about themselves, think of others, treat men and women, show their respect or lack of respect - should be similar everywhere all over the world… and in fact we think that the proper way to do something is the way we have learned from living in our cultural environment. This is natural because we all suffer from culture blindness.

Watch this video, in which DigiPass student ambassador Elena talks about her experience with culture shock. She speaks about the emotions that came up and how she eventually learnt to deal with culture shock.

Study abroad is a rollercoaster: the V-curve

This video visualizes the ups and downs that can come along with a study abroad experience. Watch the video and try to match each part of the video with the diagram below.

"The phases of Culture Shock" - Marvin Nyenyezi (Link)

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