384 Pages
    by Routledge

    384 Pages
    by Routledge

    Crossing cultures can be a stimulating and rewarding adventure. It can also be a stressful and bewildering experience. This thoroughly revised and updated edition of Furnham and Bochner's classic Culture Shock (1986) examines the psychological and social processes involved in intercultural contact, including learning new culture-specific skills, managing stress and coping with an unfamiliar environment, changing cultural identities and enhancing intergroup relations. The book describes the ABCs of intercultural encounters, highlighting Affective, Behavioural and Cognitive components of cross-cultural experience. It incorporates both theoretical and applied perspectives on culture shock and a comprehensive review of empirical research on a variety of cross-cultural travellers, such as tourists, students, business travellers, immigrants and refugees. Minimising the adverse effects of culture shock, facilitating positive psychological outcomes and discussion of selection and training techniques for living and working abroad represent some of the practical issues covered.

    The Psychology of Culture Shock will prove an essential reference and textbook for courses within psychology, sociology and business training. It will also be a valuable resource for professionals working with culturally diverse populations and acculturating groups such as international students, immigrants or refugees.

    Foreword. Part I: The Psychology of Intercultural Contact. Introduction and Overview: Setting the Scene. Social Systems as Inputs, Throughputs and Outputs. Culture Contact within and between Societies. Intercultural Contact: Processes and Outcomes. Groups in Intercultural Contact. Dimensions of Intercultural Contact. Outcomes of Contact. Theoretical Perspectives on Intercultural Contact. Intercultural Contact and Adaptation. A Model of the Acculturation Process. Chapter Summary. Part II: Theoretical Approaches to Culture Shock. Culture Learning. Social Interaction. The Social Psychology of the Cross-cultural Encounter. Cross-cultural Differences in How People Communicate. Intercultural Communication Theory: Integrating the Communication Elements. Social Relations in Multicultural Societies. Cross-cultural Transition and Social Difficulty. Chapter Summary. Stress, Coping and Adjustment. The Stress and Coping Framework. Factors Affecting Stress, Coping and Adjustment. Social Identification Theories. Theoretical Perspectives. Identity, Acculturation and Intercultural Contact. Intergroup Perceptions and Relations. Social Identification Theories and Multicultural Ideology. Chapter Summary. Part III: Varieties of Culture Travellers. Tourists. The Tourist Experience. Tourism and Intercultural Contact. Chapter Summary. Sojourners: International Students. Historical Perspectives. Empirical Research on Student Sojourners. Chapter Summary. Sojourners: International Business People. Cultural Distance, Work Performance and Adaptation of Business Sojourners. Expatriate Adjustment. Women in International Management. Repatriation and Inpatriation. Chapter Summary. Immigrants. Social and Political Influences on Immigrant Acculturation. Migrant Adaptation. Perspectives on Immigrant Youth. Chapter Summary. Refugees. Refugee Status and Mental Health. Pre- and Post-Migration Experiences and Adjustment over Time. Stress, Coping and Adjustment. Acculturation, Identity and Intercultural Relations. Chapter Summary. Part IV: Applications and Conclusions. Culture Training. Training Principles, Issues and Aims. Cross-cultural Preparation in Historical Perspective. Sojourner Training. Training for Multicultural Living. Chapter Summary. Conclusion. The ABCs of Culture Shock. Intercultural Interactions: Then and Now. The Future. Final Remarks. References.

    Biography

    Colleen Ward, Stephen Bochner, Adrian Furnham