Culture shock - Definition and Overview

Culture shock is a term used to describe the anxiety and feelings (of surprise, disorientation, confusion, etc.) felt by an individual caused by coming into contact with an entirely different environment, such as a different country. It often relates to the inability to assimilate the new culture, causing difficulty in knowing what is appropriate and what is not. Often this is combined with strong disgust (morally or aesthetically) about certain aspects of the foreign culture.

This feeling often becomes noticeable and strong after the first few weeks of being submerged in a foreign culture, following a honeymoon phase.

The term was introduced for the first time in 1954 by Kalvero Oberg

Culture shock has its own common symptoms and stages.

See also

• Future shock
• Outside Context Problem
• Youth exchange

External links

• Culture shock definition on San Diego University (http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/CGuanipa/cultshok.htm)

• Culture shock term credited to Oberg (http://oregonstate.edu/dept/anthropology/fragments/2001/kalervo_award.htm)