Culture Adaptation Definition Concept

2.  Definition:
 The definition of an adaptation is a change or
adjustment to improve something, or to make it
suitable to a different situation
 The ability to adjust to new information and
experiences
 An adaptation is a rearrangement or alteration
of anything
 An adaptation is a process of adapting to fit a
change environment or situation
 Through adaptation, we are able to adopt
new behaviors that allow us to cope with
change

3.  Cultural adaptation is a relatively new
concept used to define the specific capacity
of human beings and human societies to
overcome changes of their natural and social
environment by modifications to their
culture

4.  Adjusting to a new culture is a normal
process – everyone must do it.
 Each individual experiences it a little bit
differently
 It produces a wide variety of reactions and
feelings
 It does normally follow certain stages
 Not everyone experiences every stage
 Even those who do experience them all may
not do so in the same order, within the same
time frame, or to the same degree.

5.  Adapting to different food.
 Adapting to different language,
 Adapting to what is polite and not polite in
another culture.
 Adapting to another either hotter or colder
climate.
 Learning the social good manners of another
culture.
 Learning to appreciate a different sense of
humor.

6.  Adaptation is the change in living organisms
that allow them to live successfully in an
environment.
 Adaptations enable living organisms to cope
with environmental stresses and pressures

7.  According to Cultural Adaptation Theory you must learn
everything like a child with an adult mind.
 You must learn how to eat, how to dress, how to speak a new
language, how to interact in social settings, and understand
various other cultural norms.
 You not only have to learn about this new culture, but you must
also be able to live and function within it. This process of
adjusting to a new culture is called cultural adaptation
 It is not always an easy change. How would you feel if you could
no longer read signs because they were in a different language?
 What would you do if the clothes you owned were considered
unacceptable to wear in public because people of your gender
dress differently there?
 A person that is being introduced into a new culture can feel a
variety of different sensations. For example, one may feel
frustrated because she or he cannot communicate or become
angry because certain cultural norms do not make sense. In some
cultures, spitting in public is considered bad manners.

8.  We can determine four factors as influential in
determining the stages in an individual’s culture
adaptation process.
 1. The length of time an individual spend in or
in contact with a second culture
 2. The preparation a person has in term of the
language and the amount of knowledge about
the second culture
 3. Expectation of the individual about life in the
second culture (i.e., goal they want to achieve)
 4. The person communication skills consisting of
both verbal and nonverbal capabilities in order
to interact with people of the second culture

9.  Winkelman's (1994) four stages of cultural
adaptation
 Honeymoon phase.
 Crisis period (culture shock).
 Adjustment phase.
 Acceptance and Adaptation phase.

10.  STAGE 1: The Initial /Excitement stage
 Usually the first stage
 Everything seems exciting and new
 There is a high
 Most people feel energetic, enthusiastic, and
positive during this stage
 Excitement with new sounds, sights, smells.
 external involvement in the host culture (like a
tourist).
 Lots of interest in learning, very motivated and
cooperative.
 You feel as if you will be able to handle
anything—“I am not going to have any problems
adjusting!”

11.  This is where excitement turns to disappointment and there are more and more
differences that occur.
 Uncertainty about how to interact with people in authority
 Unclear ideas about how to make friends with people from the new culture
 Doubts about how to date people from the new or other cultures
 Difficulty communicating in the usual way
 Distaste for local foods
 Discovering differences in the educational system and classroom etiquette
 Disappointment that people in the new culture may become impatient when you do
not immediately understand things
 Finding that some people in the new culture are simply prejudiced against people
who are not like them The Positive Expat
 Problems start to be overwhelming and irritating and may use the "fight-back"
technique by saying rude remarks or making jokes.
 The originality of the new culture has worn out off, and you now focus primarily on
the differences between the new culture and your home culture
 Small differences feel like major catastrophe.
 You become overly concerned with and stressed out by problems and feel helpless
and frustrated
 You are homesick. You miss your friends and family

12.  Homesickness you may begin to struggle with
Anger your own values, habits, and
 Helplessness
 Fear for your safety
 Confusion about which values you should
choose
 Uncertainty about whether to stay or return
home

13.  Adjustment phase.
 This is where they learn to accept the culture and to change their negative attitude
to a positive one
 You are becoming more familiar with the new culture and its “logic” and values.
 Cultural cues become easier to read.
 After spending more time in Your new culture, You begin to resolve some of Your
internal conflicts and to regain a sense of appreciation was experienced in the first
stage.
 During this stage your feelings are generally a mix of those experienced in the first
two stages.
 You feel more comfortable and less isolated, and you even begin to prefer some
aspects of the new culture to your home culture.
 You feel like “As long as I am here, I should make the most of it.”
 Your sense of humor returns. You are able to laugh at certain ways of doing things
that previously just annoyed you and even to laugh at yourself from time to time.
 Since you are past the initial, emotional stages of cultural adjustment, you can now
enter a stage of “deeper learning.”
 You begin to see a large number of approaches to your life abroad and to question
some of your assumptions about the world.
 This can be both exciting and frightening.

14.  Acceptance and Adaptation phase.
 This is where they will feel at home and become involved in activities
and may enjoy some of that countries customs
 During this stage You will develop a more realistic understanding of both
the similarities and the differences between Your home culture and Your
new culture and will gain clearer ideas about what You like and dislike in
each.
 Many people move in the direction of becoming “bicultural” – being able
to value and appreciate aspects of both cultures that they wish to retain
or include in their lives.
 This stage may be characterized by a sense of confidence, maturity,
flexibility and tolerance.
 The “new” culture is no longer new; instead, the “foreign” country you
live in now feels like another home.
 The aspects of the culture that are different from the U.S. no longer
affect you in a negative way.
 You are able to live and work to your full potential.
 Just like you do in the U.S., you appreciate certain aspects of the foreign
culture and are critical of others.

15.  Personal Supports: Understand the stages of
cultural adjustment.
 Analyze your situations and reactions; be
flexible; tolerate ambiguity; expect things to
be different.
 Be patient; don’t try to understand
everything immediately; identify what helps
you manage stress.
 Identify ways of thinking positively; foster
your sense of humor; don’t take things too
seriously; give yourself permission to fail.
 Investigate facts.

16.  Identify your sources of support (program
staff, other participants, friends and family
at home, academic advisers, etc.) and the
types of support that each can best offer
 Plan in advance how you will keep in contact
with family and friends
 Don’t isolate yourself! Seek out friends and
groups that share your interests and can
facilitate your participation in social circles.

17.  Eat in a healthy way and get plenty of rest.
 Find safe and fun ways to exercise on a
regular basis
 Bring a sufficient supply of necessary
medications
 Don’t forget to bring “can’t live without”
toiletries with you!