Happily Ever Aftershock?
A Journey from Reverse Culture
Shock to New Identity
Elaine Capella, Anthropology, International
Studies, French Minor
Thesis Mentor: David McMurray, Ph.D.,
Anthropology
Studying Abroad
Research Goals
• Overview the existing cross-cultural
adjustment models for study abroad students
• Highlight the importance of studying reverse
culture shock
• Submit my own model to illustrate the
transitional process
THE U-CURVE
The generic U-Curve pattern of adjustment (Modified from Lysgaard, 1955).
THE W-CURVE
W-Curve: Stages of Transition Shock (Modified from Gullahorn and Gullahorn, 1963).
W-CURVE VARIATION
W-Curve Variation Model (Adapted from Gullahorn and Gullahorn, 1963, modified from
http://www.iesabroad.org).
L’Auberge Espagnole
Xavier realizes his identity is made up of a combination of different cultures (1:56:51)
Home and Family
Coping Mechanisms
Methods
• Literature Review
• Inspiration from Peter Adler’s (1975)
“Transitional Experience”
– Contact – Disintegration – Reintegration –
Autonomy – Independence (p. 16-18)
• Critique against Berardo (2007) four
considerations
Results
The Birth of a Model:
The Acculturation Model
Trial I: Berardo’s Four Considerations
• 1. Emphasize the ‘why’ of adjustment
challenges, not just the ‘what.’
• 2. Avoid the ‘stage’ approach of emotional
adjustment.
• 3. Hold with the complexity of adjustment and
allow for non-universal reactions to being
abroad.
• 4. Cater to various learning styles and needs.
(2007, p. 11-12)
Discussion/Analysis
• What should study abroad students be striving
for?
• Reintegration?
• No!
• Embracing one’s new identity!!
Other Representations
Integration Representation (Maria Foley, 2012)
“The Real Culture Shock Curve” (MelStarKicker, 2014)
Culture Shocks: Number and Frequency (Allison McCue,
2013)
Conclusion
• Limitations
– Lack of published research
– Addressing a target audience
– Choice to omit smaller phases
• Future Study
– Testing my model against pre-existing ones
– Looking further into “New Identity”
“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to
mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.”
– Henri Bergson, French philosopher
Acknowledgements
I would like to extend my sincerest thanks and
appreciation to my thesis support system,
especially:
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David McMurray
Nick Fleury
Sarah Cunningham
Tavia Mendez
Theresa Cuenca
My family/friends
Without you all, I couldn’t have done it!
References
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Questions?