An investigation into culture shock in international students studying at ICP - 5000 words Dissertation

Experiences of Cultural Shock among International Students at ICP: A Research Study

Dive into a research paper exploring the experiences of cultural shock among international students at ICP. Discover the major themes of interaction with teachers, classmates, and academic tasks. Explore the hypothesis that Asian and Middle Eastern students at ICP are more prone to cultural shock, supported by findings related to power distance and social mentality.

Keywords:

1. Cultural shock among international students

2. Experiences of international students at ICP

3. Themes of cultural shock

4. Interaction with teachers and cultural shock

5. Interaction with classmates and cultural shock

6. Dealing with academic tasks and cultural shock

7. Hypothesis on cultural shock among international students

8. Asian and Middle Eastern students and cultural shock

9. Power distance and cultural shock

10. Social mentality and cultural shock

Abstract

This research paper explores the experiences of cultural shock among the International students of ICP. The findings of the research suggests that the international students at ICP encounter experiences of cultural shock following three major themes. These are interaction with teachers, interaction with classmates and dealing with academic and organisational tasks. The main hypothesis of the research is,International students of ICP coming from Asian and Middle Eastern countries are more prone to cultural shock than the international students from other countries, which is approved by the findings. Differences in power distance and in social mentality (i.e. collectivist vs individualist) are found to be the main reason behind this inference. 

Contents

• Abstract    
• Introduction:    
• Research aims and objectives:    
• Hypothesis:    
• Literature review:    
• Methodology:    
• Analysis and discussion:    
• Reflexive account:    
• Conclusion:    
• References:    

Introduction:

Tarry (2011) inferred that that going abroad to study could induce the effect of transforming cultures. Language plays an important role in this process. However, along with having to learn in a foreign language, the international students are often faced with religious and cultural taboos in regards to social behavior, sexual mores, gender relations, social rules and lifestyles. Because of such challenges, a potential for conflict and disruption in the life of these international students is observed. Zhou et al. (2008) argues that facing a new culture can have both positive and negative effects. International students can get enlightened by gaining deeper insight into the culture of the host country, which could heighten self awareness and enhance appreciation for foreign cultures. On the other hand, these students can experience cultural shock where their deep-rooted beliefs and perspectives are challenged, which in turn could threaten their sense of identity. Under such circumstances, the sense of well-being of international students could also be threatened (Forbes-Mewett & Nyland, 2008). 

This study aims to identify how the international students at ICP experience cultural shock. The findings will help understand the underlying causes and will help formulate potential solutions to the detrimental effects of cultural shock. 

Research aims and objectives:

This study aims to identify how the international students of ICP (International College of Portsmouth) experience cultural shock. The research will explore themes and patterns by analyzing the experiences of the students. 

Objectives:

The research objectives are as follows:

1. To analyze the experiences of cultural shock among international students of ICP to identify certain patterns.

2. To determine which nationality of ICP students experiences cultural shock more significantly. 

3. To explore the underlying factors that contribute to the experiences of cultural shock among the international students of ICP. 

4. To recommend ways in which detrimental effects of cultural shock can be reduced among the students of ICP. 

Research questions:

1. To what extent are international, students of ICP are affected by the varying culture in the UK?

2.  What are the underlying factors that instigate cultural shock among the international students of ICP and how do they cope with it?

Hypothesis:

International students of ICP coming from Asian and Middle Eastern countries are more prone to cultural shock than the international students from other countries. 

Literature review:

As Devito (2019) infers, cultural shock can often act as the first step towards developing cultural beliefs in an individuals. Either the individuals could get a fresh perspective on their own culture, which might lead them to respect their own culture and heritage more, or the new perspective could also enable harmonious assimilation of the existing culture with the new cultural experiences. These changes occur through the stages of crisis, recovery and adjustment (which are the stages of cultural adjustment, the first of which is the honeymoon phase). Alternatively, cultural shock can also induce a ‘fight or flight’ response where the international students either thrive to stay safe from any psychological harm or abandon the culture altogether. 

According to Maslow’s need hierarchy, there are five distinct needs of human beings.  These are physiological needs, safety and security needs, love and acceptance, self-esteem, and self actualisation. It has been inferred that while the lower level needs i.e. physiological needs, safety and security, love and acceptance may be common across all cultures, the higher level needs might not be applicable to collectivist cultures. This is because in collectivist cultures the higher level needs are related more to the interactions of individuals to different social networks. In simpler terms, in collectivist cultures, the higher level needs tend to be defined as the contribution of individuals for the furtherance of group needs rather than the furtherance of their own needs. In individualist cultures, the contributions of individuals sets them apart from the masses which facilitates the fulfillment of higher level needs (Gambrel & Cianci, 2003). When international students coming from collectivist cultures encounter the norms posed by individualistic culture, then their practices and beliefs are often deemed inappropriate and unnecessary which is one of the major contributors to cultural shock. As a result of these, international students might often struggle to fulfill higher level needs and in some cases the fulfillment of lower level needs might also be obstructed.

Hofstede’s cultural dichotomy model reveals some major differences between eastern and western culture, mainly by using the collectivist and individualist dimensions and the large power distance and small power distance dimensions (Hofstede et al., 2005). It was found that these two dimensions had the most profound effects on individuals when it came to cultural conflict. The power distance dimensions signifies the extent to which the members of any particular society accepts that the power in institutions and organizations are distributed unequally. IN simpler terms, power distance defines how lower ranking individuals react to higher ranking individuals in any particular organization or institution. In a society with low power distance, lower ranking individuals are usually not very concerned when they are around higher-ranking individual. However, in a society with high power distance, the lower ranking individuals show adequate respect to the authority of higher-ranking individuals. On this note, Dyson et al., (2008) found that, when international students from Asian countries come to UK, the first aspect they are conflicted with, is the relationship of the native students with the teachers. As UK is a country scoring low in the power distance index, the Asian students find it difficult to adjust to the existent norms. In some cases, the practices that adhere to high power distance societies are quite alien and confusing to UK nationals, which often subjects the Asian students to social embarrassments. 

According to Chung (2018) cultural shock encompasses the feeling of uncertainty, anxiety or confusion that individuals experience when they move to a society with a different culture than their native one. While cultural shock can set in any time an individual visits a different society, it is most profound when an individual moves to a new country for studying or settling down. Hence, Students who migrate overseas are usually affected by cultural shock. According Ward et al. (2020) the ABC model of cultural shock explains three dimensions of human experience when faced by a new culture. The Affective dimension refers to disorientation, bewilderment, confusion while experiencing, and different culture. The behavioral dimension refers to the confusion towards the behavior of others in the new culture. The cognitive dimension refers to the incapacity of understanding the bizarre social experiences. Due to cultural shock, it becomes difficult, especially for students, to adapt to the new dynamics, which in turn severely affects their academic life. Prince (2015) adds that, cultural shock affects mental health of students, which can often deteriorate their overall well-being. Along with sliding grades, and deteriorating health, students might find themselves incapable of coping with the changes, and give up on their academic aspirations altogether. Even though such instances are quite rare, the effects of cultural shock should not be overlooked as suggested by the author. 

As Jingfan et al. (2019) suggests, cultural shock is a result of clash between the worldviews, values and behaviors of internal culture. In addition, values, language, gestures with new meanings, dissimilar social customs, loss of reinforces like music and food, and lastly identity crisis, are also contributors to cultural shock. Wu et al. (2015) argues that, the interaction between the individual and the new culture has more profound influence inducing cultural shock than the new culture itself. The authors also add that, the detachment of the individual from the old culture and his/her inability to experience the elements of the native culture contributes to cultural shock as well. On the other side of the spectrum, cultural shock could bring about positive outcomes as suggested by Salisbury et al. (2013). Students can develop a “thicker skin” which could help them endure more adversities down the line. Moreover, they will be indirectly forced to learn the new language for blending in. Once an individual is able to overcome the cultural shock, the opportunities of expanding their social and professional circles, expand. Adapting to the environment while facing crises could lead to the improvement of individual communication and social skills that could help them cope with future challenges better. 

Mesidor & Sly (2016) have identified some common symptoms of cultural shock that are observed among international students. First, students experiencing cultural shock always seem to need help. No matter how skilled or knowledgeable they are, they always seem to doubt their abilities because everything they know seems to be invalid in the new environment. Second, due to the peer pressure to adapt to the new culture, international students can often find themselves alone and avoid social gatherings. What starts as a symptom of cultural shock can often lead to introversion and complex disorders associated with eating and sleeping. Mizuno (2012) adds that international students often feel homesick as they crave their native culture and its elements. Due to this homesickness lingering constantly on the back of their mind, it becomes difficult for them to concentrate. Moreover, the author suggests that the individual becomes resentful towards the people from the new culture. As a result, it becomes difficult for them to build social relationships and blend in. 

Wenhua & Zhe (2013) found that in the UK, students form Asia and other developing countries faced more difficulties than students from western European countries did. This is because, the cultural differences between UK (a developed country) and other developing countries are much more intense than that with European countries. As a result, European students find themselves more at home when they come to study in the UK, compared to Asian students. The authors also added that, in regards to academic progression foreign students also faced problem due to cultural differences. To begin with the academic culture is vastly different from their native one, especially for Asian students. As a result, the students found it difficult to adjust with the culture and the language barriers worsened the situation. They also found the library structure and services to be a bit overwhelming. All these contribute to academic incompetence. These drawbacks coupled with cultural fatigue, where students are overwhelmed due to receiving and processing loads of cultural information within a very short time, increases the chances of deteriorating their academic progress further. 

Wu & Hammond (2011) has identified some cultural shocks that most international students coming to the UK experience. First, the people here are very polite and the norm is to apologize and show gratitude at any opportunity they get. Such practices are not normal in Asian countries. Secondly, consumption of alcohol is a common practice among UK students. In most Asian countries, alcohol has a very bad image. Newsome & Cooper (2016) added that in the UK, the culture is very individualistic as a result, individuals rarely talk about their feelings. As a result, it is often difficult to get to know somebody on a personal level, which produces social barriers between international students and native UK students. Moreover, the author also suggests that the international students who have false assumptions about the host culture, especially in regards to its similarity to their original culture, have a harder time adjusting to the host culture. The adjustment process becomes more challenging when the students have unrealistic expectations about themselves and family. The students who do not hold preconceived notions are less likely to attract stress than the ones who do hold preconceived notions (Sovic, 2008). 

Ramsay et al. (2007) suggests that in order for international students to survive in an alien host culture, social support is the key ingredient. Social support is primarily defined by the access to friends and family members in times of crisis or need who could help nurture a positive self –image. Scanlon et al. (2007) adds that inadequate social support could increase the chances of dropping out due to the severe mental stress exerted upon students. As students go through several detrimental experiences along with cultural shock, like racism and insecurity, it is of utmost importance that they have a social group with whom these experiences can be shared and who can help them cope with these experiences. On the other hand, Zhang & Brunton (2007) found that the international students who primarily came from collectivist societies, had difficulty coping with individualistic culture and experienced loneliness. As a result, they were not able to form a social group who would be able to support them through the bad experiences. This affected their mental health and in turn had a severe effect on their academics. 

Sawir et al. (2008) found that international students were often alienated, confused and bewildered as they had unpredictable encounters when they presented themselves as foreigners. In addition, the host nationals are usually oblivious to the culture and practices of the international students, which makes it difficult for the international students to establish new social contacts which makes them feel more isolated and alienated. The authors also stated that the international students are caught in a “limbo status' ' they cannot identify themselves as insiders or outsiders, but just as temporary foreigners. As a result, they are demotivated to formulate social relationships with the host nationals and avoid any discomfort that might arise from conflicting cultures. 

Methodology:

Research method:

The research undertakes a qualitative approach where the responses of respective students are analyzed from different perspectives to determine common themes and patterns that could be applicable to a broader population. To accomplish this, the study utilizes one-on-one interview method. Using an interview schedule containing open ended questions the one-on-one interviews will been conducted. The open-ended question, allows the respondents to provide in depth explanations of their experiences, which helps in the qualitative analysis from multiple perspectives. 

The interviews are recorded electronically and the key points and major information are accumulated, coded and analyzed for reaching the results. The emotional aspects of the responses were deliberately identified and kept aside while presenting the data, in order to keep the findings free of biases. This helps present the data as it is.

Sample size:

ICP has a total of 25,000 students. Among them around 5,000 are overseas students from over 150 countries. As the study focuses on the international students of ICP only, the theoretical population for this research is 5,000. Among these 5,000 students, the study acquires information from 20 overseas students, which is the sample size for this study. 

Sampling strategy:

The respondents who have just started studying at ICP and are in their first year of education are not allowed to take part in the study. 20 participants will be chosen at random from the remaining number of international students. Among the 20 students 5 European, 5 African, 5 Asian and 5 American students will be selected. Hence, the study follows a stratified random sampling method. 

Exclusion criteria:

As the study uses a stratified random sampling strategy, all approved students will have equal opportunity to become participants. However, there is one exclusion criteria that has been determined to maintain the relevance of information required to answer the research questions. 

Students in their first year of study will not be allowed to participate in the study. This is because, though the students in their first year experience different forms of cultural shock, they are usually not able or willing to express their feelings. Therefore, if the responses of first year students and other students who have experienced cultural shock for years are analyzed simultaneously, a large spectrum of data might come up that could reduce the accuracy of the findings. 

Data collection:

The data collection process will take about 5 days. In the first four days, 5 respondents will be interviewed each day following the sampling frame. Each day the data will be organized, coded and electronically recorded for the final results. 

On the 5th day the coded data will be accumulated and a session of discussion will be held among the members, to identify the relevant information and refine them further for a more focused analysis. 

Data analysis:

The data extracted from the prior interviews will be analyzed in this phase. Moreover, as all the information will be available simultaneously, a theme or pattern will be identified. This theme will help the study to prove or disprove the associated hypothesis. Moreover, descriptive information will be extracted from the coded data that would potentially help answer the research questions. 

Based on the analysis, the main areas of concern that need focus, will be identified. This will help to produce appropriate recommendations to counteract the detrimental effects of associated experiences. 

Reporting:

While presenting the final report, key points of the responses to each of the interview questions will be provided in paragraphs. The findings will then be compared to existing literature to justify the relevance or observe the deviation. If deviations are observed, probable causes will be analyzed and identified. 

Lastly a reflective account will be provided which will elaborate on the experiences acquired while conducting the study. This will also help to shed light upon the shortcomings and determine the aspects that could have been done more efficiently. 

The focus of this report will be to add value to the existing knowledge of cultural shock and inform relevant authorities about the measures that could be taken to prevent the detrimental effects of such a phenomenon. 

Analysis and discussion:

In this section the findings from the one-on-one interviews will be analyzed and their relevance to the existing literature will be explored. The findings have been categorized into some key themes that have been identified from the responses. The analysis will be presented based on these key themes. The themes that were identified are as follows:

1. Interaction with teachers at ICP.

2. Interaction with classmates at ICP.

3. Dealing with academic tasks and organizational activities at ICP

Interaction with teachers:

The most prominent cultural shock that the international students at ICP experienced was interaction with teachers, especially the ones coming from countries that score high on the power distance index. 

Most international students were brought up with the idea that teachers are individuals with authority and are entitled to utmost respect. Some interviewees narrated their experiences on this matter. 

A student said:

‘When the faculty members walk into the class, I usually stand up to show respect, as I was taught by my parents. But in most cases, I find my classmates in disagreement with the gesture and often the teachers also suggest against it’

Another student said:

‘Through my school and high school, I was taught to never address my elders by their name, let alone teachers. I am used to addressing my teachers as sir/ madam. However, in the UK, as the term is related to Knighthood, I am often ridiculed and made fun of when I use it to address my teachers accidentally or on purpose’

Another interviewee commented:

‘I am not used to teachers being so friendly. As a result, when I try to communicate with them I find myself in a rather awkward position and am often unable to respond to their cordial conversations. This has severely affected my performance in the class.’ 

From the responses it is understood that the international students often find it difficult to communicate with Teachers not because the teachers are not accessible, but because their approach towards students are far more accommodating than what the students are used to. Moreover, the gestures of international students towards the teachers, being different form the norms of UK, are often disagreed with and suggested against.

This finding is synonymous to the findings of Dyson et al. (2008) where it was found that students belonging to societies with high power distance face difficulties adjusting with societies with low power distance. As the respondents for this particular theme came from countries where the power distance is high, i.e. the individuals with low power foster a sense of respect and fear for the individuals with higher power, that they are finding it difficult to adjust to the low power distance culture of ICP in the UK. As UK exhibits a low power distance, teachers are more accommodating towards students of each other, which widens the scope of communication amongst them. However, as the international students are not used to such access, they are finding it difficult to communicate with the teachers and get answers to the questions they might have regarding their lessons. As a result, some of their academic performances might be deteriorating which is in line with what Ward et al. (2020) suggested through the ABC model of cultural shock. According to this model, the students are bewildered and confused with the teachers’ approach and are incapable of understanding and coping with the relatively bizarre experiences, they are having due to their own cultural practices. If this trend persists, and the respective international students are unable to cope and overcome these challenges, they might give up on their academic aspirations altogether, due to repeated failed attempts at excelling, which was suggested by Prince (2015). 

Interaction with classmates:

As international students at ICP spend most of their time with other class mates, the interactions between them formulate most of their cultural experiences. From the responses of the internationals students this theme was induced, where the cultural experiences, especially that of cultural shock, have been highlighted. 

In this regard, one of the respondents said:

‘My classmates are not that open to sharing their experiences or their thoughts on personal issues no matter how much we interact with each other throughout the day. We hang out a lot and do projects together, but at the end of the day, they seem very distant when it comes to sharing. This in turn discourages me to share my thoughts and experiences with the issues I’m facing’

Another respondent commented:

‘Whenever I feel homesick or have had a bad day, I tend to seek advice from my friends/classmates as I did back home. But whenever, I approach them with a particular problem that I am facing, in most cases, I am confronted with a generic reply like “Don’t worry, everything will be alright” or “Somedays are good, some days are bad, you have to learn to deal with them”.’

One other respondent commented:

‘I don’t get much time to interact with my work colleagues, as a result the only viable social circle consists of my classmates. But, whenever they decide to hang out, they tend to drink and go to clubs which is not ideal for me. Hence, in most cases I am left out and I often feel lonely.’

From the responses, it is understood that UK natives are not that keen on sharing thoughts and personal experiences, at least with their social peers. Moreover, as one of the respondents commented on receiving generic responses on pressing personal issues, it is understood that the UK natives are not interested in interfering with other people’s lives. 

From the generic responses of UK natives studying at ICP, it is understood that the culture is individualistic which approves the findings of Newsome & Cooper (2016) which specifically points out that in the UK, people rarely talk about their feelings because of being individualistic. Such behaviors make it challenging for the international students of ICP to establish social relationships that could help them get through tough times. On the other hand, it is observed from the response of one of the respondents, that he/she expected advice from respective classmates as he/she is used to taking advice from prior classmates in his/her home country. As a result, the findings of Sovic (2008) are also proved true, which found that the students, who hold preconceived notions about the host country, attract more stress. Here the respondent thought that the classmates would act similarly to the prior ones. However, when reality struck, the respondent was found disappointed and consequently stressed for not being able to find a solution from expected sources. 

Moreover, from the responses it can be understood that International students at ICP had a difficult time forming genuine social relationships, as the UK natives were not interested to get involved in other’s lives. Originating from collectivist societies, the expectations were not in sync with what the UK culture fosters. This finding is synonymous to the findings of Zhang & Brunton (2007) who also suggested that the international students are often affected by loneliness, which was found in one of the responses. 

Lastly, According to Wu & Hammond (2011) one of the common practices among UK students is alcohol consumption, which is often a cultural shock to international students especially who come form Asian and middle Eastern countries. As we observed form one of the responses, that alcohol consumption and clubbing is not ideal for one of the international students, the findings of the literature are confirmed. In most Asian and middle Eastern countries, drinking alcohol is considered taboo due to religious restrictions, as a result it is often difficult to adjust with a culture where alcohol consumption is a common practice. 

If the students keep experiencing social isolation as found in the analysis, then in accordance with the findings of Scanlon (2007), inadequate social support could increase mental stress exerted upon students and the chances of dropping out could increase. Along with the deterioration of mental health, academic career will also be jeopardized. 

Dealing with academic tasks and organizational activities:

As this study deals with international students coming to study at ICP, it is important to understand how these students deal with the academic tasks and other organization tasks, build a significant portion of the experience here at ICP. Following are some responses that helped in deducing this theme. 

One of the International students said:

‘When I first started studying here, the most challenging part was grasping the language and the accent. Even though I understood what was written in the book, due to the language barrier, I found it quite difficult to understand the perspective and explanations of the teachers. As a result, I fell behind on my studies’

Another respondent added that:

‘At the very beginning every organizational task seemed very alien to me. I struggled to understand the process of paying fees, getting a library card, finding necessary resources and much more.’

One respondent commented:

‘My classmates were very helpful when I started studying here and was oblivious to the system. They were so helpful that I experienced a bit of inferiority complex as I couldn’t do anything significant for them in return.’

From the responses, it is evident that one of the major issues the international students face while studying at ICP is the language barrier caused by the unique British accent. The jargons and the gestures used during class lectures are often new to the students which inhibits their learning process. This finding coincides with the findings of Jingfan et al. (2019) where language, gestures, accents etc. were found to be some of the major factors contributing to cultural shock. 

The findings of Wenhua & Zhe (2013) are reflected on some of the responses. There the authors of the paper found that individuals coming from different economies with different degrees of development, struggle with even the simplest tasks in the UK as these is very new and confusing, at least at first. Here, the study found that International students at ICP struggled with making library cards, finding appropriate resources, and depositing tuition fees which is in line with the aforementioned literature. 

Lastly, some of the students found the helpful nature of their classmates very beneficial as well as overwhelming. It was beneficial because they were able to navigate through the new system, which would have been very difficult otherwise which is synonymous to the findings of Ramsay et al. (2007) where it found that social support is the key ingredient for surviving in a host culture. On the other hand, it was overwhelming because the UK natives were too helpful. This finding is congruent to that of Wu and Hammond (2011) where they identified the extremely polite nature of UK natives as one of the cultural shocks to international students. 

From all this discussion, it is proven that students from Asian and Middle Eastern countries  experience culture shock more intensely than the ones from European countries. This is because, most of the respondents narrating negative experiences of cultural shock were from Asian and Middle Eastern countries whose cultural dynamics are very different from that of the UK's.

Reflexive account:

The reflexive account is produced using Gibbs’ reflective cycle model. The stages are as follows:

1. Description: While collecting the data I was able to meet students from different nationalities and hear their stories. The process of collecting data and analyzing them to find specific themes was very challenging and very eye opening. 

2. Feelings: While conducting the research, the process felt very intimidating at first because we had a lot to do within a short time. However, as we progressed and we were able to complete each step, I felt more confident which drove me. 

3. Evaluation: The process helped me gain a new perspective into foreign cultures. It has also helped me develop some sort of cultural sensitivity. However, in some cases the respondents became emotional while sharing their negative experiences, which was very hard to handle. 

4. Analysis: I think as we were able to relate the findings of our research with the findings of the literature reviewed, our analysis part went well. Though our data collection phase was quite unorganized, we finally were able to code them and zero in on three specific themes. Therefore, the coding part of our data collection stage went well. 

5. Conclusion: I learned that taking preconceived notions into a research could affect the outcomes, as I found my notions to be very conflicting with what was found. This is because my perspective was very different from the perspective of the respondents, which I did not take into account. But during the data collection phase, I could have structured the questions in more subtle ways that would prevent respondents from getting emotional while expressing negative experiences. 

Conclusion:

In this study we found three main themes while exploring the experience of cultural shock among the international students of ICP. These themes are interaction with teachers, interaction with classmates and dealing with academic and organizational tasks. From the findings of the research, it is understood that teachers and classmates play significant roles in shaping the cultural experiences of International students at ICP. Hence, in order to counteract the negative effects of cultural shock, there should be provisions for student counselors with whom the students can share and receive advice on their culturally conflicting experiences. Secondly, as the students might find it difficult to let go of their practices (e.g. standing up when teachers enter, addressing them as sir etc.) instantaneously, teachers might help them by addressing the issues in person and by respecting their practices among others. This will not only help them to overcome inconsistent practices, but will also set an example for native UK students to respect cultural differences. Lastly, all students should go through a cultural sensitivity training before starting their academic year, so that they are not disrespectful towards foreign cultures and are able to accommodate students from all over the world without any conflict.

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