The Psychology of Culture Shock

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 Effective, 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 msychological 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 provide 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.

Colleen Ward is Professor of Psychology and head of the School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Stephen Bochner is visiting Professor at the School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney and Adrian Furnham is Professor of Psychology at University College London.

The Psychology of Intercultural Contact. Introduction and Overview: Setting the Scene. Intercultural Contact: Processes and Outcomes. Theoretical Approaches to Culture Shock. Culture Learning. Stress, Coping and Adjustment. Social Identification Theories. Varieties of Culture Travellers. Tourists. Sojourners: International Students. Sojorners: International Business People. Immigrants. Applications and Conclusions.luture Training. Conclusion. References.