Acculturation: from a "vestibule" to the "living room"

Abstract

Purpose of research. More and more people are leaving temporarily or permanently to countries with a different culture than the one they lived in. A clash with diversity and ignorance of cultural codes often causes a culture shock also known as acculturation stress. The aim of the conducted research was to check how migrants behave in a situation of collision with an alien culture and whether they experience a culture shock and how it shows.

Methodology. Two persons took part in a research sample. The selection of the sample was deliberate in terms of the sex of the subjects and the type and duration of migration. I wanted the subjects to be of a different gender due to the differences between the sexes (large in terms of motor skills, aggression and sex, moderate in communication, social functioning and a tendency to anxiety and depression). I also decided that it is legitimate to investigate whether the culture shock is the same for a person who temporarily left for a country of a different culture, as for a person who left the country forever. I also focused on checking whether and which strategies to deal with ignorance of cultural codes were used by narrators. I carried out the research in an interpretative paradigm, a case study method, and a narrative interview technique.

Results. On the basis of my own research I presented the phases of culture shock experienced by migrants and their architectural analogies, "thanks to which we can distinguish certain levels of intercultural communication and the agreement that occurs through them" Golka (2016). The research results confirmed that migrants with a positive attitude are more likely to undergo acculturation. Adequate mental approach is a very important factor in adapting to a new culture. People who are psychically prepared for a more difficult situation than it actually occurred deal with the stress much better, which largely diminishes their anxiety and raises their well-being.

Conclusions. Adaptation of cultural codes and the use of assimilation strategies are helpful in adjusting to the new culture. Therefore, the role of the expert on adaptation, i.e. an intercultural counselor / coach, who can help migrants to understand the feelings and behaviors that accompany them in the initial acculturation process and to indicate a way to overcome them more quickly seems significant.