The system of cross - cultural learning was established to avoid so - called "cultural shock". This term was created by Kalvero Oberg in the year 1960. Oberg characterizes the symptoms of the cultural shock as the fear of the possibility to lose the originality and typical features of the personal culture. The Oberg`s description of the cultural shock can be interpreted as a sickness, bur there is other approach to the characteristic of the phenomena of the cultural shock. Other scientists describe the cultural shock like the quite normal process as a result of adaptation to the another culture. In the Oberg`s article he listed such main elements of the cultural shock, caused by the wish of faster adaptation: sense of uneasiness and discomfort, sense of loss and rejection, the dismay of values, attitudes, fear and disgust, the problems with self-identity, the incomprehension and tearing away the members of new culture, the feeling of feebleness and incapacity to integrate into new culture and environment.

Invasion into the new environment can be shown as the cultural regulation process, developed by Ceiri Dowling and Taylor in the year 1991. According to this theory, the cultural shock passes through the so-called U-Curve based on the psychological response to the adaptation. The opening stage in the invasion into the new culture is an excitement from the new impressions. Oberg calls this phenomena "the honeymoon stage" and this phase is the most difficult. The stress and the disappointment during this period can cause the absolute failure. Adler is consistent with another opinion. Also he has a more positive position concerning to the phenomena of culture shock, he acknowledges nevertheless that the first period inside the new culture can cause the upset. The result of it is the impossibility to concentrate on the new circumstances. On the next stage people submit the new environment and begin to become accustomed to a new society. On the last phase the foreign managers perceive the cultural shock as a new positive experience. So, these periods of adaptation characterize the U-Curve of the cultural shock.

About the Author

Ann Sammers is a member of a support team at Content Writing Service. Having completed a number of Technology courseworks himself, Ann uses her knowledge to provide individualized customer support to students.