There are five stages of culture shock:
First stage
The first stage of initial contact or the ‘honeymoon stage,’ is where the newly arrived individual experiences the curiosity and excitement of a tourist. This phase emphasize on the initial reactions of euphoria, enchantment, fascination and enthusiasm.
Second stage
It involves disintegrations of the old familiar cues, and the individual is overwhelmed by the new cultures requirements. It characterized by feelings of inadequacy, frustration, anxiety and anger.
Third stage
The adjustment, reorientation and gradual recovery phase, the third stage involves a reintegration of new cues and an increased ability to function in the new culture. It is the adjustment stage. The emotions associated with this stage are typically anger and resentment toward the new culture as having caused difficulties and being less adequate than the old familiar ways.
Fourth stage
The fourth stage continues the process of reintegration toward gradual autonomy and increased ability to see the bad and good elements in both the old and the new cultures.
Fifth stage
The fifth stage is described as reciprocal interdependence, where the person has ideally achieved biculturality, or has become fluently comfortable in both the old and the new cultures. This is the stabilization stage and the final period of culture shock when the person has resolved thee earlier confusion and have achieved a balanced outlook.
Different stages of culture shock
