ABSTRACT
In Chapter 3 on culture learning, we reviewed the various ways in which people react to culturally novel or unfamiliar environments, classifying the responses according to whether the adaptations entail changes in cognitions, emotions, or behaviours. For most culture travellers, coping with and adjusting to a novel environment are achieved on a do-it-yourself, trial-and-error basis. People might consult popular guidebooks, listen to ‘old hands’ talking about their experiences, and generally do the best they can to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. Muddling through like this can be a highly unsatisfactory experience and accounts for the many reported failures in psychological and sociocultural adaptation.
