ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the behavioural aspects of culture contact-in particular, those acts that typically characterise non-trivial encounters between newcomers and existing members of the receiving society. Culture learning is the process whereby sojourners acquire culturally relevant social knowledge and skills in order to survive and thrive in their new society. We start by presenting a general model of social interaction and then review some of the key elements that regulate interpersonal behaviour. These include various aspects of non-verbal communication, such as proxemics, the use and function of touch, and gestures, all topics which have generated a substantial literature over the past 30 years. More recent work on communication strategies will also be reviewed.
