A Diagram of Cultural Adjustment

All of the previous exercises have been examining one or another of three aspects of cultural adjustment-the adjustment cycle, the stages of cultural awareness, and the attitude toward cultural difference. Although examined separately, they are all features of the same phenomenon. The chart below shows you how these three models or dimensions of adjustment fit together.

For certain stages of the cycle, more than one level of awareness or attitude toward difference may be listed. For certain aspects of the culture, the PCV or trainee may be at one level, and at another level for other aspects.For example, you might be consciously incompetent (in the initial adjustment stage) regarding some aspects of the culture but consciously competent regarding others. And be minimizing certain aspects of difference, accepting others, and adapting still others.

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