Sociocultural adaptation and its triggers among international students in the context of Germany

It is necessary to state the first Hypothesis identified for the current Research once again: such variables as German Language Proficiency, Contact with the Native Germans, Acculturation Strategy and Residency Plan are the main factors of sociocultural adaptation of international students in Germany. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that the first Hypothesis of our Study was partially proven by the results of the survey. However, it is important to say that at the current stage of the Study only a correlational relationship between the variables was found in the results of the survey, which means that a causal relationships cannot be stated from the data derived from the survey.

Thus, it is possible to conclude that all variables from the Hypothesis 2 - German Language Proficiency, Interpersonal Communication, Acculturation Strategy and Residency Plan - have a strong correlation with the Adaptation Level. Nevertheless, the survey design used in the Research did not enable us to state a causal connection of the variables Adaptation Level and Factors 1-5 altogether with Residency Plan and Satisfaction Rate. Apart from that, other variables, such as Personal Interests and Community Involvement as well as Academic Performance and Ecological Adaptation, which were not in the scope of Hypothesis 2, appeared to have a strong correlation with the Adaptation Level of the respondents.

As far as the results based on the respondents' world regions are concerned, it is crucial to admit that Hypothesis 1 of our Research was fully proven. In Hypothesis 1 it was stated that there are significant differences in the process and factors of adaptation of international students in Germany from different world regions. However, it should be noted that the notion “factors” should be replaced by a more general phrase “factors and consequences” or by the term “aspects”, as no causal relations were found in the framework of the survey. Generally, from the results of the second part of survey analysis it can be concluded that our Hypothesis 2 cannot be fully applied to all nations and world regions. It can be proved by the fact that although the Latin American students showed the lowest scores of Interpersonal Communication and Language Proficiency, their Adaptation Level appeared to be the highest compared to the respondents from other world regions. Apart from that, regardless of their averagely low command of the German language, they displayed the highest results in Residency Plan and Satisfaction Rate, which strongly contradicts Hypothesis 2 as well as average results based on self-reported adaptation level that are presented above. Another significant finding that might be contradictory is the fact that the respondents from Europe displayed a relatively low level of sociocultural adaptation, and one of the lowest Residency Plan rates. At the same time, Factors 1-5 were on an average level, and the Satisfaction Rate was significantly high. Respondents from other world regions, such as Africa, Asia, Northern America and Oceania showed results that generally correspond to the Hypothesis 2 of our Research.

4.2 Discussion on Interviews Results

Overall, it is possible to conclude that the most significant and frequently mentioned categories were Interpersonal Communication, Ecological Adaptation, Language Proficiency, Acculturation Strategy and Psychological Adaptation. In the following chapter we would like to present the patterns, correlations and relationships that can be found in the interviews results and name possible reasons of certain phenomena. We will touch upon all the major categories indicated above, expect for the Psychological Adaptation as it is not in the scope of the current Study.



Interpersonal Communication

Many interviewees pointed out that international community of the city and their university plays a more crucial role in their adaptation than the German society in general. Vincent, Milena and Liam indicated that they communicated more often with the international students, and thus felt a stronger connection to thus community than to the authentic German culture. This phenomenon can be explained by the fact that these respondents study/studied in Karlshochschule International University, a private university in Karlsruhe that has an almost 40% of international students rate (Karlshochschule International University, n.a.). Therefore, it was complicated and even unnecessary for the interviewees to build connection with the native Germans. Another reason of not being able to build stable social connections with native Germans is the cultural differences between native and host mentalities, which was pointed out by Anya.

Ecological Adaptation

For the majority of respondents high ecological adaptation meant a high level of general sociocultural adaptation. However, for certain respondents the process of ecological adaptation was highly individual and did not depend only on the infrastructure of the city, transportation system and other commodities. For instance, Milena out of her personal interests felt well-adapted because she enjoyed living in the city of Karlsruhe from an aesthetic point of view. For other participants, such as Liam, food and grocery shopping was a crucial factor of ecological adaptation. Therefore, it is unlikely that general conclusions and common patterns can be found in the framework of ecological adaptation as this process appeared to be highly individual for the interviewees.

Language Proficiency

Generally, the respondents faced serious challenges with the learning and usage of the German language. However, as far as it is possible to judge, the severeness of the problems with the language depends on the desire and strive of an individual to build contacts outside of the international community of the university. As Vincent is actively searching for a job, he claims to face numerous challenges as a good command of the German language is required on the majority of well-paid and prestigious jobs. The same can be said about Angie, who, being an exchange school students and studying in a normal German school, had to use German every day at school, thus facing certain issues with it. In contrast, Milena did not experience any need in building connections outside of the international community, and thus she did not have problems with the German language due to the fact that she had no need to use it.

Acculturation Strategy

Although according to the results of the survey integration appeared to be the most common acculturation strategy for international students, three out of five interviewees claimed that they prefer the strategy of separation, regardless of the fact that most of them reported a high level of sociocultural adaptation. This phenomenon can be explained by the presence of strong national cultural identity in certain respondents, which encouraged them to stay in their heritage culture and not deviate from their previous habits and customs, as it was reported by Milena, Angie and Anya. Another reason was stated by Vincent and Milena, which is the international community of the university and city in general. As it was clear from their interviews, the participation in the international community presupposes cultural exchange, and thus the students has a social role of a representative of their heritage culture. For this reason certain respondents preferred the strategy of separation in order to represent and carry their culture in an international environment.

4.3 Combining Survey and Interviews Results

It is crucial for our Research to combine the results of survey and interviews in order to draw further conclusions. Certain variables appeared to serve either as factors, either as consequences of adaptation, or in individual cases both a factor and consequence. For instance, Residency Plan for one of the interviewees, Vincent from Kenya, became a factor of adaptation, as already before his coming to Germany he knew he would stay in this country for permanent residence. Therefore, it motivated him to put more effort in order to adapt better in the German society. At the same time, there was another interviewee, Angie from the US, for whom low level of Residency Plan became a factor of adaptation. According to her answers on our questions, she does not have any intention to stay in Germany permanently as she experienced uncomfortable issues during the adaptation process.

Another variable that can be viewed both as a factor and a consequence of adaptation is Language Proficiency. For example, Liam from Norway claimed that it was not difficult for him to adapt as the German language is similar to his native Norwegian language. In contrast, Vincent from Kenya came to Germany without any knowledge of the language. As other factors influenced his adaptation, the desire to learn the German language and his progress appeared as a natural consequence of his adaptation process. Another variable - Satisfaction Rate - can be regarded to as only a consequence of adaptation. Milena from Russia, for instance, was satisfied of her stay only when she felt adapted enough to the mainstream culture. Overall, it is possible to conclude that a strong correlation between the Adaptation Level and other variables can be observed from the survey results; nevertheless, the causal relationships of the variables are rather individual, and can be understood only from in-depth interviews with representatives of the sample.

4.4 Limitations

Although the goals and objectives of the Study were achieved, it is possible to indicate a number of limitations that might have had a certain impact on the Research. Firstly, one of the limitations of the Research was the sample size. It can be assumed that a larger number of respondents who participated in the Survey would lead to a better generalizability of the Study and decrease the margin of error which was 9,3%. Secondly, it is crucial to point out that the genders as well as world regions were not equally represented in the survey. It can be suggested that a more equal representation of the respondents according to their gender and home world region could increase the generalizability of the Study.

Thirdly, it is necessary to accept that in the framework of the survey we did not manage to identify the factors of the sociocultural adaptation, although a strong correlation between the variables and Adaptation Level was found. The causality of the variables can be traced only in the in-depth interviews with the international students in Germany who shared their adaptation experience. Therefore, the current Study does not present statistically proven factors of sociocultural adaptation. It can be stated that true causal data can only be extracted from longitudinal research that would presume the collection of extensive data, and therefore reduce the margin of error. Besides, it is proposed to establish causal relations between the correlating variables and Adaptation Level by increasing the sample size and conducting more interviews with the students.

Another limitation was represented by the self-reported nature of the data. The collected data cannot be independently verified as it might contain certain biases and a significant degree of subjectivity due to a number of factors such as selective memory (remembering or not remembering certain events in the past, e.g. detailed image of the adaptation in the first days in Germany); attribution (attributing a certain positive act or event to one's own part, but attributing negative events and outcomes to other's behalf); exaggeration (providing the opinions and results as more significant as it is reported by other more subjective resources) of the respondents (Brutus, Aguinis & Wassmer, 2013). Another type of bias that can be present in the Research is social desirability bias. It can be stated that respondents do not always give true answers to questions or do not express their honest opinion as they tend to create a more favorable image of themselves or give the responses that they believe the researcher wants to hear (Sudman & Bradburn, 1982; Bradburn et al., 1978; Dillman, 2000).

Besides, it is possible to notice the presence of availability bias, which means that the sample was retrieved not from the whole population, but only from the part that was the most accessible for the Research. For instance, the majority of survey respondents as well as all interviewees were actual or former students of Karlshochschule International University in Karlsruhe, which is not a representative German university for certain reasons. Firstly, this university is privately owned, which means that it has a small limited amount of enrolled students; at the present moment this number is 660 (Karlschochschule International University, n.a.). Therefore, a close-knit community is created in the university which is not common for other large German universities, such as Karlsruher Institut fьr Technologie (Karlsruher Institut fьr Technologie, n.a.), Goethe University Frankfurt (Goethe Universitдt Frankfurt am Main, n.a.) and other state educational institutions. Moreover, due to a high rate of international students at Karlshochschule an international community and international identity prevails the involvement into an authentic German culture. Thus, as it was reported in the interviews, the students feel no need to learn German and become more involved in the German society. In addition, the results of Ecological Adaptation aspect bot in the survey and interviews could be different if respondents from other cities than Karlsruhe would participate in the Study. The last limitation in the framework of the availability bias is the abundant ratio of survey and interview participants from Eastern Europe (almost 30%), as the researcher has a large network of Russians who studied or are currently studying in Germany.



5. Conclusion and Provocations

The main objective of the last chapter of the Paper is to summarize the Research results and provide possible perspectives for future research. Firstly, a brief summary of the previous chapters will be presented in order to review which problems and aspects were addressed in the Thesis. Secondly, key findings and their correlation to the pre-established hypotheses will be reviewed and summarized. Thirdly, the goal of the Paper will be discussed. In addition, the research question will be restated and possible answers derived from the research results will be presented. Moreover, the manner of how the research gap was addressed in the Paper will be highlighted. Finally, I will describe practical implications and contributions of the Research as well as provocations for further research. intercultural communication adaptation acculturation

In the Paper the problem of the factors of sociocultural adaptation of international students in Germany was addressed. In order to answer the research questions and achieve the goal of the Research, an in-depth literature review of respective studies and academic works was conducted, which became a solid theoretical basis for the survey and interviews. Furthermore, the results and consequent findings were presented as well as possible explanations derived from the previous literature review or the researcher's personal observations.

In the framework of the survey, certain crucial findings and conclusions were established. Based on the material provided in the Results and Findings chapter as well as Discussion and Limitations, it is possible to conclude that all pre-established variables of the survey have a strong correlation to the Adaptation Level of respondents, which means that the variables have a certain impact on the Adaptation Level. Besides, it was found out that social contacts, command of the German language, adaptation in the city or neighborhood, and especially intention to stay in Germany permanently and the level of satisfaction appeared to be the variables that have the most significant correlation with the level of sociocultural adaptation. This phenomenon partially proves Hypothesis 2, as a correlation was established, but no causal relationship was found out in the framework of the survey, therefore, from a statistical point of view it is not currently possible to call these variables the “factors” of sociocultural adaptation. Apart from that, it is possible to say that Hypothesis 1 was fully proven by the results of the survey and interviews as significant differences between the respondents from different cultural regions were presented.

Through the semi-structured interviews we established certain patterns and causal relationships. Language Proficiency as well as Residency Plan can play a role of either a factor, either a consequence of sociocultural adaptation depending on the individual, while other variables discussed above proved to be the factors of adaptation. Moreover, the interviews provided a deeper understanding of the variables presented in the survey. For example, in the framework of Interpersonal Communication it was possible to establish various phenomena such as difficulty of building relationships with native Germans, importance of the contact with family and friends from the native country, international identity and international community and other.

As far as the objective of the Paper is concerned, the goal of the Research was to establish factors, or similarly triggers, of sociocultural adaptation. As it can be concluded from the theoretical and empirical research conducted in the framework of the Thesis, the presence of a causal relationship between the variables of Interpersonal Communication, Language Proficiency, Residency Plan, Satisfaction Rate, Ecological Adaptation and preferred acculturation strategy was established through both qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (survey) methods. Consequently, the factors, or triggers of sociocultural adaptation were found in the framework of the Research, and therefore, the goal of the Study was achieved.

The research gap that was discussed above was addressed by including in the survey and inviting for interviews respondents from different world regions, which gave a more universalistic nature to the Study. Moreover, the Research was focused on international students only, who are now not payed enough attention to in terms of adaptation research, considering the current political situation in certain European countries. Besides, the academic performance was addressed as a factor of the adaptation, and not as a central aspect of the Research, which provided a more general image of the phenomenon of sociocultural adaptation of foreign students in Germany.

As far as future implications of the Study are concerned, the author believes that the Research may have a substantive significance for the current scholarly discourse in the field of international students' adaptation in Germany. In other words, as the topic is of a high relevance nowadays, it can reinforce the existing knowledge about the process of sociocultural adaptation, its factors, consequences and differences between various nations. Moreover, the results and findings of the Paper might contribute to the scholarly world by proving certain theories and concepts that were established before the current Research was conducted (Berry, 1997; Berry et al., 2006; Berry & Sam, 1997; Johnson & Sandhu, 2007; Li, 2017; etc.).

Furthermore, the results of the Study can be utilized by German state and private universities with the purpose of implementing new adjustment/orientation programs for international students or adjusting the existing ones. It is suggested that additional intervention activities for international students that take into consideration the cultural peculiarities and differences may considerably enhance and smoothen the sociocultural adaptation of incomings students. In particular, the Study will be directed to the Karlshochschule International University, a private university in Karlsruhe as the author was herself a 1-semester exchange student at this university; moreover, it has 40% of international students rate, therefore, it is suggested that the current Research might assist the university in enhancing the “Orientation week” program designed for international students to help them adapt in a new cultural environment.

Due to the impact and significance of the findings as well as the appeared limitations of the Study, a number of provocations for further research can be identified. Firstly, it is suggested that future research builds upon the correlational patterns found in this Thesis in order to establish causal relationships between the variables through a modified method of survey. It is advised to involve a larger amount of respondents, obtain a higher response rate and attempt to have an equal representation gender- and world region-wise, which might increase the generalizability of the Study and its external and internal validity as well as decrease the presence of the respondents' bias in the survey.

It might also be recommended that future research is of the applied type, which would enable further researchers to identify the most efficient methods of designing an adaptation program for international students, and universities - to implement these intervention programs in order to increase their international students enrollment and satisfaction rate; in comparison to the current fundamental Research whose objective was to present and analyze the current situation. In addition, the application of longitudinal research as compared to the current cross-sectional type may help further researchers to analyze the tendency of societal polarization in a certain timeframe.

In conclusion, sociocultural adaptation has always been one of the most difficult aspects of staying in a new cultural environment. Especially it concerns international students from all over the world who choose Germany as a destination for their living and studying. Our Research displayed that students face various challenges on their way of adaptation, such as language barrier, bureaucracy, building contacts with the representatives of the mainstream culture and other. Nevertheless, basing on the interviews conducted in the framework of the Research as well as on the researcher's experience as an exchange student in Germany, the majority of difficulties can be overcome through the support of friends and family, effective adaptation programs that a university offers and a general state of open-mindedness and readiness for new experiences.



References

1. Arends-To мth, J. & Van de Vijver, F. J. R. (2006) Issues in the conceptualization and assessment of acculturation. In M. H. Bornstein & L. R. Cote (Eds.), Acculturation and Parent-Child Relationships: Measurement and Development (pp. 33-62). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

2. Argyle, M. (1969) Social Interaction. London: Methuen.

3. Argyle, M., Furnham, A. & Graham, J.A. (1981) Social Situations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

4. Bailey, G. & Peoples, J. (2011) Essentials of Cultural Anthropology (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

5. Benedict, R. (1959) Patterns of Culture (Sentry Edition). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

6. Berry, J. W. (1974) Psychological aspects of cultural pluralism: Unity and identity reconsidered. Topics in Cultural Learning, 2, 17-22.

7. Berry, J. W. (1997) Immigration, acculturation and adaptation. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 46, 5-34.

8. Berry, J. W. (2006) Stress perspectives on acculturation. In D. L. Sam, & J. W. Berry (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of acculturation psychology (pp. 43 - 57). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

9. Berry, J. W., Kim, U., Minde, T. & Mok, D. (1987) Comparative studies of acculturative stress. International Migration Review, 21(3), 491-511.

10. Berry, J. W., Phinney, J., Sam, D. & Vedder, P. (2006) Immigrant youth: acculturation, identity, and adaptation. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 55, 303-332.

11. Berry, J. W. & Sam, D. (1997) Acculturation and adaptation. In J. W. Berry, M. H. Segall, & З. Kag?эtзэbas?э (Eds.), Handbook of cross-cultural psychology, Vol. III: Social behavior and applications (pp. 291 - 326). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

12. Bochner, S. (2006). Sojourners. In D. L. Sam, & J. W. Berry (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of acculturation psychology (pp. 181 - 197). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

13. Bradburn, N. M., Sudman, S., Blair, E. & Stocking, C. (1978) Question threat and response bias. Public Opinion Quarterly, 42(2), 221-234.

14. Brutus, S., Aguinis, H. & Wassmer, U. (2013) Self-reported limitations and future directions in scholarly reports: Analysis and recommendations. Journal of Management, 39(1), 48-75.

15. Bryant, B. & Trower, P. (1974) Social difficulty in a student sample. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 44, 13-21.

16. Chinese Culture Connection (1987) Chinese values and the value-free dimensions of culture. Journal of Cross cultural Psychology, 18(2), 143-164.

17. Diehl, C. & Schnell, R. (2006). Reactive ethnicity or assimilation? Statements, arguments, and first empirical evidence for labor migrants in Germany. The International Migration Review, 40(4), 786-816.

18. Dillman, D. A. (2000) Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method (2nd ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley Co.

19. Ferraro, G. (2008) Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

20. Dance, F. E. X. & Larson, C. E. (1972) Speech Communication: Concepts and Behavior. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.

21. Furnham, A. & Bochner, S. (1982) Social difficulty in a foreign culture: An empirical analysis of culture shock. In S. Bochner (Ed.), Culture in contact: Studies in cross-cultural interaction (pp. 161-198). Oxford, England: Pergamon.

22. Furukawand, T. & Shibayama, T. (1993) Predicting maladjustment of exchange stu- dents in different cultures: a prospective study. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 28, 142-146.

23. Galchenko, I. & Van de Vijver, F. (2007) The role of perceived cultural distance in the acculturation of exchange students in Russia. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 31(2), 181-197.

24. Gardiner, H. W. & Kosmitzki, C. (2011) Lives across Cultures: Cross-cultural Human Development (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

25. Geertz, C. (1973) The Interpretation of Cultures. New York, NY: Basic Books.

26. Gordon, M. M. (1964) Assimilation in American Life. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

27. Griffin, E. (2005) A First Look at Communication Theory (6th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

28. Grossmann, K., Grossmann, K. E., Spangler, G., Suess, G., & Unzner, L. (1985) Maternal sensitivity and newborns' orientation responses as related to quality attachment in Northern Germany. In I. Bretherton & E. Waters (Eds.), Growing Points of Attachment Theory and Research Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development (pp. 233-256). Chicago, IL: Chicago University Press.

29. Groves, R. M., Fowler, F. Jr., Couper, M. P., Lepkowski, J. M., Singer, E. & Tourangeau, R. (2009) Survey Methodology (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

30. Gudykunst, W. B. (2004) Bridging Differences (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

31. Hall, E. T. (1977) Beyond Culture. New York, NY: Anchor Books.

32. Harrison, L. E. & Huntington, S. P. (Eds.) (2000) Culture matters: How values shape human progress. New York, NY: Basic Books.

33. Haviland, W. A., Prins, H. E. L., Walrath, D. & McBride, B. (2011) Cultural Anthropology: The Human Challenge (13th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

34. Hofstede, G. (1984) Culture's Consequences: International Differences in Work-related Values. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications.

35. Hofstede, G. (1990) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. New York, NY: McGraw- Hill.

36. Hofstede, G. (2001) Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations across Nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

37. Hofstede, G. (2003) Culture?s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations Across Nations (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

38. Hofstede, G. (2011) Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1). Doi 10.9707/2307-0919.1014

39. House, R. J., Hanges, P. J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W. & Gupta, V. (Eds.) (2004) Culture, leadership, and organizations: the GLOBE Study of 62 societies. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

40. Jandt, F. E. (2012). An Introduction to Intercultural Communication: Identities in a Global Community. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

41. John, O., Naumann, L. & Soto, C. (2008) Paradigm shift to the integrative Big-Five trait taxonomy: history, measurement, and conceptual issues. In O. P. John, R. W. Robins, & L. A. Pervin (Eds.), Handbook of personality: theory and research (3rd ed.) (pp. 114-158). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

42. Johnson, L. R. & Sandhu, D. S. (2007) Isolation, adjustment, and acculturation issues of international students: Intervention strategies for counselors. In H. D. Singaravelu & M. Pope (Eds.), A Handbook for Counseling International Students in the United States (pp. 13 - 36). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

43. Kim, E. (2009) Beyond language barriers : Teaching self-efficacy among East Asian international teaching assistants. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 21(2), 171-180.

44. Klagge, J. (2012) Communication in High & Low Context Cultures. Unpublished manuscript, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.

45. LaFromboise, T. D., Coleman, H. L. K. & Gerton, J. (1993) Psychological impact of biculturalism: Evidence and theory. Psychological Bulletin, 114(3), 395-412.

46. Lai, C. J. (2006) Sociocultural adaptation and intercultural sensitivity among international instructors of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) in universities and colleges in Taiwan (China). Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

47. Lavenda, R. H. & Schulz, E. A. (2010) Core Concepts in Cultural Anthropology (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

48. Li, H. (2017) Academic integration of mainland Chinese students in Germany. Social Inclusion, 5(1), 80-92.

49. Lonner, W. J. & Malpass, R. S. (1994). When psychology and culture meet: Introduction to cross-cultural psychology. In W.J. Lonner & R.S. Malpass, (Eds.), Psychology and Culture. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

50. Lustig W M. & Koester J. (2006) Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication across Cultures (5th ed.). London: Pearson Education, Inc.

51. Macionis, J. J. (1998) Society: The Basics (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

52. Martin, J. & Nakayama, T. (2018) Intercultural Communication in Contexts (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

53. Masgoret, A. & Ward, C. (2006) Culture learning approach to acculturation. In D. L. Sam & J. W. Berry (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Acculturation Psychology (pp. 58-77). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

54. McDaniel, E. & Samovar, L. A. (2015) Understanding and Applying Intercultural Communication in the Global Community: The Fundamentals. In L. A. Samovar, R. E. Porter, E. R. McDaniel & C. S. Roy (Eds.), Intercultural Communication: A Reader (14th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

55. Milewski, N. (2007) First child of immigrant workers and their descendants in West Germany: Interrelation of events, disruption, or adaptation? Demographic Research, 17, 859-896.

56. Misra, R. & Castillo, L. G. (2004) Academic stress among college students: Comparison of American and international students. International Journal of Stress Management, 11, 132-148.

57. Mori, S. (2000) Addressing the mental health concerns of international students. Journal of Counseling and Development, 78, 137-144.

58. Munk, E. (2009) The Student's Cicero (1889). Whitefish, MT: Kissinger Publishing LLC.

59. Nam, K. A. (2015) High-Context and Low-Context Communication. In J. M. Bennett (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Intercultural Competence. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

60. Nauck, B. (2007) Immigrant families in Germany: family change between situational adaptation, acculturation, segregation and remigration. Zeitschrift fьr Familienforschung, 19(1), 34-54.

61. Neuliep, J.W. (2011) Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

62. Nolan, R. W. (1999) Communicating and Adapting Across Cultures: Living and Working in the Global Village. Westport, CT: Bergin and Garvey.

63. Ohnishi, H. & Farah, I. (1999) Culture-specific counselling strategies for Japanese nationals in the United States of America. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling, 21, 189-206.

64. Omonishi, M., Chung, B. Y. & Gagne, P. (2008) Asian International Students' Residency Plan, Acculturation, English Fluency, and Openness to Counseling. Unpublished Manuscript.

65. eoples, J. & Bailey, G. (2009) Humanity: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

66. Phinney, J. (1992) The multigroup ethnic identity measure: A new scale for use with adolescents and young adults from diverse groups. Journal of Adolescent Research, 7, 156-176.

67. Rea, L. M. & Parker, R. A. (2005) Designing and Conducting Survey Research: A Comprehensive Guide (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

68. Redfield, R., Linton, R. & Herskovits, M. J. (1936) Memorandum on the study of acculturation. American Anthropologist, 38, 149-152.

69. Redmond, M. (2000) Cultural distance as a mediating factor between stress and intercultural communication competence. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 24(1), 151-159.

70. Rienties, B. & Tempelaar, D. T. (2013) The role of cultural dimensions of international and Dutch students on academic and social integration and academic performance in the Netherlands. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 37(2), 188-201.

71. Rodriguez, G. A. (1999) Bringing up Latino Children in a Bicultural World. New York, NY: Fireside.

72. Rudmin, F. (2003) Critical history of the acculturation psychology of assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalization. Review of General Psychology, 7(1), 3-37.

73. Sam, D. & Berry, J. (2006) The Cambridge Handbook of Acculturation Psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

74. Samovar, L. A. & Porter, R. E. (1988) Intercultural Communication: A Reader. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Pub. Co.

75. Samovar, L. A., Porter, R. E., McDaniel, E. R. & Roy C. S. (2013) Communication Between Cultures (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

76. Sa?rndal, C.-E., Swensson, B. & Wretman, J. (2013) Model Assisted Survey Sampling. New York, NY: Springer.

77. Schenk, L., Elbert, U. & Neuhauser, H. (2007) Children and adolescents in Germany with a migration background. Methodical aspects in the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz, 50(5-6), 590-599.

78. Schmitt, M. T., Spears, R. & Branscombe, N. R. (2003) Constructing a minority group identity out of shaded rejection: The case of international students. European Journal of Social Psychology, 33, 1-12.

79. Schmitz, P. G. (1994) Acculturation and adaptation processes among immigrants in Germany. In P. Boski, A. M. Bouvy, P. Schmitz & F. J. R. Van de Vijver (Eds.), Journeys into Cross-cultural Psychology (Selected Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology) (pp. 250-267). London: Garland Science.

80. Searle, W. & Ward, C. (1990) The prediction of psychological and sociocultural adjustment during cross-cultural transitions. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 14, 449-464.

81. Shim, G., Freund, H., Stopsack, M., Kдmmerer, A. & Barnow, S. (2013) Acculturation, self?construal, mental and physical health: An explorative study of East Asian students in Germany. International Journal of Psychology, 49(4), 295-303.

82. Shaffer, M. A., Harrison, D. A., Gregersen, H., Black, J. S. & Ferzandi, L. A. (2006) You can take it with you: individual differences and expatriate effectiveness. The Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 109-125.

83. Sudman, S. & Bradburn, N. M. (1982) Asking Questions: A Practical Guide to Questionnaire Design. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

84. Sьmer, S. (2009). International Students' Psychological and Sociocultural Adaptation in the United States. Dissertation, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.

85. Townsend, P. & Wan, C. (2007) The impact of multicultural experience in the development of socio-cultural adaptation for international business students. International Journal of Educational Management, 21(3), 194-212.

86. Triandis, H. (1994) Culture and Social Behavior. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

87. Trower, P., Bryant, B. & Argyle, M. (1978) Social Skills and Mental Health. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd.

88. Tseng, W. (2002) International students' strategies for well-being. College Student Journal, 4, 591-597.

89. Tylor, E. B. (1871). Primitive Culture: Researches into the Development of Mythology, Philosophy, Religion, Art, and Custom. London: John Murray.

90. Ward, C. (1996) Acculturation. In D. Landis & R. S. Bhagat (Eds.), Handbook of Intercultural Training (2nd ed.) (pp. 124-147). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

91. Ward, C., Bochner, S. & Furnham, A. (2001) The Psychology of Culture Shock. London: Routledge.

92. Ward, C. & Kennedy, A. (1993) Psychological and sociocultural adjustment during cross-cultural transitions: a comparison of secondary students overseas and at home. International Journal of Psychology, 28, 129-147.

93. Ward, C. & Kennedy, A. (1994) Acculturation strategies, psychological adjustment, and sociocultural competence during cross-cultural transitions. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 18, 329-343.

94. Ward, C. & Kennedy, A. (1999) The measurement of sociocultural adaptation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 23, 659-677.

95. Ward, C. & Rana-Deuba, A. (1999) Acculturation and adaptation revisited. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 30, 422-442.

96. Wilson, J. (2013). Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Cultural Competency Research: The Revision and Expansion of the Sociocultural Adaptation Construct. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.

97. Wood, G. S. (1969) The Creation of the American Republic. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press.

98. Yamada, H. (1997) Different Games, Different Rules: Why Americans and Japanese Misunderstand Each Other. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

99. Yang, B. & Clum, G. A. (1994) Life stress, social support, and problem-solving skills predictive of depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and suicide ideation in an Asian student population: A test of a model. Suicide & Life - Threatening Behavior, 24, 127-135.

100. Yu, B. (2010) Learning Chinese abroad: The role of language attitudes and motivation in the adaptation of international students in China. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 31(3), 301-321.

101. Yu, W. & Wang, S. (2011) An investigation into the acculturation strategies of Chinese students in Germany. Intercultural Communication Studies, 10(2), 190-210.

102. Zhang, L. (2005) Malleability of Cognitive Style and its Implications for Management Practice. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.

103. Zhang, J., Mandl, H. & Wang, E. (2010) Personality, acculturation, and psychological adjustment of Chinese international students in Germany. Psychological Reports, 107(2), 511-525.



Appendix

Survey Questions

Demographic Questionnaire

1. What is your age?

Under 18

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

18-22

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

23-26

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

27-30

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

31 and over

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

2. What is your gender?

Male

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Female

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Prefer not to say

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Other

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

3. Which country are you from? _______________

4. Which world region are you from?

If you are experiencing problems with locating your native country in a particular world region from the list below, please consult the following pages:

Northern Africa

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Sub-Saharan Africa

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Latin America and the Caribbean

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Northern America

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Central Asia

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Eastern Asia

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

South-Eastern Asia

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Southern Asia

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Western Asia

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Eastern Europe

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Northern Europe

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Southern Europe

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Western Europe

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Oceania

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

5. How many full semesters have you already studies in Germany?

0

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

1

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

2

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

3

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

4

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

5

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

6

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

More than 6

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

6. Which Germany city do/did you study in? ________________

7. What is/was your purpose of visiting Germany?

Exchange program

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Receiving full Bachelor's/Master's/other degree

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Supplementary education/extracurricular program/vocational training/language school

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Other

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

8. What is your current level of education?

Undergraduate

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Bachelor's degree

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Master's degree

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Other

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Adaptation Self-Evaluation

In this section you will need to evaluate your adaptation in the German society as well as to provide us with your future plans concerning your “further relationships” with Germany.

1. How would you evaluate your desire to stay in Germany after your exchange program/studies are finished?

1 (Not at all interested)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

2 (Not likely)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

3 (Still thinking)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

4 (Likely)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

5 (Will definitely stay/already moved)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

2. How are/were you generally satisfied with your stay in Germany?

1 (Not at all satisfied)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

2 (Generally unsatisfied)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

3 (Somehow satisfied)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

4 (Generally satisfied)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

5 (Very satisfied)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

3. How well are/were you adapted in the German society?

1 (Not at all adapted)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

2 (Generally not adapted)Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

3 (Somehow adapted)Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

4 (Generally adapted)Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

5 (Fully adapted)

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

4. Please select an option that would describe you the best:

I am fully involved into the German culture, and my home culture is not anymore my priority;Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

I am staying to maintain a balance between the Germans culture and my native culture

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

I feel uncomfortable in the German culture and prefer to try fully involved into my home culture

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

I don't feel anymore connection to neither German culture, nor my home culture

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Other

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Sociocultural Adaptation Scale Revisited (SCAS-R)

Living in a different culture often involves learning new skills and behaviors. Thinking about your life in Germany, please rate your competence at each the following behaviors (1 = Not at all competent; 2 = Somehow competent; 3 = Moderately competent; 4 = Competent enough; 5 = Extremely competent).

#	Behavior	1	2	3	4	5
1	Building and maintaining relationships with locals.	1	2	3	4	5
2	Managing my academic responsibilities.	1	2	3	4	5
3	Interacting with Germans at social events.	1	2	3	4	5
4	Maintaining my hobbies and interests.	1	2	3	4	5
5	Adapting to my neighborhood.	1	2	3	4	5
6	Accurately interpreting and responding to German people's gestures and facial expressions.	1	2	3	4	5
7	Working effectively together with German students.	1	2	3	4	5
8	Obtaining community service I need.	1	2	3	4	5
9	Adapting to the population density in my city.	1	2	3	4	5
10	Understanding and speaking in German.	1	2	3	4	5
11	Varying the rate of my speaking and accent, trying to imitate the manner native Germans speak.	1	2	3	4	5
12	Accurately interpreting and responding to German people's emotions.	1	2	3	4	5
13	Attending or participating community activities with German students/friends.	1	2	3	4	5
14	Navigating in the city.	1	2	3	4	5
15	Interacting with German people of the opposite/different sex.	1	2	3	4	5
16	Expressing my ideas to my German peer students in a culturally appropriate manner.	1	2	3	4	5
17	Dealing with the German bureaucracy.	1	2	3	4	5
18	Adapting to the pace of life in your city.	1	2	3	4	5
19	Reading and writing in German.	1	2	3	4	5
20	Changing my behavior to suit social norms, rules, attitudes, believes and customs accepted in the German society.	1	2	3	4	5

Appendix B: Interview Questions

1. What is your name, and where are you originally from?

2. What are you studying, and how do you like your program?

3. Why did you choose to come to Germany for your studies/exchange program?

4. When did you come to Germany?

5. Try to remember your first days in Germany. What surprised or maybe even scared you the most?

6. What were some of the challenges you faced in your first weeks of staying in Germany?

7. How did you cope with those challenges?

8. What are some of the challenges you still face?

9. How are you coping with these problems?

10. What or who helped you to transition into the German culture?

11. How would you describe your adaptation state now?

12. How do you communicate with your family and friends from your native country? How often?

13. What would you recommend for other international students considering studying in Germany?

Interviews Scripts

Notes: I - Interviewer, A/L/M/V - Name of the Interviewee

Interview with Angie (duration: 15:41)

I: Hi Angie, how're you doing?

A: I'm doing very well, how're you today?

I: Yeah. I'm very fine as well. So, could you please tell me where you're originally from?

A: So, I'm a US American student, currently located in the Caribbean.

I: Alright. And... what are you studying generally? I mean, for your Bachelor.

A: I studied International Relations at the Karlshochschule International University at Karlsruhe, Germany.

I: And how did you like it?

A: Yeah, I mean, the program in itself, it was a very creative and relaxed program. Much different from what I was expected to have studied in the United States, which is why I also wanted to do it in Germany. It had a lot more theoretical as well as practical work and not so much all that fluff as you see in American universities. So all in all, it was a very well-run program.