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Studies in Higher Education
ISSN: 0307-5079 (Print) 1470-174X (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cshe20
Theoretical models of culture shock and
adaptation in international students in higher
education
Yuefang Zhou, Divya Jindal-Snape, Keith Topping & John Todman
To cite this article:
Yuefang Zhou, Divya Jindal-Snape, Keith Topping & John Todman (2008)
Theoretical models of culture shock and adaptation in international students in higher education,
Studies
in Higher Education, 33:1, 63-75, DOI: 10.1080/03075070701794833
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070701794833
© 2008 The Authors. Published by Taylor &
Francis.
Published online: 16 May 2008.
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Studies in Higher Education
Vol. 33, No. 1, February 2008, 63–75
Theoretical models of culture shock and adaptation in international
students in higher education
Yuefang Zhou, Divya Jindal-Snape, Keith Topping* and John Todman
University of Dundee, Scotland, UK
Taylor and Francis
CSHE_A_279523.sgm
10.1080/03075070701794833
Studies in Higher Education
0307-5079 (print)/1470-174X (online)
Original
Article
2008
Society for Research into Higher Education
33
1
000000February 2008
Professor KeithTopping
k.j.topping@dundee.ac.uk
Theoretical concepts of culture shock and adaptation are reviewed,
as applied to the
pedagogical adaptation of student sojourners in an unfamiliar culture. The historical
development of ‘traditional’ theories of culture shock led to the emergence of contemporary
theoretical approaches, such as ‘culture learning’, ‘stress and coping’ and ‘social
identification’. These approaches can be accommodated within a
broad theoretical framework
based on the affective, behavioural and cognitive (ABC) aspects of shock and adaptation. This
‘cultural synergy’ framework offers a more comprehensive understanding of the processes
involved. Implications for future research, policy and practice are explored.
