Culture Shock in China cs en the author reflects on the different stages of the culture shock she experienced when moving to China. Assumption

Ethnocentric stage

• 
  denial
  
• 
  defense
  
• 
  minimization
  

Ethnorelative stage

• 
  acceptance
  
• 
  adaptation
  
• 
  integration
  

Denial: One represents a black/white, ethnocentric opinion and can not imagine any other possibilities.
Defense: One excuses its own values - often with simultaneous deffamation of the host culture’s values.
Minimization: One does admit that there are differences, but dies not consider it as relevant.
Acceptance: One understands the differences. However, its habits and opinions did not change yet. "You have to develop behavioural strategies to overcome this level." (Brislin & Yoshida 1994:63)
Adaption: A change happened, one now becomes more and more bi-cultural or multi-cultural.
Integration: "On good days these people feel as belonging to two cultures, while on bad days they feel as being outcast of both cultures." (Brislin & Yoshida 1994:65)
Brislin & Yoshida (1994) make in connection with this model attentive to the fact that it does not exhaust all possibilities. The reality is much more complex. Participants in a culture shock situation can, for example, be on different levels at the same time.