Adapting overseas: A study of Facebook usage and cross-cultural adaptation among Malaysian Chinese students in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Huang, Yu Lan, 黃玉蘭
• Other Authors: 黃葳威
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/497hpn

碩士 === 國立政治大學 === 傳播學院傳播碩士學位學程 === 105 === Sojourners often come across the issue of cultural adaptation when they step into a new social environment. However, the presence of social media and its penetration change the way sojourners shift between host and ethnic culture. This study is about the cultural adaptation of Overseas Malaysian Chinese students in Taiwan’s social environment, through the social media platform, Facebook. This research analyzes in which way Facebook affects uncertainty reduction and bilateral culture context of the students, therefore demonstrating the functions and the role of Facebook in the cross-cultural adaptation of Overseas Malaysian Chinese students in Taiwan. The study is done through in-depth interviews with the students. This research shows that before most Overseas Malaysian Chinese students arrive, they have a remarkable impression of Taiwan. All these made up through social and media exposure of the country. It is also the reason they encounter culture shock upon their arrival, adaptation problems include living, communication, academic, social relationships, personal ideology and values. The stress – adaptation – growth model shows a rising spiral pattern during the period of adaptation. Due to severe culture shock during the early stage of the sojourners’ arrival, they tend to actively, passively and interactively utilize uncertainty reduction strategies to adapt Taiwan, it is effective to accommodate the high level of stress faced by them. In time, although they would still bump into new issues, they could passively make use of Facebook because they have stronger social networks and more cross-cultural experiences. To conclude, the benefits of Facebook toward Overseas Malaysian Chinese students in Taiwan include, gathering and compiling information, emotional support, sustaining and developing relationships. In the early stage, Facebook acts as a connecting bridge, providing a channel that bonds and breaches bilateral culture contexts, at the same time unleashing the potential their social relations among different ties. Eventually this will improve the cross-cultural adaptation process as conflicts are transformed into a foundation for growth. Subsequently after the growth, they are more casually utilizing Facebook being a condiment in their lives, to enhance the living in the country, as well as being an experienced cross-cultural agent.