A Study On Sociocultural Adaptation Of International Students In Gansu

With the development of globalization, cross-cultural research has been regarded as a field of prominent significance. As an important topic for the field, the research of cross-cultural adaptation in oversea academia has obtained tremendous achievements with a large number of acculturation models and measurement scales proposed by researchers and scholars from different academic disciplines. Comparatively, the research on cross-cultural adaptation in China appears to be fairly late. With the advancement of China’s reform and opening policy, more and more international students choose to study in China. Meanwhile, the research on cross-cultural adaptation of international students in China is also arousing the domestic scholars’ attention.Drawing on the research findings of cross-cultural communication, sociology, and psychology, this paper attempts to investigate the sociocultural adaptation of international students in Gansu. To be specific, the four research questions are surveyed:(1) What is the current situation of the international students’ sociocultural adaptation in Gansu?(2) What are the demographic variables that affect internation al students’ sociocultural adaptation in Gansu?(3) What are the factors that motivate international students to study in Gansu? Do they have an effect on the international students’ sociocultural adaptation in Gansu?(4) To what extent do the international students involve in social life? Does it influence their sociocultural adaptation when they adapt to social life in Gansu?Based on Searle and Ward’ cross-cultural adaptation theory, combining qualitative method and quantitative method, a questionnaire to investigate into the international students’ cross-cultural adaptation experiences was designed. To this end, one hundred and fifty six students in Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou University of Technology and Lanzhou Jiaotong University were invited to respond to the questionnaires, and four of them were chosen to participate in the interview. The research results are concluded as follows:(1) I nternational students’ sociocultural adaptation in Gansu is relatively good. However, they still meet with difficulties in understanding the local language and dealing with unsatisfactory service.(2) Nationality, age, education level and specialty have obvious impact on international students’ sociocultural adaptation. In terms of nationality, the Asian international students adapt better, however, the Africa international students adapt worse. As for age, the younger international students adapt better than older international students on sociocultural adaptation. In terms of educational level, the “other” group who are short-term exchange international students and language students adapt better, while doctoral students adapt worse. As for specialty, those who major in Chinese language adapt better than those who major in humanities & social sciences, and science and engineering.(3) Most international students come to China in the hope of improving their Chinese language levels, so as to be more competitive in career. A part of them would like to know about China by traveling. Besides, international students’ motivation for studying in Gansu is not significantly correlated with their sociocultural adaptation.(4) Moreover, the degree of international students’ involvement in social activities is relatively lower. And it is slightly positively related to their sociocultural adaptation, which means the more frequently they involve in social activities, the more satisfied their sociocultural adaptation is.The findings of this research have basically clarified the international students’ sociocultural adaptation process in Gansu, which may provide significant implications for international education management, international students’ cross-cultural adaptation and further intervention measures on international students and some enlightenment to the practical research of international students’ cross-cultural adaptation.