Final answer:
People's behaviors during intercultural encounters often do not match our expectations due to culture shock and ethnocentrism. They might adapt to new cultural norms which fundamentally alter their behavior, aligning with the expected roles within that culture, similar to actors in a production.
Step-by-step explanation:
During intercultural encounters, people's behaviors do not always conform to our expectations. Experiencing a new culture can lead to culture shock and ethnocentrism, where travelers or immigrants find some aspects of the new culture challenging due to unanticipated differences from their own culture. For example, Americans and Chinese may interpret interruptions in the classroom very differently. People often adapt their behavior to align with the new cultural expectations, as noted in studies by Masuda and Nisbett (2001) concerning visual information processing differences based on culture, and observations of varied criteria for in-group approval. Such adaptations can range from a shift in personal hygiene habits to different ways of communicating and interacting with others.
Furthermore, the actor-observer bias may influence how individuals perceive and interpret their own and others' behavior in intercultural settings. It is important to recognize that while there are behavioral tendencies across human populations, these manifestations vary based on cultural norms. The difference in expectations can influence a person's behavior, making it more akin to actors playing roles rather than the behavior of animals, as individuals may consciously or subconsciously adjust to fulfill the roles expected of them in the new cultural context.