Research On Social Support Network And Cross-Culture Adaptation Of African Students In China

At present, China’s reform and opening up has entered a new stage of deepening reform. And the deepening of reform and opening up, in promoting China’s economic, political, cultural and social fields to booming at the same time, also make China’s international status and influence increasing day by day. We can see, more and more foreign students are attracted by China, the number of foreign students coming to China has increased rapidly. China is implementing the "study in China" plan which proposed by2020, the total number of foreign students would achieve500000, making China become Asia’s largest destination country for studying abroad. For foreign students, the first thing that they have to face is how to adapt to the study and life which is under the background of Chinese culture, namely cross-cultural adaptation. With the vigorous development of the education for foreign students in China, research about the intercultural adaptation problem of foreign students has become a reality.Social support has important significance for individual and society. On the one hand, the individual to solve the problems encountered in daily life and crisis, is generally under the help of his social support network, can be implemented smoothly. Having good social support network can slow life pressure, promote social adaptation, thus help to improve the health of body and mind and personal happiness. Otherwise, it will not conducive to adapt to the social life of the individual, and cause personal physical and mental disease easily. On the other hand, Social support network can also slow down people’s dissatisfaction with the society, buffer or resolve the conflict between individual and society, which is conducive to social stability. There is no doubt that the research of social support network of foreign students in China which containing the formation, characteristics, development and change and the affect to their intercultural adaptation, etc., can further expand and deepen the study of foreign student’s cross-cultural adaptation.By the case of the African students at Z university, this paper tries to discuss the following issues:what is the status about the cross-cultural adaptation of African student? After African students came to China, their social support (network) will experience what kind of change, how to establish, maintain and develop the new social support? The social support of African students in China and its cross-cultural adaptation has what kind of contact?By means of observation, interviews and other qualitative research methods, this study tried to several exploratory conclusions:first, the size of the African students social support network in China for their social and cultural adaptation and psychological adaptation has a certain influence. The social support network size, the greater the cross cultural adaptation, the better.Second, African students in China social support network of the higher intensity, and their social and cultural adaptation and adjustment is more helpful. Social support network of high intensity, and can let the psychological and emotional expression, which is beneficial to the psychological adaptation. At the same time, the African students can also with the help of the social support network resources to better adapt to the local culture.Third, African students in China the social support network in structure with/heterogeneity is also associated with their intercultural adaptation. Homogeneity strong social support network, could limit the communication opportunity, is not conducive to the social and cultural adaptation. But homogeneity, available to the more psychological and emotional recognition, understanding and care, thereby facilitating mental adaptation. Homogeneity, therefore, not only has it on helping African students psychological adaptation irreplaceability of advantage, and with it to some extent limit open, making the possibility of closed.Fourth, the social support network of African students in China is a strong relationship and the weak relationship complementary advantages of the network, strong and the weak relations jointly promote their cross-cultural adaptation. Strong relationships can provide the weak relationship can have a deep communication and fully trust each other’s needs, and weak relationship can make up the strong relationship in the information communication and resource diversification on the shortcomings. And strong relationships can continuously expand the scope of weak ties, and the weak ties are generated by the new strong could further into a new relationship, and continue to introduce more weak relationship, form a spiral type of development situation.Fifth, African students in China people in their social support network of the relative position with his and there is a certain relation between the cross cultural adaptation. The higher the status, social and cultural adaptation and psychological adaptation, the better. High status of African students can also provide more information to other students, help on opportunities and resources, thus the development of the social support network also plays a certain role in promoting.Sixth, core type can than loose network provide more emotional support to African students, to help their psychological adapt to play an important role; And loose network are more inclined to provide a variety of instrumental support African students, which benefits the social and cultural adaptation of the African students and blend in.In a word,the cross-cultural adaptation of African students in China had significant correlation with their social support. It is through its changing and developing social support networks that African students can adapt to the social and cultural life and physical and mental emotional adjustment. In this respect, the process of the cross-cultural adaptation is also the course of the social support network changing.