Sociology

Outline
Different people will move from one location to another and by so doing bring about cross-cultural interactions. Such interactions would result in intercultural communications, hence in a very big way changing the cultural practices and societal behaviours. This is a research paper giving the findings of a study that was conducted to investigate the cross-cultural interactions between the Koreans and Americans in the Korean society. In the paper there is also a descriptive literature review which sheds more light on the findings from past studies. There is also a keen discussion of the research findings concerning the relationships between such inter-cultural and cross-cultural interactions in the Korean society today.

Introduction
There is a very big influence that arises whenever different cultures come together in the same society. It would therefore be necessary to carry out a research and see to what degree such influences are experienced in the society. The fact of the matter is that such interactions are unavoidable as the world continues to get developed due to globalization and industrialization. People continue to move from one location to another because of education, marriage and employment hence changing the population dynamics. This has hence seen many people from different backgrounds, cultural trends and dialects coming together and start living in the same society (Melvin 27). In order to understand this better, it would be necessary that we look at the interactions between the Koreans and the Americans living in Korea. This will help us shed more light on some of the existing structures and situations between the two cultural groups.
Every two cultures coming together will tend to have different perspectives on the view of the others culture and communication (Valette 46). This begins from the individual point of view up to the societys view. In that condition, two or more societies as well as communities will come together and interact in accordance to their pragmatic cultural norms which would often result in big clashes in the peoples expectations. Such expectations will more often than not result to negative perceptions concerning the other society. In this scenario, these misperceptions will be typically in two-way this is to say that, each of these two groups perceptions to the other will continue to be negative (Melvin 36). Again, if we were to look at the age within a given cross-cultural interaction, the norm is that there must be an eventual growth of prejudice hatred as well as discrimination. This means that such groups may end up stereotyping an entire race or identity group just because of a trend that has been noted in one single individual from that society, tribe, nationality or identity group. It would be advisable that we carry out such a research and see how these situations will re-shape themselves in a given cross-interaction.

Literature Review
From literature, it will be observed that the world has over the years been experiencing different cultures coming together, living together, and finally bringing about a different kind of life from the one that used to be lived by the original occupants of that given society (Melvin 42). For instance, peoples movement from one place to the other has resulted in changes in beliefs and religion, cultural practices and even educational practices. Such human interactions have also been the main cause behind globalization and periodization (Douglas 17). Periodization is the process which has been transforming specific societies as well as the cultural regions they occupy, hence moving them from the ancient and remote times to the present global era. Such periodization has entirely resulted from these cross-cultural relationships and interactions (Valette 51).
History has also suggested that most of these cultural interactions have been playing a key role in changing the social, education, cultural, political and even economic structures in a given society (Valette 55). It will hence be acceptable that all these processes of cultural interventions have a very big value in helping the world realize its goals in terms of economic development. By putting our focus on the cross-cultural interactions, we are able to note that there have been transfers of languages from one society to the other. People have been willing to learn other languages so that they can engage in trade activities, and also improve their social lives (Douglas 12).

Different people will find it hard to cross into another culture, and this has been because of communication barriers, social practices and even prejudice. The person who has gone into such a different culture will start seeing life from another dimension he had not been familiar with (Valette 59). These are big challenges which one must compound with in such circumstances. It would hence be necessary that people see each other as brothers and sisters and try to help one another instead of causing brawls. Some of the causes for such misconceptions have been communication barriers, and social plus cultural practices.

Past studies have also indicated that people will tend to exhibit different behaviours when in a foreign land. This is so because there is the societal change which influences their participation in the present cultural practise. On the other hand, the same studies have also indicated that people form the same area or nationality will more often than not try to behave in a similar as their domestic colleagues, but not as with their foreign friends or counterparts (Valette 66). The translation here is that the already practiced domestic affairs will definitely vary with the international practices. This is so because different people will tend to behave differently before understanding better the people they are dealing or living with (Melvin 71).

From history, it has been noted that the interaction of people has been bringing very many changes in how people live. For instance, in some parts of the world we have been having gay marriages and lesbians. This has very quickly been translated into other different parts of the world. Such occurrences have occurred because people have been moving form one place to another, interacting with each other, and at the same time sharing their views, opinions and beliefs. We have also been seen differently religions being spread from one place to another over the last few years. Noted sources have also indicated that the media has been playing a very big role concerning the way people live. This is so because the world has been developing in a very fast rate due to technological advancements. The internet has also been a key tool in facilitating such developments (Valette 71).

Due to such processes, people have been able to adopt different living conditions, dressing styles and even educational systems (John 47). This has been fueled by the issues of globalization. Sooner and sooner the globe is becoming a very small community united by similar practices. It would also be necessary to note that there have been some hindrances which exist in the integration of different cultures. Some of these barriers have been posed by religion, race and skin color. This means that a Muslim may not be able to share much with a Christians and vice-versa. Alternatively, some populations and societies still practice racism and hence different people from such races may not interact as much (John 51).

Terrorism has been another issue which has been putting different cultures into different paths. This means that most of the Muslims with Arabic decent will tend to be discriminated as well as alienated in most of the global countries. This is because of the stereotype that such people are terrorists and predict nothing better than disaster to that given society. In that case, such people will not be engaged in maximum cross-cultural interactions as with the other people (Douglas 37). Also, some whites have been reported to give utterances of racism and hatred towards people of the African origin. Such issues have hence been hindering the degree at which different people would interact with one another (John 53).

Description of the Cross Cultural Experience
From the study, I have been able to note that there are a number of people who may not have been comfortable with such interrelationships between different cultures in the country. It appears to me that there is a notion that many people have never been so comfortable with such social interactions and especially with the people from foreign countries. The translation has also been that such prejudices have impacted and influenced the way people live in such situations. Upon the examination of any two individuals with different cultural origins, it has been noted that the people tried insomuch to bring about their home-country social status and class to the new land, and hence this has been a useful tool in changing the lives of the original people of the land (Melvin 56).

This means that such interactions will have a great impact on the interaction situations in that given society. The study was also able to note the existence of differences and similarities or differences in the new society once compared with the home country. Surprisingly, the research has also found out that the period of stay for the Americans in the host country, especially the ones having shorter time in the country have been well received as visitors in the country. On the other hand, people who have come there to live for a number of years have been perceived differently by the local communities. Such people coming for a short period of time do not have more impacts in changing the existing cross cultural comfort and interaction (Douglas 56). Another thing from our results is that most of the visitors who come into the country have always been happy that they have been received well and given warm welcome.

From this study, I have also been able to note that there are some issues arising from the way through which young people respect the elderly from other countries. This is also a very important cross-cultural interaction which should also be addressed. There have been specific behaviours of the young towards the elderly in Korea. For instance, it will be noted that all the young people will be required to give maximum respect to the elderly. Therefore, such behaviours will also vary from one society to the other because they are extremely specific to that particular culture. From the samples of the people surveyed in this study, a very inclusive behavioural attitude towards the elderly was received. The people showed that there was some respect which was offered to such people of such ages, and this was based on the language and tone used, the way of response to their questions, salutatory respects as well as preferential respects (Douglas 67). From the study I was able to conclude that the existence of such differences or similarities in the different cultures was because of the practical differences associated with different cultures.

It would be necessary that the future sees all people treating each other as brothers and sisters, no matter the skin color, the origin or the race. This will be useful because it is form such an understanding that the world would be able to realise its goals and objectives towards economic development (Juang 40). It would also be necessary that all people from different culture understand one another, then by so doing be able to share ideas, technology and opinions which would elevate the global economy to the next level. All the younger people should also exhibit respect to the elderly despite the race, color or nationality. From the study, it will be agreed that the future interactions between any two different cultures such as The Koreans and the Americans will continue to improve day by day. This is so because the world is willing to practice multi-national business operations, and hence such interactions would lead to economic growth (Juang 61). Therefore, such improvements would not only be between the Koreans and the Americans, but between all groups of cultures in the country (John 62).

Conclusion
It would be necessary that we come up with an approach in understanding some of the cross-cultural impacts within our societies. Such approaches will help us in understanding some of the cultural levels common in the society such as the self-awareness of the individual in each particular culture, the general nature of man as a being, and also the common similarities or differences that would occur within such cultures. Once we get an insight from such approaches, it can hence be the beginning of to understand the nature of others and hence being able to live with then in a good way (John 67). One important reason for the understanding of human nature is because it gives us with the necessary information in the understanding of the common universal behavior of man. Therefore, it is from such a framework that we can be able to grasp some meaning from these cross-cultural interrelations and interactions and thereby coming up with new measures that would help us in solving the common problems and differences experienced by the people. The other thing is that we can learn what to be done incase of disagreements. The eventual result is that we will always come up with wisdom after similar researches which will help us become people of the world who appreciate multi-cultural interactions, be able to engage in dialogue with other cultures and eventually develop a sense of relativism towards any given culture (Douglas 76). In order to come up with a better future, we should ensure that there are measures which would help in improving the way people live. One thing is that there should be intercultural adaptations and recognitions so that all people may have respect for one another. We should also ensure good international standards which would ensure that all people live in harmony.