Culture Shock on The Instagram Account @Prettypuri17: A Cross-Cultural Communication Study

Abstract

Cross-cultural communication is essential in interactions between individuals from different cultural backgrounds, as differences in values, norms, and social habits can lead to communication challenges, including culture shock. Social media platforms such as Instagram serve as spaces to represent cross-cultural communication experience. This study explores the representation of culture shock in interactions between Puri and Jane on the Instagram account @prettypuri17. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected from conversations between Puri and Jane in video reels depicting culture shock phenomena in daily interactions. Data analysis applied intercultural communication theory by Samovar et al. (2010) and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory (2001), focusing on differences in cultural values, communication patterns, and the dynamics and culture shock. The results reveal that culture shock in the interactions reflects differences between Indonesian and American cultural values, particularly in the use of formal and informal language, perceptions of authority, and concepts of individualism and collectivism in work and social contexts. The content also illustrates identity negotiation and communication strategies used to adapt to new cultural settings. These findings suggest that representations of culture shock on social media can function as light yet educational tools for fostering understanding of cross-cultural communication dynamics, making them accessible to a broader audience.