According to Brown (1980), there are four aspects of the optimal distance model:
1) Acculturation: He claims that there are four stages of the acculturation process that people face while assimilating
in a new culture:
a) Period of excitement and euphoria: this stage is a result of the new environment.
b) Culture Shock: This stage occurs when the person becomes aware of the cultural differences and sees those
differences as a threat to his self and security. During this stage the person looks for people from his culture to rely on.
The result of this stage may be the feelings of estrangement, frustration, homesickness, … etc.
c) Gradual Recovery: In this stage the person solves some of his problems about the new culture, and he becomes
more empathetic, and starts to appreciate the differences between his culture and the target language culture.
d) Assimilation or Adaptation: This is a result of near or full recovery. The person starts to build in self-confidence in
the new culture.
2) Anomie: As a result of learning a second language and being exposed to, or living in, the second language culture
people may have feelings, such as social uncertainty or dissatisfaction.
3) Social Distance: “Social distance refers to the cognitive and affective proximity of two cultures which come into
contact with an individual.” (p. 158) Distance, here, represents the differences between the two cultures.