Culture Shock Intercultural Wedding in North Serpong District, South Tangerang City

This research aims to analyze the phenomenon of culture shock in intercultural marriages in North Serpong District. The focus of the research is on the communication dynamics of couples with different ethnic and regional backgrounds in managing differences in values, traditions, and interaction styles. This research uses a qualitative approach with a multiple-case study design. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews and analyzed using pattern-matching techniques and cross-case synthesis, with reference to the Anxiety/Uncertainty Management (AUM) Theory developed by William B. Gudykunst. The results of the study show that couples experience adaptation stages that follow the U-curve pattern, namely honeymoon, crisis, recovery, and adjustment. The crisis phase is the most vulnerable point, characterized by clashes in verbal communication styles, differences in work values, and extended family interventions. Uncertainty arises in the form of difficulty predicting a partner’s responses, while anxiety manifests as emotional tension and recurring conflict. The recovery process takes place through negotiation of meaning, self-disclosure, and the formation of mutual agreements as strategies to reduce uncertainty. At the adjustment stage, couples build a hybrid family culture that integrates the positive values of each cultural background. The heterogeneous and individualistic urban environment in North Serpong also accelerates the adaptation process due to the lack of external social intervention. This research extends the concept of culture shock to the domestic–interpersonal realm and provides practical implications for strengthening intercultural communication literacy in multicultural.