How International Students Use Generative Al as a Sociocultural Adaptation Strategy and Its Impact on Academic Performance:A Cross-Cultural Study

Abstract

With the deepening internationalization of higher education, the sociocultural adaptation of international students has become an increasingly important research topic. However, existing studies have paid limited attention to how international students utilize emerging technological resources to address adaptation challenges. Grounded in sociocultural adaptation theory, this study adopted a qualitative exploratory design, employing purposive sampling to recruit approximately 12 international master's students from non-English-speaking countries studying in English-medium higher education environments. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study addressed two research questions: Do international graduate students use generative AI as a sociocultural adaptation strategy? How does generative AI function as a mediator in their adaptation process? Findings reveal that international master's students clearly employ generative AI as a strategic resource for sociocultural adaptation. At the language level, AI assists students through real-time text optimization and expression suggestions; at the cultural norm level, AI provides scenario simulations and behavioral demonstrations to help decode implicit academic rules; at the social interaction level, AI compensates for limited interpersonal networks by offering strategic communication advice. This study extends sociocultural adaptation theory by incorporating generative AI as an actionable strategic resource, providing new theoretical perspectives and practical references for understanding technology-mediated cross-cultural adaptation processes.