Chapter 62: Cross-Cultural Communication
Jason Wrench; Narissra Punyanunt-Carter; and Katherine Thweatt
Learning Objectives
- Explain the importance of cultural intelligence.
- Learn about metacognitive CQ.
- Identify several different ways to create better intercultural interactions.
Become Culturally Intelligent
One of the latest buzz-words in the business world is “cultural intelligence,” which was initially introduced to the scholarly community in 2003 by P. Christopher Earley and Soon Ang. In the past decade, a wealth of research has been conducted examining the importance of cultural intelligence during interpersonal interactions with people from other cultures. Cultural intelligence (CQ) is defined as an “individual’s capability to function effectively in situations characterized by cultural diversity.”
Four Factors of Cultural Intelligence
In their original study on the topic, Earley and Ang argued that cultural intelligence is based on four distinct factors: cognitive, motivational, metacognitive, and behavioral dimensions. Before continuing, take a minute and complete the Cultural Intelligence Questionnaire in Table 62.1
Instructions: Read the following questions and select the answer that corresponds with your perception. Do not be concerned if some of the items appear similar. Please use the scale below to rate the degree to which each statement applies to you.
|
Strongly Disagree |
Disagree |
Neutral |
Agree |
Strongly Agree |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
_____1. When I’m interacting with someone from a differing culture, I know when I use my knowledge of that person’s culture during my interactions.
_____2. When I interact with someone from a culture I know nothing about, I have no problem adjusting my perspective of their culture while we talk.
_____3. During intercultural interactions, I am well aware of the cultural knowledge I utilize.
_____4. I always check my knowledge of someone from another culture to ensure that my understanding of their culture is accurate.
_____5. During my intercultural interactions, I try to be mindful of how my perceptions of someone’s culture are either consistent with or differ from reality.
_____6. I pride myself on knowing a lot about other people’s cultures.
_____7. I understand the social, economic, and political systems of other cultures.
_____8. I know about other cultures’ religious beliefs and values.
_____9. I understand how daily life is enacted in other cultures.
_____10. I know the importance of paintings, literature, and other forms of art in other cultures.
_____11. I enjoy reaching out and engaging in an intercultural encounter.
_____12. I would have no problem socializing with people from a new culture.
_____13. Although intercultural encounters often involve stress, I don’t mind the stress because meeting people from new cultures makes it worth it.
_____14. I would have no problems accustoming myself to the routines of another culture.
_____15. I enjoy being with people from other cultures