Publication Date
3-2025
Abstract
In today's rapidly evolving global landscape, individuals are increasingly required to navigate diverse cultural interactions, prompting extensive research into intercultural competence. This paper examines the multifaceted concept of intercultural sensitivity, drawing from cross-cultural psychology, intercultural communication, and emerging intercultural psychology. Despite the lack of a universally accepted definition, previous studies have highlighted the importance of an affective component within intercultural competence which usually refers to intercultural sensitivity. While acknowledging the contributions and limitations of seminal models such as the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) and Chen's affective intercultural sensitivity model, we propose a novel conceptualization termed cognitive-affective intercultural sensitivity (CAIS), emphasizing the dynamic interplay between cognitive and affective processes in navigating cultural diversity. CAIS is an interculturative process that affects emotions, cognitions and behavior when encountering cultural differences. In other words, it is a self-transformative process that influences identity. However, measuring affective intercultural sensitivity poses significant challenges, necessitating the development of valid assessment tools capable of capturing nuanced emotional experiences in intercultural interactions. We outline four methodological challenges gleaned from initial studies attempting to measure the concept and propose solutions to guide future research. In conclusion, by integrating psychological theory with insights from other disciplines, this paper aims to advance our understanding of intercultural sensitivity and inform future research.
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