Intercultural Competence and Effectiveness of Intercultural Communication

Abstract

The article aims to present the results of the study of intercultural competence as a predictor of effective intercultural interaction. The mechanism by which this effect is achieved is currently poorly understood. The study involved students from Russian universities (N=748) aged 18 to 25 years (M=20.09, SD= 1.73). 85% of the sample were women. The following methods were used: “Integrative questionnaire of intercultural competence”, the Scale of intergroup anxiety U.The scales of Attributive confidence and perceived predictability and Self-assessment of the effectiveness of cross-cultural communication was from the studies of W. Gudykanst, Scale of evaluation of the desire to interact with a partner of other cultures. All scales were modified for the study and showed good reliability. The theoretical model was tested using path analysis. The effects of all components of the integrative model of intercultural competence on the desire to interact with a partner in intercultural communication and self-assessment of its effectiveness were found, except for the “lack of ethnocentrism”sub-scale. It is also shown that the effects of cross-cultural interest and cross-cultural stability on the perceived effectiveness of communication with a foreign cultural partner and the desire to interact with them are mediated by intergroup anxiety and perceived predictability of cross-cultural communication.