Abstract:

Intercultural competence (ICC) is one of the recognized means of preventing and solving intercultural conflicts in the modern global world. ICC conceptualization and diagnostics, as well as opportunities for its development and formation are important subject for scientific discussion in Education, Psychology, Intercultural Communication, etc. The Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) by M.J.Bennett is one of the most applied ICC models in modern psychology. Russian psychologists O.E. Khukhlaev and M.Y. Chibisova developed a Russian-language technique “Intercultural Competence Scale” for ICC diagnostics based on the DMIS, that includes 4 subscales: Minimization, Absolutization, Ambivalence, Acceptance. Minimization and Absolutization correspond to ethnocentric orientations according to the DMIS. Ambivalence is a transitional orientation from ethnocentrism to ethnorelativism. Acceptance corresponds to ethnorelative orientations according to the DMIS.

The analysis of the published data revealed that the Five-Factor Model (FFM) personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness) are often considered in connection with ICC in Western psychological studies. We believe that the study of FFM personality traits in relation to the DMIS orientations could improve psychological programs aimed at the ICC development in Russian university and school students.

The purpose of present research is to show that FFM personality traits can determine the severity of ICC scales in Russian university and school students. The sample includes 510 people (64% female): 388 university and 122 school students. ICC was measured with the author's modification of “Intercultural Competence Scale” by O. Khuhlaev & M. Chibisova, which successfully passed a psychometric testing. The FFM factors were measured with the Russian NEO Five-Factor Inventory adaptation by S. Biryukov and M. Bodunov. The descriptive statistics methods, coefficients Cronbach’ α and McDonald's ω, and the multiple regression analysis was used for statistical analysis. Statistical processing was carried out in the R software environment for statistical computing and graphics, version 3.3.2.

Findings of our research showed that personality traits affect all the measured ICC subscales. Specifically, Acceptance, the thnorelativistic scale, that reflects the highest level of ICC, is influenced by consciousness. Agreeableness, neuroticism and extraversion may have a certain influence on the ethnocentristic scales as Absolutization and Minimization. Also, personality traits are more associated with ICC in university students sample compared to the school students sample, where the impact of another factors is more obvious. Thus the obtained data showed that FFM Personality traits, especially consciousness, are significant predictors of ICC and should be taken into account while ICC formation. Further research suggests that ICC considered in the framework of DMIS may be affected by various factors including social attitudes and intelligence level.

Keywords:

Intercultural competence, Intercultural competence predictors, Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, Five-Factor Model, Personality Traits.