Can ability emotional intelligence help explain intercultural effectiveness? Incremental validity and mediation effects of emotional vocabulary in predicting intercultural judgment

A review of the literature reveals that previous studies on the role of emotional intelligence (EI) in predicting intercultural effectiveness have focused solely on trait EI, i.e., self-reported emotional efficacy, and on emotion recognition, disregarding the core components of ability EI, particularly its understanding emotions branch. Considering this gap and arguing for the relevance of emotion understanding in intercultural communication, the present study examined whether emotional vocabulary (EV), a marker of the ability to understand emotions, predicts intercultural problem solving above verbal intelligence and personality, and whether it (partially) mediates their effects on the criterion. Participants were 336 university students from Serbia, assessed on EV, verbal intelligence, the Big Five, and intercultural judgment and decision making (CJDM). A hierarchical regression analysis found verbal intelligence, Openness, and Extraversion (Step 1), and EV (Step 2) to significantly predict CJDM, with EV incrementally explaining 2% of criterion variance. A path analysis yielded excellent fit indices for a model postulating EV as a partial mediator of the effects of verbal intelligence and Openness on CJDM. The study thus provides first evidence of the specific contribution of emotion understanding to solving intercultural communication problems, the implications of which for both EI and intercultural research are discussed.     

Does social capital reduce the psychological distress and improve the wellbeing of asylum seekers? Evidence from Israel

The living difficulties of asylum seekers in receiving countries may impair their mental health. Based on the Social Capital Theory, the current study sought to identify social factors that might reduce their psychological distress and improve their wellbeing. A sample of 227 Darfuri asylum seekers in Israel aged 19–58 completed a questionnaire assessing the outcomes of psychological distress and wellbeing, and the predictors of post-migration living difficulties, number of asylum seeker and Israeli friends, perceived social support, and volunteering in community activity for asylum seekers. The findings show that whereas perceived social support was associated with reduced psychological distress and increased wellbeing (and the latter also associated with number of Israeli friends), the number of asylum seeker friends was associated with increased psychological distress and reduced wellbeing. Moreover, both factors moderated the association between living difficulties and psychological distress, that is, it was significant only at higher levels of these factors. Volunteering in community activity also moderated this association. The results suggest that having friends is not enough to improve wellbeing and may even have the opposite effect when friends share similar adversities. However, friends who are available to offer support can contribute to improved wellbeing. Similarly, volunteering in community activity may reduce the individual’s own welfare, as it exposes them to the adversities of others. Thus, while some social capital indicators are beneficial, others might have a detrimental effect. The results indicate the need to strengthen the social contacts of asylum seekers while paying attention to the potential cost.     

Can interethnic contact between majority (Han) and minority (Uyghur) people in China influence sense of Chinese national Community? The role of positive and negative direct,extended and vicarious intergroup contact

ObjectivesIn multiethnic countries, enhancing the sense of community and preventing ethnic segregation represents a major challenge. In this study we aimed to test the effects of different forms of intergroup contact in fostering sense of community among majority and minority ethnic groups in China, by focusing on the sense of the community at the national level.MethodsParticipants were Han (N = 355, ethnic majority group) and Uyghur (N = 546, ethnic minority group) people at a multiethnic university in the Xinjiang province in China.ResultsResults from path analysis revealed that positive direct contact for the minority, and positive extended and vicarious contact for both majority and minority group were indirectly associated with higher sense of Chinese national community via greater focus on positive characteristics of the outgroup. In addition, negative contact (extended contact for the majority; direct contact for the minority) were indirectly associated with lower sense of Chinese national community via reduced focus on positive outgroup characteristics. No evidence was found for negative focus (focus on negative outgroup characteristics) and intergroup threat as mediators. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings for improving intergroup relations in multiethnic and conflictual settings by using multiple forms of intergroup contact are discussed.     

Does service learning affect the development of intercultural sensitivity? A study comparing students’ progress in two different methodologies

Numerous studies have highlighted Intercultural Sensitivity (IS) as a key competence in an increasingly multicultural society. This study examined the extent to which a cohort of first year undergraduate students enrolled on the same Didactics course, and in two different training modalities – Service Learning (SL) and non-Service Learning (non-SL) – developed IS. It was based on a quasi-experimental design of repeated pre-test and post-test measures, comparing the two groups. The sample consisted of 233 Spanish students at higher education institutions, and data was collected using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). The SL group displayed significantly higher levels of IS in all factors except in the denial/defence and minimization stages. Results indicated the effectiveness of SL regarding specific subscales within the IDI instrument. The findings add new depth to our understanding regarding which teaching methodologies contribute to the development of IS and to the training of active citizens in Spanish university students. The discussion focuses on the need for intercultural service experiences to promote IS. The results have broad implications for policymakers and educators who are interested in enhancing transformative educational experiences and effective teaching methodologies for developing students’ IS in higher education.     

Does teachers’ ethnic bias stress them out? The role of teachers’ implicit attitudes toward and expectations of ethnic minority students in teachers’ burnout

Research on diversity-related burnout has led to a variety of mixed findings. Several factors have been investigated that may come into play in this relationship (e.g., ethnic school composition). In this study, the hypothesis is that the experience of burnout may result from teachers’ own implicit attitudes and expectations towards ethnic minority students, which are usually negative, rather than explicit prejudices, which are found to be positive Two different implicit measures (Implicit Association Test and Relational Responding Task) and a scale to assess ethnic prejudices have been used. Implicit attitudes toward ethnic minority students and implicit expectations of students’ performance were both negative, but only implicit attitudes predicted teachers’ burnout. Explicit prejudice was low and did not predict burnout. These results highlight the role of teachers’ ethnic implicit attitudes towards ethnic minority students in their own well-being. Future research should further investigate this relationship to get a better understanding of how implicit aspects are involved in the development of burnout.