Making sense of cultural complexity: An experimental study of third culture individuals' interpersonal sensitivity as a result of intercultural adaptation.

摘要

This study examined third culture individuals, defined as people who lived in a country other than that of their nationality during their developmental years, seeking to determine a difference in interpersonal sensitivity between third culture individuals and mono-cultured persons. While popular literature asserts such specialized skills developed as a result of intercultural adaptation, this assertion has not been empirically supported. Data was collected using web-based surveys, which yielded a sample size of 142. The instrument measured participants' intercultural experience and interpersonal sensitivity in two classifications, emotional sensitivity and social sensitivity.;Results showed third culture individuals as having significantly higher social sensitivity than mono-cultured individuals; however, mono-cultured individuals' self-reported aptitude for emotional sensitivity was significantly higher than that of the third culture sample. Additionally, no significant correlation was found between greater intercultural experience and heightened interpersonal sensitivity.;Key Terms: third culture individual, third culture, interpersonal sensitivity, intercultural communication, perception, social sensitivity, adaptation.