Exploring the Influence of Ethnocentrism on Intercultural Communicative Competence: A Quantitative Study on University Teachers
Keywords:
ethnocentrism, diverse cultures, intercultural communicationAbstract
The study was undertaken to check the influence of higher degrees of ethnocentrism on intercultural communicative competence. The sample comprised teachers from two universities in the public sector located in Islamabad. They were given a survey questionnaire followed by the Generalized Ethnocentrism (GENE) scale used to measure their degrees of ethnocentric tendencies. The Three Factor Model of Social Identity and the Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence served as the frameworks of the study. The data were interpreted using regression analysis carried out via SPSS 2.0. All the constructs of ethnocentrism, excluding critical cultural awareness, were discovered to reflect a negative impact on intercultural communicative competence which suggests that the higher degrees of ethnocentrism are detrimental to the peaceful and progressive environment of the workplace where employees from multiple cultures and nationalities serve together. The present study has significance for employees working with colleagues of multiple nationalities. As they meet people from diverse cultures, therefore, they need to mitigate ethnocentric thoughts and feelings related to other cultures and acquire the intercultural communicative competence required for effective intercultural communication. In addition, it is also significant for teachers and students who teach or study with international students.
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