The Level of Intercultural Sensitivity and EFL Interests Among Taiwan’s College Students

Abstract

The world has increasingly become a global village in the 21st century, as people from different cultures and countries have more opportunities for close contact and interaction with each other. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of (1) the level of intercultural sensitivity and EFL interests and (2) whether the degree of intercultural sensitivity (including its subcomponents) and EFL interests differ according to students’ demographic characteristics, including students’ academic majors, duration of learning English, frequency of traveling to other countries, and gender. A total of 1191 college-aged students (558 males, 633 females) participated in this study. Participants filled out a battery of questionnaires, including the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (ISS) and Interest in Foreign Language Scale (IFLS). Results found that the degree of intercultural sensitivity (including its four subcomponents) and EFL interests differ according to certain demographic characteristics.