The necessity for self-regulation in intercultural situations

Abstract

There is a long history of research into which skills and abilities individuals need in intercultural situations. Intercultural competence is frequently claimed to be a critical variable. There are different models of intercultural competence but a shared and theoretically-based understanding of intercultural competence is still missing. The present paper outlines an approach to intercultural competence as a situation specific competence, framing an intercultural situation independent of national cultures. Further, a multi-level model of intercultural competence based on social-cognitive theory is developed and tested empirically in two studies. The results highlight the importance of self-regulation in intercultural situations. Self-regulation significantly influences group competencies and the perception of diversity.