Language proficiency and cultural intelligence: A meta-analysis based on conservation of resources theory and the overt-covert model of culture

Abstract

Research on language proficiency and cultural intelligence (CQ) has developed somewhat independently, resulting in a partial understanding of the personal resources required to facilitate job performance and adaptation in a foreign culture. Our meta-analysis synthesizes the two constructs by drawing on the overt-covert model of culture and the conservation of resources (COR) theory. Specifically, we propose that language proficiency and CQ complement each other by overcoming resource losses arising from overt (i.e., explicit language differences) and covert (i.e., implicit rules) cultural differences, respectively. We further propose that the host-country communication context (i.e., higher vs. lower context dependence) moderates the effects of language proficiency and CQ. Meta-analytic results based on 355 field samples (N = 128,358) support our hypotheses and show that (1) both language proficiency and CQ are positively related to job performance and cultural adaptation, (2) the effects of language proficiency are accentuated in cultures with lower communication-context dependence, while (3) the effects of CQ are accentuated in cultures with higher communication-context dependence. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research and practice.