An examination of the impact of cultural intelligence on life satisfaction: Insights from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the United States

Globalization has increased connectivity across national borders and contributed to cultural diversity within countries. In this context, the ability to adapt to diverse cultural contexts, known as cultural intelligence, has become increasingly important. However, there is insufficient research examining the impact of cultural intelligence on life satisfaction, as well as its underlying mechanisms. To address this gap, we suggest that general self-efficacy could function between cultural intelligence and life satisfaction. Our study targeted people from three different cultures that experience varying degrees of globalization: Hong Kong (N = 123), Mainland China (N = 134), and the United States (N = 193). The findings, gathered from university students who regularly interacted with individuals from different cultures in their daily lives, supported the positive associations among cultural intelligence, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction and the role of self-efficacy in the impact of cultural intelligence on life satisfaction. Moreover, we found that Hong Kong Chinese rated themselves highest in cultural intelligence, followed by Mainland Chinese (sample from Beijing), whereas Americans (sample from Iowa) scored the lowest. This research not only enriches the understanding of cultural intelligence but also provides valuable insights into fostering psychological well-being in the current era of globalization.