Developing Intercultural Sensitivity Through Study Abroad

Study abroad programs are powerful opportunities for students to engage with cultural diversity. Yet, exposure to another culture does not automatically lead to intercultural understanding. The article “Developing Intercultural Sensitivity in Study Abroad Programs” explores how educators can intentionally support students’ intercultural growth through theory-based reflection and narrative analysis.

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Understanding Acculturation in Study Abroad

When students live abroad, they continuously navigate between their home and host cultures. This process, known as acculturation, describes how individuals adapt to a new cultural environment both behaviorally (e.g., learning a new language) and psychologically (e.g., shifting perspectives on social norms).

Originally, researchers viewed acculturation as a one-way process where individuals gradually abandoned their home culture to adopt the host culture. However, modern research (Berry, 1974) proposes a bi-dimensional model, where students can maintain varying degrees of connection to both cultures. This model identifies four acculturative strategies:

• Integration – maintaining one’s original culture while engaging with the host culture.
• Assimilation – adopting the host culture and letting go of the original one.
• Separation – maintaining one’s culture while avoiding the host culture.
• Marginalization – losing connection to both cultures.

Students using integration or assimilation strategies tend to experience less stress and greater adaptation abroad. Understanding these approaches allows educators to design activities that encourage more balanced cultural engagement.

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The Development of Intercultural Sensitivity

Intercultural sensitivity refers to the ability to recognize and respond appropriately to cultural differences. Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) outlines six progressive stages that move from an ethnocentric to an ethno-relative worldview:

1. Denial – ignoring cultural differences.
2. Defense – judging other cultures as inferior.
3. Minimization – assuming all people are essentially the same.
4. Acceptance – recognizing the complexity of cultural differences.
5. Adaptation – shifting perspectives and behaviors.
6. Integration – developing an intercultural identity.

Study abroad students can move along this continuum through intentional reflection and guided experiences. However, without structured support, they may remain at earlier stages, limiting their learning outcomes.

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Using Narratives and Video-Logs to Foster Reflection

The article highlights narratives—especially student-created video-logs—as effective tools for promoting intercultural reflection. By recounting “critical incidents” (moments of cultural misunderstanding or discovery), students can analyze their reactions and growth.

Plot analysis of these narratives helps educators assess intercultural development. For example:

• A “Denial” narrative might focus on confusion without recognizing cultural context.
• A “Defense” narrative might highlight frustration with differences.
• An “Acceptance” narrative acknowledges and respects cultural norms.
• An “Adaptation” narrative shows the ability to respond appropriately within another culture.

Through these stories, educators can observe how students make meaning from cultural encounters and tailor interventions accordingly.

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Conclusion: Reflection as the Bridge to Intercultural Growth

According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), intercultural competence involves cognitive, emotional, and behavioral skills that support effective interaction across cultures. Study abroad programs can cultivate these skills most successfully when they intentionally integrate theory, reflection, and personal narrative.

By combining assessments of acculturation and intercultural sensitivity with reflective storytelling, educators can help students not just experience another culture, but understand and grow from it