Reproducing an Alternative Model of Intercultural Sensitivity for Undergraduates from Taiwan and Hainan

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Author(s)

Jia-Fen Wu 1,*

1. Kao Yuan University/Applied Foreign Language Department, Kaohsiung City, 82151, Taiwan

* Corresponding author.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5815/ijmecs.2016.01.01

Received: 10 Aug. 2015 / Revised: 15 Oct. 2015 / Accepted: 8 Dec. 2015 / Published: 8 Jan. 2016

Index Terms

Intercultural Sensitivity (IS), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA).

Abstract

An alternative model of intercultural sensitivity replicated from Chen and Starosta’s five-factor model of Intercultural sensitivity was replicated validated at eight universities in Taiwan and Hainan, China. Both Confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis were conducted to inspect the construct validity of the alternative model of Intercultural Sensitivity. Results indicated that three models fitted the data and the values of indicators were deemed acceptable; however, three-factor model of intercultural sensitivity with 10 items significantly fitted the data better than Chen and Starosta’s five-factor model, Wu’s four-factor model, and the revised two-factor model. This three-factor model, an alternative model, consists of three factors based on 10 items from the 24-item Intercultural Sensitivity Scale by Chen and Starosta; the reliability coefficient was .771, demonstrating high internal consistency. Participants from both Taiwan and Hainan represent ethnic Chinese who, although sharing similar cultures, still present cultural differences. This present study suggests an alternative model of the Intercultural Sensitivity that fits the characteristics of a sample of undergraduates from Hainan, China and Taiwan by reproducing Chen and Starosta’s ISS.

Cite This Paper

Jia-Fen Wu,"Reproducing an Alternative Model of Intercultural Sensitivity for Undergraduates from Taiwan and Hainan", International Journal of Modern Education and Computer Science(IJMECS), Vol.8, No.1, pp.1-7, 2016.DOI: 10.5815/ijmecs.2016.01.01

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