HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS AND INTERCULTURAL SENSITIVITY: contributions of the ERASMUS generation to the psychology and intercultural communication

Abstract

Interaction with individuals from other cultures can contribute to changing ethnocentric attitudes, and contact between groups can strengthen intergroup relations. It can also foster the development of intercultural sensitivity, which refers to the affective dimension of intercultural communication competence. The research carried out in this study aimed to analyze the level of intercultural sensitivity in Portuguese higher education students and to identify potential moderating variables in the development of intercultural sensitivity. To this end, an exploratory and quantitative study was conducted with a sample of 97 higher education students. The results showed medium-high levels of intercultural sensitivity. This research corroborates the presence of the variables under study, namely those relating to participation in Erasmus, prior contact with different countries and cultures, gender, academic level, cultural education, and the intentionality of exposure to other countries and cultures. The results of the empirical study reinforce the conceptual perspectives, that is, that intercultural sensitivity is a basic element in demonstrating interest, empathy, respect, and motivation for others who are culturally different, and that contacts and interactions, even if indirect, with other cultures can also be stages for effective intercultural communication and exert a positive influence on the intercultural experience of students.