Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Intercultural Sensitivity of Students in a Chinese University

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and intercultural sensitivity of international students and chinese students in a university of china. A total 233 students participated. 122 students were chinese and 111 students were international students. English version of wong and law emotional intelligence scale (wleis), and chen and starosta’s (2000) intercultural sensitivity scale (iss) were directly used to measure the emotional intelligence and intercultural sensitivity of international students while they were translated into chinese for chinese students. The results showed that there were no significant differences in emotional intelligence and intercultural sensitivity based on gender, foreign experience and length of stay in china. International students were significantly higher in both emotional intelligence and intercultural sensitivity than chinese students after controlling for age differences and educational level. Emotional intelligence was positively correlated with intercultural sensitivity and it had 52.5% predictive ability on intercultural sensitivity.