The Role of Intercultural Sensitivity In Ethnocultural Communication

Abstract

The studied problem is relevant for the system of higher education, since intercultural sensitivity affects productivity, success and results of communication between different cultural representatives. The subjective of presented study is to determine the role of intercultural sensitivity in interaction constructiveness in ethnocultural space. The presented paper employed the results of the diagnostics of intercultural sensitivity in ethnocultural interaction. The theory and practice of multicultural education in the context of  various ideas of education in a multinational society were studied by scientists Borello E., Luise M.C., Pederzoli L., Tardi T. (2016). Li, F., Dong, L. (2021) and others. V.N. Myasishchev, V.V. Boyko, A.V. Mudrik, N.S. Eckland, T.M. Leyro, W.B. Mendes emphasized the key role of emotions in social stress. The concept of “Intercultural sensitivity” is described as a person's ability to form emotions to understand and appreciate cultural differences (Chen, 2010). Successful intercultural adaptation based organization and motivation and its role in the social environment in higher education  was stated by Gridunova, Novikova, and  Shlyakhta (2017). Altan M.Z. (2018) proved that promoting intercultural communication sensitivity was a possible measure to reduce conflicts among intergroup interactions. The main research methods  are ones of personality traits diagnostics – NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) by R. McCrae and P. Costa which allow diagnosing five main personality features as well as S. V. Dukhnovsky’s methodology for measuring interpersonal relationships harmony.The principles of constructing the content of foreign language learning to communicate are considered. As part of the study, experimental work was carried out using tests-subjective assessment of interpersonal relationships and the methodology of Dukhnovsky (2010) and diagnostics of NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) created by McCrae and P. Costa  (2008) and based on the classic structural ‘Big Five’ model. The questionnaire diagnoses five main personality features: Neuroticism (N), Extraversion (E), Openness (O), Agreeableness (A), and Conscientiousness (C). It comprises 60 items and 60 statements with five gradations. The test varies from ‘completely disagree’ to ‘completely agree’.We focus on physiological sensitivity as perceiving the physiological changes and emotions towards understanding and appreciation. The sample of participants (first year students) of Sevastopol State University consisted of 50 (58% female) students attending Foreign language subject. The following ethnic make-up of the sample was: 75% Russian, 15% Ukrainians and 10% Tatars. Their ages ranged from 17 to 18 (M=17,5 years). Interpersonal relationships harmony was measured by means of S. V. Dukhnovsky’s methodology that included 40 statements, the degree of agreement with which varies from ‘completely disagree’ to ‘completely agree’.  Received results were compared with the features of disharmonious relationships. The criterion validity was identified by comparing the questionnaire results between students. For all its 4 scales, the differences were essential at the level of p=0.001. The results of the experiment showed a significant increase in the levels of indicators formation of intercultural competence as person’s integral characteristic, which is a system of multicultural knowledge, skills, abilities, interests, and values. The authors emphasize that intercultural sensitivity as a process of development includes six stages of a person’s transformation. The technology of communicative learning within the framework of intercultural interaction is presented, and its main directions are determined. In conclusion, the methods and means are considered, which were used in the conditions of intercultural interaction in a multicultural educational space.