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Exploring The Interplay of Cultural Identity, Cultural Intelligence, and Critical Intercultural Awareness among EFL Learners: The Roles of Gender and Context
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Fatemeh Fazlali *   |
| Farhangian university |
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Abstract: (916 Views) |
This study explores the interplay cultural identity (CI), cultural intelligence/cultural quotient (CQ), and critical intercultural awareness (CIA) among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners with a focus on the potential influence of gender and educational context. To this end, a total of 192 EFL learners (122 language institute and 70 senior secondary school) in Tehran (120 females and 72 males) of different ages (17-35) from different language institutes and senior secondary schools took part in the study. The participants completed the Cultural Identity Clarity Scale (Usborne & Taylor, 2010), the Cultural Intelligence Scale (Ang et al., 2007), and the Critical Intercultural Awareness Questionnaire (Susilo, 2022). The results indicated that EFL learners’ cultural identity and intelligence/cultural quotient (CQ) were significantly associated with critical intercultural awareness (CIA). Moreover, EFL learners’ CQ was found to be the strongest predictor of critical intercultural awareness (CIA). The findings also revealed that gender and educational context played significant roles: female EFL learners had higher levels of cultural identity, cultural intelligence/cultural quotient, and critical intercultural awareness than their male counterparts. Moreover, the results designated that EFL learners in language institutes had higher levels of cultural identity, cultural intelligence/cultural quotient, and critical intercultural awareness than senior secondary school counterparts. The results can offer valuable insights for EFL policymakers, managers, curriculum developers seeking to enhance intercultural competence in language education within the Iranian context.
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| Keywords: Critical intercultural awareness, Cultural identity, Cultural intelligence, Educational context, Gender |
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/01/4 | Accepted: 2026/02/7 | Published: 2025/04/20
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