ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses role of individual differences for effectiveness in intercultural encounters at work. It focuses on three categories of individual difference variables, namely intercultural traits, attachment styles, and attitudes towards diversity. The three categories represent different theoretical and empirical paradigms. Intercultural traits are connected to personality psychology and the Big Five area of research, in particular. Intercultural traits have also been linked to acculturation strategies. Attachment styles refer to a robust concept from developmental psychology, which also promises to be an interesting predictor of adults' well-being in intercultural situations. Attitudes towards diversity at work are obviously related to organizational psychology. The chapter argues that intercultural traits can be divided into two higher-order factors consisting of stress-buffering traits and social-perceptual traits. It explores culturally diverse organizational contexts how attachment styles, inter-cultural traits, and self-esteem affect the trust that employees have in their colleagues, their supervisor, and their organization.
