ABSTRACT
Cultural intelligence (CQ) is a theoretical extension of contemporary approaches to understanding intelligence (Earley & Ang, 2003). CQ is defined as the capability to function effectively in culturally diverse settings. Traditionally, the study of intelligence focused mainly on “g,” the academic or cognitive factor of intelligence. More recently, multiple intelligence theory (Sternberg, 1986, 1988) proposed nonacademic intelligences (Hedlund & Sternberg, 2000) that emphasize the capability to adapt to others. These newly recognized forms of intelligence include interpersonal intelligence (Gardner, 1993), emotional intelligence (Goleman, 1995; Salovey & Mayer, 1990), and social intelligence (Cantor & Kihlstrom, 1985). Each of these formulations of intelligence, however, assumes that familiarity with culture and context guides individual thoughts and social behaviors. As elaborated in Earley and Ang (2003), these relatively general capabilities may not apply when individuals have different cultural backgrounds.
