Role of Cultural Intelligence in Acculturation: Explorations on a Physiognomic Minority Diaspora in India

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to analyse how cultural intelligence (CQ) influences the acculturation process and adaptive outcomes of a physiognomic minority indigenous cultural group in India. This study (N = 246) concerning the northeastern (NE) Indian diaspora in Indian cities outside the NE region. Path analysis showed that integration and assimilation predicted higher adaptation; while marginalization and separation lowered adaptation. Likewise, CQ positively predicted adaptation and also moderated the relationship between acculturation strategies and adaptation. Therefore, findings reflect the flexible facilitative role of CQ in promoting adaptation of minority groups in acculturation context.

KEYWORDS:

• Northeast India
• migration
• physiognomic minority
• acculturation
• cultural intelligence
• adaptation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The term “mainland” has been used to refer to the rest of the Indian country apart from the 8 NE Indian states.

2. The term “Mongoloid” is debated but often used to refer to the East Asian phenotypes characterized by “epicanthic fold, high cheekbones and yellowish skin tones” (Wouters & Subba, 2013, p. 127). In this research, following the guidelines in the 6th edition of the publication manual of the American Psychological Association, the sample is referred to in terms of their region of origin (p.75). Hence, the term “NE Indian” is used.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Namrata Sharma

Namrata Sharma is a PhD scholar in the Department of humanities and social sciences at the Institute of Technology Guwahati, India. She also works as an Assistant Professor in Psychology at the Assam Royal Global University.  Namrata’s research focuses on the northeast India, cultural intelligence and acculturation experiences of internal migrants.

Dilwar Hussain

Dilwar Hussain is an associate professor in the Department of humanities and social sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India. Dilwar’s research areas are human traumatic experiences and positive psychology.