Relationship between Levels of Intercultural Sensitivity and Emotional Intelligence amongst Preservice Social Studies Teachers

Abstract

This study focused on the levels of intercultural sensitivity and emotional intelligence demonstrated by pre service
Soc ial Studies teachers’ and sought to explore the relationship between the two variables. The study used a
correlational survey research design. The sample consisted of 274 pre service Social Studies teachers who were in
different years of study. The data we re collected using the “Intercultural Sensitivity Scale”, “Emotional Intelligence
Scale”, and a “Personal Information Form”. The data were analyzed using the independent samples T test and one way
Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA). The correlation co efficient was also computed to identify the relationship between
intercultural sensitivity and emotional intelligence. The analysis results showed that the intercultural sensitivity of pre
service Social Studies teachers’ differed significantly according to gender a nd them having friends from different
countries or cultures; while their emotional intelligence differed significantly according to having friends from different
countries or cultures. A significant moderate positive correlation was found between intercult ural sensitivity and
emotional intelligence. Further research may contribute to the literature by studying emotional intelligence and
intercultural sensitivity in sample groups from different areas or with different characteristics