Publication Date

Summer 2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Howard Tokunaga; Megumi Hosoda; Terrell Holmes

Abstract

As organizations—particularly in the United States—become more multicultural due to globalization, they increasingly rely on individuals' ability to succeed in complex, cross?cultural environments. Cultural intelligence (CQ), or the ability to successfully adapt to unfamiliar cultural settings, has been previously related to expatriate cross-cultural adjustment, group effectiveness, and more recently, to organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB), which are voluntary extra-role workplace behaviors that lead to positive employee and organizational outcomes. This study mainly sought to theoretically expand the limited research on the relationship between CQ and OCB with some research questions. In a sample of 93 participants based in California, results found a significant relationship between CQ and OCB; a Pearson correlation analysis showed that three out of four dimensions of CQ (metacognitive, cognitive, motivational) were significantly related to three out of five dimensions of OCB (altruism, courtesy, civic virtue); a canonical correlation analysis later revealed that these same sets of dimensions were represented in one significant root. Furthermore, in the second (nonsignificant) root, behavioral CQ was related to conscientiousness and civic virtue. These findings imply that CQ might best be portrayed as having two dimensions, one measuring cognitive related constructs and one measuring a behavioral construct. Organizational implications based on the findings include HR professionals prioritizing the hiring of high-CQ individuals, as well as initiatives to improve employees’ cognitive CQ and, to a lesser extent, their behavioral CQ.

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