Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication
Master of Arts in Intercultural Relations
Intercultural Development Inventory
The Intercultural Development Inventory
The Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity
Intercultural Certificate Program
The Development Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS)
The Intercultural Development Inventory™, as a measure of intercultural competence, is grounded in core concepts articulated by Milton J. Bennett, Ph.D. in the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS). This framework suggests that individuals (and groups) confront cultural differences in predictable ways as they develop or learn to become more competent intercultural communicators. According to this perspective, as one's experience of cultural differences becomes more complex (i.e., less stereotypic and more adaptive), one's competence in intercultural relations increases. The DMIS identifies seven developmental orientations toward cultural differences that are assessed by the IDI. These range from ethnocentric levels of competence to more ethnorelative or adaptive approaches to intercultural relations.
The first three DMIS states are ethnocentric, meaning that one's own culture is experienced as central to reality in some way:
The second three DMIS states are ethnorelative , meaning that one's own culture is experienced in the context of other cultures.
- Denial of cultural difference is the state in which one's own culture is experienced as the only real one. Other cultures are avoided by maintaining psychological and/or physical isolation from differences. People at Denial generally are disinterested in cultural difference, although they may act aggressively to eliminate a difference if it impinges on them.
- Defense against cultural difference is the state in which one's own culture (or an adopted culture) is experienced as the only good one. The world is organized into “us and them,” where “we” are superior and “they” are inferior. People at Defense are threatened by cultural difference, so they tend to be highly critical of other cultures, regardless of whether the others are their hosts, their guests, or cultural newcomers to their society.
- Reversal against cultural differences is a state that reverses “us” and “them” where “them” is viewed as better or good and “us” is viewed as inferior or bad. People in this state view cultural differences through a critical lens, exalting other cultures while denigrating their own. The core orientation toward cultural differences is similar to Defense—polarization and evaluation toward cultural differences, although the polarity is reversed.
- Minimization of cultural difference is the state in which elements of one's own cultural world view are experienced as universal. Because these absolutes obscure deep cultural differences, other cultures may be trivialized or romanticized. People at Minimization expect similarities, and they may become insistent about correcting others' behavior to match their expectations.
The Intercultural Development Inventory™ assesses an individual's and group's intercultural competence based on the concepts articulated in the DMIS framework. The IDI has been used with great success to develop curriculum for intercultural training and education programs and diversity efforts. The IDI profile results provide practical, useful information concerning levels of intercultural competence as identified in the DMIS theory.
- Acceptance of cultural difference is the state in which one's own culture is experienced as just one of a number of equally complex worldviews. Acceptance does not mean agreement—cultural difference may be judged negatively—but the judgment is not ethnocentric. People at Acceptance are curious about and respectful toward cultural difference.
- Adaptation to cultural difference is the state in which the experience of another culture yields perception and behavior appropriate to that culture. One's worldview is expanded to include constructs from other worldviews. People at Adaptation are able to look at the world “through different eyes” and can intentionally change their behavior to communicate more effectively in another culture.
- Integration of cultural difference is the state that expands Adaptation to include a movement of one's own "identity" in and out of two or more cultures. People at Integration often deal with issues of their own sense of “cultural marginality.” This state of deeply internalizing two or more cultures requres significant international cultural competence and may be common among non-dominant minority groups, expatriates, and global nomads. The IDI specifically measures this sense of "cultural marginality" as a separate yet distinct orientation.
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