Addressing the dark side of cultural intelligence: a conceptual model and research agenda

In this chapter, we cast doubt on the positive halo effect of cultural intelligence (CQ) by exploring several conceptual avenues of how individuals’ CQ may promote undesired outcomes. We argue that CQ tends to lead to beneficial outcomes, and yet, under certain circumstances, it can have adverse consequences. First, individuals might become overconfident in their ability to interact effectively with members of other cultures, which can foster poor decision-making and reduced learning. Second, they might over-adjust to their cultural environment, which can lead to a perceived inauthenticity and lack of integrity. Third, individuals might develop a morally and culturally relativistic worldview, which can cause them to lose their sense of cultural belonging and motivate them to behave unethically. Subsequently, we suggest various boundary conditions and develop an agenda for future research.