Summary

Back to: Intercultural Sensitivity

In this course section we introduced the Development Model of Intercultural Sensitivity by Milton Bennett. Intercultural sensitivity has been defined as awareness of cultural differences without evaluating some cultures as superior. The stage model DMIS has been described. It has been explicated that the model consists of six development stages of increasing cultural sensitivity. Persons who experienced cultural contrasts can increase their intercultural sensitivity step by step.

The first three stages (denial, defense and minimization) are based o a world view of ethnocentrism whereas the further stages of the model (acceptance, adaptation and integration) rest upon an ethno-relativistic attitude.

All six stages of the model have been illustrated in detail, including typical attitudes and statements as well as developmental tasks of the respecticve stage.

Concluding, the highest stage of intercultural sensitivity, integration, has been defined. Persons who achieve to reach this stage have developed a multicultural identity and are able to act as mediators between different cultural groups.