Negative Results
There were some areas of reduction in intercultural sensitivity. Most notably the near medium
effect on the Respect for Cultural Difference factor (p = .08, d = -0.4). This seems to be mostly
the result of student responses to item 18, “I would not accept the opinions of people from
different cultures,” (p < .001, d = -0.9). Chen (2010) identified respect for cultural differences
as the best predictor of intercultural communication apprehension (p. 5). Lin and Rancer
(2003) also linked intercultural communication apprehension to intercultural willingness-to communicate,
although to a lesser extent than ethnocentrism. Perhaps then it is fair to say
that intercultural willingness-to-communicate was more affected positively by a lowering
of ethnocentrism and an increase in confidence than negatively by any apprehension
experienced as a result of the exchange.