Does exposure to host country language during international experiences influence the development of cultural intelligence?

The literature on cultural intelligence (CQ) has been growing steadily since the construct was introduced in 2003. An important cluster of questions in this space is centred around how CQ can be developed. We position our study in this scholarly conversation and investigate whether exposure to host country language during international experiences influences CQ development. Utilising Social Learning Theory (SLT), we hypothesise that individuals' mean CQ differs depending on their level of exposure to the host country language. We also propose that mean CQ will be lower when individuals are either not exposed at all or only exposed to the host country language. On the basis of original data collected through a survey of 228 undergraduate and postgraduate business students undertaking study abroad, we find support for these hypotheses. We discuss the results and outline their implications for future research.