CRITICAL THINKING FOR INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE IN GLOBAL CONTEXTS

This narrative review examines how critical thinking functions as the cognitive foundation of intercultural competence in the context of globalization. Across majorintercultural competence models and recent empirical studies, critical thinking skills such as analysis, evaluation, interpretation, and self-regulation consistently align with the cognitive processes required for cultural reasoning, bias monitoring, and adaptive judgment. Evidence shows that critical thinking enhances perspective-taking, reduces stereotyping, and supports reflective, flexible engagement in diverse cultural environments