Prices
Tests
FAQ
How sessions work
en
es
Log inSign up

Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) Test

Learn how well you navigate unfamiliar cultures and read social cues in about 4 minutes. With 20 quick items, it pinpoints strengths and gaps to improve communication and reduce cross cultural friction.
Start Online Test
Questions: 204 minutes
Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.
08:30
October 2, 2025
October 2, 2025
Material has been updated
20050 views
2410 completions
2017 likes
Share
Scale Explorer
How the Scales are Structured
example score
18/28
Metacognitive (M)
Measures how well a person consciously monitors and adjusts their interpretations and strategies during intercultural interactions.
Limited adjustment
Developing control
Strong adaptive insight
4 – 12: Limited adjustment | 13 – 20: Developing control | 21 – 28: Strong adaptive insight
A score of 18 indicates a developing ability to reflect on cultural cues and adapt interaction strategies, though consistency may vary across unfamiliar contexts.
example score
20/35
Behavioral (B)
Measures how flexibly you can adjust your verbal and nonverbal behavior to fit different cultural contexts.
Limited flexibility
Adaptable
Highly flexible
5 – 16: Limited flexibility | 17 – 25: Adaptable | 26 – 35: Highly flexible
A score of 20 falls in the Adaptable range, suggesting you can adjust your communication and behavior in intercultural situations with some consistency, though it may vary by context.
example score
23/35
Motivational (M)
Measures your desire and willingness to engage with new cultures and to learn and adapt in intercultural situations.
Low
Moderate
High
5 – 15: Low | 16 – 25: Moderate | 26 – 35: High
A score of 23 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a generally positive readiness for intercultural learning and adaptation with some room to strengthen sustained motivation across contexts.
example score
33/42
Cognitive (C)
Measures knowledge of cultural norms, rules, and differences and the ability to use this knowledge in intercultural interactions.
Limited knowledge
Working knowledge
Strong knowledge
6 – 17: Limited knowledge | 18 – 29: Working knowledge | 30 – 42: Strong knowledge
A score of 33 falls in the Strong knowledge range, suggesting well-developed awareness of cultural differences that can support accurate interpretation in cross-cultural situations.
example score
107/140
Cultural Intelligence (CI)
Measures overall cultural intelligence—how effectively a person understands, adapts to, and communicates across different cultural contexts.
Developing
Proficient
Advanced
20 – 70: Developing | 71 – 102: Proficient | 103 – 140: Advanced
A score of 107 falls in the Advanced range, indicating strong capacity to interpret cultural cues and adjust motivation, thinking, and behavior in intercultural situations.
Start Online Test
just completed the test
DATA-BASED USER COHORTS
Who Usually Takes This Test?
Global team employees
42%OF USERS
People working with international colleagues or clients who want to communicate smoothly and avoid cross-cultural misunderstandings.
HR and L&D specialists
35%OF USERS
Recruiters, HR business partners, and trainers who assess intercultural readiness and plan development for global roles.
Expats and international students
23%OF USERS
People moving abroad or studying in a multicultural environment who want to adapt faster and read local social cues better.
BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.
RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE
What You’ll See After You Finish the Test
Scale Results
— Explained Clearly
Your scores across each test scale, translated into plain, usable insights. Not just numbers, but what they actually mean for your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.
AI-Powered
Interpretation
A structured, clinically grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation — without alarmist language.
Statistical
Comparison
See how you compare to others. Your scores are placed in a statistical context, showing percentiles and trends based on anonymized platform data to help you understand what`s typical.
Practical
Recommendations
Actionable guidance tailored to your profile. Receive clear, realistic suggestions you can apply immediately — focused on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.
AI-Detected
Insights
Key patterns you might not notice on your own. Surfacing subtle connections in your responses that help you better understand what may be driving your current results.
Discuss with
an AI Psychologist
Clarify, reflect, and explore right away. Talk through your outcomes, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue environment.
Start Online Test
Used in 52+ countries
Benchmarking
See How You Compare
Once you finish the test, your results will be compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of the benchmarks we use to place your score in context.
Metacognitive (M)
Average
11
Normal range
6.8 — 15.2
min.
4
max.
28
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Behavioral (B)
Average
25.5
Normal range
21.1 — 29.9
min.
5
max.
35
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Motivational (M)
Average
18.5
Normal range
13.3 — 23.8
min.
5
max.
35
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Cognitive (C)
Average
30.6
Normal range
24.9 — 36.4
min.
6
max.
42
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Cultural Intelligence Scale (CIS)
Average
53.4
Normal range
38.4 — 68.5
min.
20
max.
140
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Start Online Test
Featured On
Rated 4.8/5 by Our Customers
“Freudly really helped me discover parts of my personality I hadn’t noticed before. It strengthened the areas where I needed to grow and made me feel more grounded and confident in the parts that already worked well.”
— Emma C., US
“I wanted to understand how serious my ADHD is, and now I finally do. I also realized I need to work on my self-esteem. It has been low for a long time, and that makes daily life harder than it should be.”
— Mateo R., CA
“Reading each question felt like someone really understood me. Even though I’ve already dealt with much of this, reflecting still helped me learn something new about myself.”
— Caroline F., US
“The process is simple. The test covers everything you need, and you’ll get a clear breakdown of your results. For just a few dollars, it’s a great value.”
— Klara N., CZ
“I kept thinking there might be a small chance, but now I know for sure. The questions were easy to understand, and the whole process was straightforward.”
— Bruno M., BR
“I really enjoyed this experience. I learned a lot, and it helped me make sense of my thoughts and the feeling I’ve had for a long time that I may have grown up with undiagnosed ADHD.”
— Alice B., FR
“Great platform — the insights were genuinely meaningful!”
— Daniel W., DE
“Everything was easy to follow. The tools you get at the end are genuinely helpful for self-growth, and the price is very reasonable. I really appreciate that.”
— Sofia M., ES
“Surprisingly accurate — honestly didn’t expect it to nail things so well.”
— Adir B., IL
“There are lots of different tests to pick from, and the price is surprisingly low for how much insight you get.”
— Olivia W., CA
“I was pleasantly surprised when I read the results. It was as if someone had sorted out my messy thoughts and given me useful tips to help me speak with more confidence.”
— Grace O., IE
“It was really solid, very detailed, and it actually helped me make sense of a lot of things.”
— Carla T., TT
“I was really impressed with the report. It was clear, thoughtful, and it reflected things I’ve been noticing about myself.”
— Jade H., US
“The questions made me think deeply and helped me become more self-aware.”
— Brooke S., US
“Reading through most of the questions made me feel understood. Although I’ve already worked through some of these issues, the questions still gave me useful insights and helped me learn more about myself.”
— Ryan M., US
“I usually take one or two tests each month, and this has become a good way for me to see how I’m doing.”
— Lucas W., US
“Most of the time, my results are in the 90 to 98th percentile compared to others. It really makes me feel like there’s something unique about me.”
— Ethan C., US
“I tried out some of the AI’s suggestions, and to be honest, they worked much better than I thought they would. Maybe this thing really is smarter than me.”
— Reece D., AU
Trusted by 22k+ Users Worldwide
CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions

Any questions left?

What does this assessment measure?
It measures the ability to function effectively in culturally unfamiliar settings. It covers knowledge, motivation to adapt, behavioral flexibility, and monitoring of cultural assumptions.
How long does it take and how many items are included?
Estimated completion time is about 4 minutes. It includes 20 items.
What types of questions are asked?
Items ask about typical reactions and habits when interacting with people from other cultural backgrounds. Responses reflect how often or how strongly each statement applies.
How should items be answered?
Select the response that best matches usual behavior, not an ideal response. Use the first answer that seems accurate and avoid spending too much time on any one item.
How should results be interpreted?
Scores are provided for four dimensions and can be compared to identify relative strengths and gaps. Results support development planning but do not serve as a diagnosis.
WHAT THE TEST MEASURES
About This Assessment

Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) Test

ethnopsychologyintergroup relationssocial intelligence

This self-report measure is used to assess individual differences in functioning across culturally diverse contexts. The Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) provides a brief appraisal of perceived capability to understand cultural differences, sustain motivation to adapt, and adjust behavior when interacting with people from other cultural backgrounds.

The instrument includes 20 items and typically takes about 4 minutes to complete. It yields domain-level scores reflecting commonly described components of cultural intelligence (e.g., cognitive, motivational, behavioral, and metacognitive aspects) and is often used in organizational, training, and research settings; original development is attributed to S. Ang and P. C. Earley.

Scores from the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) are generally interpreted as indicators of relative strengths and areas for development in cross-cultural effectiveness and should be considered alongside relevant contextual information and other assessment data.

Author: P. C. Earley, S. Ang
Literature: Thomas, D. C., Elron, E., Stahl, G., Ekelund, B. Z., Ravlin, E. C., Cerdin, J.-L., Poelmans, S., Brislin, R., Pekerti, A., Aycan, Z., Maznevski, M., Au, K., & Lazarova, M. B. Cultural intelligence: Domain and assessment. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management. 2008.; Van Dyne, L., Ang, S., & Koh, C. Development and validation of the CQS: The cultural intelligence scale. In Ang, S., & Van Dyne, L. (Eds.), Handbook of cultural intelligence: Theory, measurement, and application. M.E. Sharpe. 2008.
Test Question Form
You Might Also Like
Marital Intelligence Scale
This self-report measure is designed to assess perceived capacities related…
Start Test
Marital Intelligence Scale
This self-report measure is designed to assess perceived skills and attitud…
Start Test
Tromso Social Intelligence Scale (TSIS)
This brief self-report measure is used to screen perceived social intellige…
Start Test
Comments
Leave a Comment