Who we are

Welcome to the Intercultural Communication Lab in the Department of Psychology at the University of Alberta, directed by Dr. Kim Noels. Currently there are 7 graduate students, over 20 undergraduate students and 1 visiting research scholar active in our lab. You can check out who they are and what they do under the people section of the website.

Territorial Acknowledgement

The University of Alberta respectfully acknowledges that we are located on territory that is a traditional gathering place for diverse Indigenous peoples including the Cree, Blackfoot, Metis, Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Ojibway/Saulteaux/Anishinaabe, Inuit, and many others whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to influence our vibrant community.

What we do

Our research broadly concerns intercultural communication, including language learning across diverse social and cultural contexts and the interrelations between language and ethnic identity development. The topics we are currently investigating include  the acculturation of language and ethnic identity in Chinese immigrants to Canada; self-determination and motivation in heritage, second, foreign, and classical language contexts; gender and language learning; attitudes towards diverse languages including Arabic, Chinese and French; as well as the role of language mindsets in motivation within and outside the language classroom. Our research informs both educational and immigration programming and policy.