Cultural Understanding of Personality in Psychology

Learning Objectives

• Discuss personality differences in collectivist and individualist cultures.
• Explore three approaches to studying personality in a cultural context.

Introduction

• Personality is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, with culture being a significant environmental influence.
• Culture includes beliefs, customs, art, and traditions of a society and is transmitted through language and behavior modeling.

Cultural Influence on Personality

• Personality Traits Across Cultures:
  • Western ideas may not apply universally; evidence shows strength of traits varies by culture.
  • Big Five Traits analyzed in different cultures show:
    • Asian cultures (collectivist) tend to be less extroverted.
    • Central/South American cultures score high on openness.
    • Europeans score higher on neuroticism.

Regional Personality Differences in the U.S.

• Study of over 1.5 million U.S. residents reveals:
  • Cluster 1: Upper Midwest and Deep South - friendly, conventional.
  • Cluster 2: West - relaxed, emotionally stable, creative.
  • Cluster 3: Northeast - stressed, irritable, depressed.
• Selective Migration: People move to areas compatible with their personalities.
  • Agreeable individuals stay near family/friends.
  • Open individuals prefer diverse, innovative locations (e.g., California).

Personality in Individualist vs. Collectivist Cultures

• Individualist Cultures: Value independence, competition, personal achievement.
• Collectivist Cultures: Value social harmony, respectfulness, group needs.
• Influences on personality traits differ, with more personal traits in individualist and socially oriented traits in collectivist cultures.

Approaches to Studying Personality in Cultural Context

1. Cultural-Comparative Approach: Tests Western personality ideas in other cultures for generalization and validity.
2. Indigenous Approach: Develops personality assessment tools based on specific cultural contexts.
3. Combined Approach: Bridges Western and Indigenous perspectives to understand universal and cultural personality variations.

Summary

• Cultural environment significantly shapes personality.
• Personality traits' strength and expression vary across cultures.
• Different cultural values influence personality traits in individualist and collectivist societies.
• Three approaches to studying personality culturally exist, each providing unique insights.

Exercises

Review Questions

1. The United States is considered an individualist culture.
2. People moving to places compatible with their personalities exemplify selective migration.
3. Collectivist cultures do not prioritize personal achievement.

Critical Thinking

• Cultural influences are crucial as Western personality measures may not be valid in non-Western contexts.

Personal Application

• Discuss regional personality traits in context of personal experience and the study by Rentfrow et al.

Glossary

• Culture: Beliefs, customs, arts, and traditions of a particular society.
• Selective Migration: Movement to areas aligning with personal characteristics and needs.