Culture and Personality Processes: Conceptual and Methodological Issues

1. Culture and Personality Processes:Conceptual and Methodological Issues Veronica Benet-Martinez University of California at Riverside, USA Universitat Rovira i Virgili March 23-25, 2010

2. DAY 2 Culture and Personality Taxonomies *Required Readings: • Benet-Martínez, V. & Waller, N. G. (1997). Further evidence for the cross-cultural generality of the ‘Big Seven’ model: Imported and indigenous Spanish personality constructs. Journal of Personality, 65, 567-598. • Aaker, J., Benet-Martínez, V., & Garolera, J. (2001). Consumption symbols as carriers of culture: A study of Japanese and Spanish brand personality constructs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 249-264.

3. CULTURE AND PERSONALITY TRAITS: LEXICAL APPROACH Key idea: Language as a window to study the ‘personality’ of a particular culture My work: Exploration of basic dimensions of personality description in Spanish Method: ‘Combined Emic-Etic’

4. •Which are the most basic dimensions of personality? •Is this basic structure universal? --> Long-lasting debate over the number and nature of the fundamental dimensions of personality

5. PSYCHO-LEXICAL APPROACHNatural language as a window to study cultural universals and differences in personalityFUNDAMENTAL LEXICAL HYPOTHESIS:Those psychological constructs that are the most salient in people’s lives will eventually become encoded into their languageThe more important is such construct: (1) the more likely it is to be expressed as a single word, (2) overepresented in the language, and (3) the more languages and cultures will have a word for it. (Goldberg, 1982)

6. Do the Big 5 fully capture the domain of personality description? • What is the structure of English personality lexicon if you don’t exclude evaluations, states, and social roles?

7. Human Personality Dimensions: Big Five Agreeableness Extroversion Conscientiousness Culture HP Neuroticism

8. ‘BIG SEVEN’ : Big Five plus two independent evaluative dimensions POSITIVE VALENCEOutstanding Ordinary Impressive Average Excellent Not exceptional POWERExceptional Admirable Important ESTEEMNEGATIVE VALENCEWicked Awful Dangerous MORALITY Disgusting Vicious Treacherous Original Eng. studies: Tellegen & Waller, 1987; Waller, 2000Facets of Pval and Nval: Benet-Martinez & Waller, 2002

9. BASIC FACETS OF THE ‘EVALUATIVE’ PERSONALITY DOMAIN:Benet-Martínez & Waller (2002). From ‘adorable’ to ‘worthless’: Implicit and self-report structure of highly-evaluative personality descriptors. EJP1. Distinction(first-class vs. mediocre)2. Worth(gem vs. meaningless)3. Evilness(repulsive vs. adorable) NEGATIVE VALENCE4. Conventionality(odd vs. traditional)5. Stupidity (lunkhead vs. competent)[replicated in both self-reports and semantic sortings] POSITIVE VALENCE

11. Are the American Big Seven (Five) cross-culturally robust in non Anglo-Germanic languages?Yes in Spanish (using translated American measures)(Benet-Martinez & Waller, 1995, JPSP; Benet-Martinez & John, 1998, JPSP) -> Can we conclude from this evidence that the American Big 7 represent the basic dimensions of personality description in Spanish? No --translated (imported) instruments superimpose a particular content and structure on the personality space of the other culture

12. N = 170 Hispanic bilinguals CFI=.93; ²/df=2.4

13. Benet-Martínez & Waller (1997). Imported and indigenous Spanish personality constructs.Journal of Personality. NEED FOR ANOTHER STUDY THAT:(1) Identifies the basic indigenous dimensions of personality description in Spanish(2) Assesses the overlap/specificity between these indigenous Spanish dimensions and the American Big Seven (Five)

14. COMBINED ETIC-EMIC APPROACH :EMIC APPROACH: Reliance on indigenous measures or modelsin this study --> 299 indigenous Spanish personality adjectives (stratified sampling)PLUSETIC APPROACH: Reliance on imported measures of modelsin this study --> Spanish-translated Big Seven and Big Five questionnairesSampleN = 894 Spaniards who completed both emic and etic measures

15. INDIGENOUS SPANISH PERSONALITY DIMENSIONSExamples of marker items (translated from Spanish) AFFECT

16. PLEASURE VS. PAIN INTENSITY VS. COOLNESS

17. Overlap between indigenous Big Seven dimensions and imported (American) dimensions?

19. CONCLUSIONS FROM STUDIES:(1) There is considerable overlap between the indigenous Spanish Siete Grandes and the American Big 7(1b) Exception: Pleasantness and Engagement (instead of E & N)(2) Positive and Negative Valence are personality constructs: a) cross-culturally and cross-linguistically robust b) independent of each other and of other personality attributes c) not subsumable by the Big Five

20. Is personality meaning representing ‘passion’& ‘pleasure’ also found outside the individual (e.g., in Spanish cultural artifacts and practices)[personalityculture]

21. PLEASANTNESS & ENGAGEMENT in Spain:“Gran placer y poco duelo es el deseo de todo hombre”(Much pleasure and little pain is every man’s desire)--Spanish proverb“Spaniards ..... passion is the seed that brings them forth, and passion is the flower they bear”--George Orwell (Homage to Catalonia)

22. ALMODOVAR’S FILMS: A celebration of pleasure/pain and passionKinder, M. (1987). Pleasure and the New Spanish Mentality: A Conversation With Pedro Almodovar. Film Quarterly, vol 41.1, 33 - 44.Pally, M. (1991). The Politics of Passion: Pedro Almodovar and the Camp Esthetic.Cineaste Magazine, vol 12 issue 3.

24. Main Theoretical Framework • The meaning embedded in consumption symbols, such as commercial brands (e.g., Coke, Malboro), can serve to represent and institutionalize the values and beliefs of a culture. • Culture and psyche constitute each other

25. Main Theoretical Framework Process of creating brands (psyche culture) Psyche BRAND Culture Way in which brands are used (culture psyche)

26. PREVIOUS WORK: Aaker, J. (1997). Dimensions of brand personality. Journal of Marketing Research, 34, 342-352.  Identification of US brand personality dimensions

27. Aaker, J. (1997). Dimensions of brand personality. Journal of Marketing Research, 34, 342-352. • “Please rate the extent to which the following personality traits describe Porsche.” • - Down-to-earth? • - Exciting? • - Competent? • - Sexy? • - Masculine?... • Over 100 traits (3 independent sources), more than 60 brands across categories

28. Aaker, J. (1997). Dimensions of brand personality. Journal of Marketing Research, 34, 342-352. Sincerity Excitement Competence Sophistication BP Ruggedness US BRAND PERSONALITY DIMENSIONS N = 2,085

29. Sincerity Down-to-Earth: down-to-earth, family-oriented, simple Honesty: honest, sincere, real Wholesomeness: wholesome, original Cheerfulness: cheerful, friendly, sentimental

30. Excitement Daring: daring, trendy, exciting Spiritedness: spirited, cool, young Imagination: imaginative, unique Contemporary: up-to-date, independent, contemporary

31. Sophistication Class: upper class, good-looking, glamorous Charm: charming, feminine, smooth

32. Ruggedness Masculinity: outdoorsy, masculine, western Toughness: tough, rugged

33. Competence Reliability: reliable, hard working, secure Intelligence: intelligent, technical, corporate Success: successful, leader, confident

35. MOST RECENT WORK: • Aaker, Benet-Martínez, & Garolera, J. (2001). Consumption symbols as carriers of culture: A study of Japanese and Spanish brand personality constructs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. • How generalizable are the five US brand personality dimensions to other cultures? • Target cultures: Japan and Spain (two very different collectivist cultures)

37. For both Japan and Spain studies: • “Please rate the extent to which the following personality traits describe X.” • - Down-to-earth? • - Exciting? • - Competent? • - Sexy? • - Masculine?... • Over 100 traits (3 independent sources), more than 60 brands across categories

38. Sincerity Excitement Competence Sophistication BP Peacefulness JAPANESE BRAND PERSONALITY DIMENSIONS N = 2,297

39. Peacefulness Mildness: shy, mild-mannered, peaceful Naïvity: naïve, dependent, childlike Celestial Seasonings, BasuKurin

41. Japan vs. US: Summary Sincerity, Excitement, Competence, Sophistication Similarities versus Differences Peacefulness versus Ruggedness

42. “Sincerity” “Excitement” “Passion” “Sophistication” BP “Peacefulness” SPANISH BRAND PERSONALITY DIMENSIONS N = 698

43. Passion Intensity: fervent, passionate, intense Spirituality: spiritual, mystical, bohemian Osborne spirits, Zara fashion, Martini aperitif

45. Spain vs. US vs. Japan: Summary

46. Discussion • Relating culture-specific dimensions to findings from cultural psychology on needs, emotion, and traits: • RUGGEDNESS: • Emphasis on mastery and independence values (Schwartz, 1994)

47. Discussion • Relating culture-specific dimensions to findings from cultural psychology work on needs, emotion, and traits: • PEACEFULNESS: • Emphasis on harmony values (Kim & Markus, 1999; Schwartz, 1994)

48. Discussion • Relating culture-specific dimensions to findings from cultural psychology work on needs, emotion, and traits: • PASSION: • Emphasis on affective expression and autonomy (Schwartz, 1994; Benet-Martinez, 1999)