Global Multiculturalism and Personality

1. GlobalMulticulturalismand Personality Nina L . Tiberi CPSY 631 11/16/10

2. Overview • Activity • Importance of cultural understanding • How culture impacts personality • Review of the literature • Applications • Questions and comments

3. So you are an American? -Write down the country or countries that your family originated from. -What are some cultural components that can be linked to your nationality? Constructs to consider… 1. Cuisine- what are family meals like? 2. Music and arts 3. Social norms 4. Values 5. Practices- Holidays, etc.

4. Comparing American Culture

5. American Food? McBeer France and Germany Shogun Burger- HONG KONG Laksewrap Finland & Norway McLobster sold seasonally in Canada BACON ROLL, England McPatatas from Mexico McTurco, Turkey Gallo Pinto, Costa Rica NEW ZEALAND

6. Why do we care? • Cultural norms are subjective • Cultural competence and familiarity with diverse backgrounds can minimize misunderstandings and global conflicts • As professionals, we will encounter culturally diverse situations. It is important to maintain an understanding of how cultural factors can influence human behavior

7. Schmitt et al. (2007) • Is the Big Five Personality Index valid cross-culturally? • How are personality traits distributed across the globe? • Self-esteem? • Sociosexuality? • National personality profiles • Examined 56 nations

8. Problems Comparing Personality Traits Cross-Culturally • Inappropriate scale translation • Internal reliability? • Factor structure? • External correlates? • Do we compare the mean or not?

9. From Schmitt et al. (2007) lecture “The ‘Dark Triad’ of Personality across Genders, Cultures, and Local Ecologies.” Low psychopathy High psychopathy Moderate psychopathy

10. The Big Five According to Schmitt et al. (2007) • Openness • Most open: Chile and Belgium • Least open: Japan and Hong Kong • Conscientiousness • Most conscientious: Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia • Least conscientious: Japan and South Korea • Extraversion • Most extraverted: Serbia and Croatia • Most introverted: Bangladesh and France • Agreeableness • Most agreeable: Democratic Republic of Congo and Jordan • Least agreeable: Lithuania and Japan • Neuroticism • Highest: Japan and Argentina • Lowest: Democratic Republic of Congo and Slovenia

11. Triandis & Eunkook (2002) • Also found Big Five personality factors replicated cross-culturally

12. Costa et al. (2001) • Gender differences in personality are strongest in American and European cultures with minimized traditional sex roles • Interesting! Why is this? • Masculine and feminine behaviors might be attributed to gender and not traits from traditional cultures

13. Applications • Cultural competency is necessary in virtually every field • Schools are becoming increasingly diverse • Experience working with others from different cultural backgrounds makes us well rounded professionals

14. Questions?

15. References • Costa, P. T., Terracciano, A., & McCrae, R. R. (2001). Gender differences in personality traits across cultures: Robust and surprising findings. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 322-331. • Schmitt, D. P. et al. (2007). The “Dark Triad” of Personality across Genders, Cultures, and Local Ecologies. • Schmitt, D. P., Allik, J., McCrae, R. R., & Benet-Martinez, V. (2007). The geographic distribution of big five personality traits: patterns and profiles of human self-description across 56 nations. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 38, 174-213. • Triandis, H. C. (2002). Individualism-collectivism and personality. Journal of Personality, 69, 907-924. • Triandis, H. C. & Eunkook, M. S. (2002). Cultural influences on personality. Annual Review of Psychology.