Personality profiles of cultures: aggregate personality traits

The personality profiles of cultures can be operationalized as the mean trait levels of culture members. College students from 51 cultures rated an individual from their country whom they knew well (N = 12,122). Aggregate scores on Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) scales generalized across age and gender groups, yielded a close approximation to the individual-level Five-Factor Model, and correlated with aggregate self-report personality scores and other culture-level variables. Results were not attributable to national differences in economic development or to acquiescence. Geographical differences in scale variances were replicated, but appeared to be artifactual. Findings support the rough scalar equivalence of NEO-PI-R factors and facets across cultures, and suggest that aggregate personality profiles provide insight into cultural differences

National character does not reflect mean personality trait levels in 49 cultures

Terracciano A, Abdel-Khalek AM, Adam N, et al. National character does not reflect mean personality trait levels in 49 cultures. SCIENCE. 2005;310(5745):96-100.Most people hold beliefs about personality characteristics typical of members of their own and others' cultures. These perceptions of national character may be generalizations from personal experience, stereotypes with a "kernel of truth," or inaccurate stereotypes. We obtained national character ratings of 3989 people from 49 cultures and compared them with the average personality scores of culture members assessed by observer ratings and self-reports. National character ratings were reliable but did not converge with assessed traits. Perceptions of national character thus appear to be unfounded stereotypes that may serve the function of maintaining a national identity

National character does not reflect mean personality trait levels in 49 cultures

Most people hold beliefs about psychological characteristics typical of members of their own and others' cultures. These perceptions of national character may be generalizations from personal experience, or stereotypes with or without a “ kernel of truth." We obtained national character ratings from 49 cultures and compared them to average personality scores of culture members as assessed by observer ratings and self-reports. National character ratings appeared to be reliable and valid measures, but they did not converge with assessed personality traits. Perceptions of national character thus appear to be unfounded stereotypes that may serve the function of maintaining a national identity