This study determined which Filipino personality traits, as measured by the 24 subscales of the PUP, differed between Filipino college students (males=12, females=19) and Filipino-North Americans studying in the Philippines (males=13, females=15). Gender effects and interaction effects of cultural background and gender also were studied. Results of this study indicated that (1) Filipinos were more courteous (Pagkamagalang), more shy (pagkamahiyain), more sensitive (Pagkamaramdamin), more tolerant (Pagkapikon), and more conforming (Pagkasunud-sunuran) than were Filipino-North Americans (2) Females were more ambitious (Ambisyon) and more aggressive (pagkapalaaway) than males (3) Filipino females were more aggressive then were Filipino-North American females, but Filipino-North American males were just as aggressive as were Filipino males. The effect of cultural background on personality traits is generally confined to the Filipino traits of hiya, smooth interpersonal relations and close family ties. The effect of gender, on personality traits can be attributed to the rigidity or flexibility of roles in a society. Lastly, interaction effects of cultural background and gender is also generally confined to hiya and personalism
