Influence of culture on personality
Final Paper
I have come to learn, over the course of this summer, that personality is a very interesting yet complex topic in the field of psychology. What is most interesting about the topic is that there are numerous theories that attempt to explain how personality is developed or influenced over time. There are many factors that are said to have an influence on personality, but the one that is most interesting is the idea that personality is shaped by culture. The reason why culture is interesting is because just like personality, culture is also a very complex term that encompasses a lot of factors when we discuss what makes up culture. In using culture as a basis for this paper, I have gathered information on how culture influences personality in different age groups and across genders. By looking at three different articles, I will discuss the content of the articles and their contribution to the said topic.
In the article done by David Schmidt, et al. the authors aim to figure out if sex differences exists across cultures when it comes to personality traits, mainly those of the Big Five; openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The researchers use empirical data and quantitative data gathered from over 50 different cultures to help them determine if sex differences exist in personality traits across cultures. In their study they find that across cultures, personality profiles of men and women become less similar in prosperous societies but in societies where women are seen as equal to men there is no difference. They attempt to explain why this difference exists and find that sex roles are not the reason but suggest that evolutionary theory is a possible answer. Similarly, in article published in 2005 by Robert McCrae and Antonio Terracciano, the two researchers attempt to figure how culture fits into the equation of developing personality.
McCrae and Terracciano argue that there are three ways that personality can be
I have come to learn, over the course of this summer, that personality is a very interesting yet complex topic in the field of psychology. What is most interesting about the topic is that there are numerous theories that attempt to explain how personality is developed or influenced over time. There are many factors that are said to have an influence on personality, but the one that is most interesting is the idea that personality is shaped by culture. The reason why culture is interesting is because just like personality, culture is also a very complex term that encompasses a lot of factors when we discuss what makes up culture. In using culture as a basis for this paper, I have gathered information on how culture influences personality in different age groups and across genders. By looking at three different articles, I will discuss the content of the articles and their contribution to the said topic.
In the article done by David Schmidt, et al. the authors aim to figure out if sex differences exists across cultures when it comes to personality traits, mainly those of the Big Five; openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The researchers use empirical data and quantitative data gathered from over 50 different cultures to help them determine if sex differences exist in personality traits across cultures. In their study they find that across cultures, personality profiles of men and women become less similar in prosperous societies but in societies where women are seen as equal to men there is no difference. They attempt to explain why this difference exists and find that sex roles are not the reason but suggest that evolutionary theory is a possible answer. Similarly, in article published in 2005 by Robert McCrae and Antonio Terracciano, the two researchers attempt to figure how culture fits into the equation of developing personality.
McCrae and Terracciano argue that there are three ways that personality can be
Bibliography: McCrae, Robert R.; Terracciano, Antonio. (2005). Personality profiles of cultures: Aggregate Personality traits (2009). The relations between parents’ Big Five personality factors and parenting: A Meta Analytic review