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

A Terracciano; A M Abdel-Khalek; N Adám; L Adamovová; C-k Ahn; H-n Ahn; B M Alansari; L Alcalay; J Allik; A Angleitner; M D Avia; L E Ayearst; C Barbaranelli; A Beer; M A Borg-Cunen; D Bratko; M Brunner-Sciarra; L Budzinski; N Camart; D Dahourou; F De Fruyt; M P de Lima; G E H del Pilar; E Diener; R Falzon; K Fernando; E Ficková; R Fischer; C Flores-Mendoza; M A Ghayur; S Gülgöz; B Hagberg; J Halberstadt; M S Halim; M Hrebícková; J Humrichouse; Hans Henrik Jensen; D D Jocic; F H Jónsson; B Khoury; W Klinkosz; G Knezevic; M A Lauri; N Leibovich; T A Martin; I Marusic; K A Mastor; D Matsumoto; M McRorie; B Meshcheriakov; Erik Lykke Mortensen; M Munyae; J Nagy; K Nakazato; F Nansubuga; S Oishi; A O Ojedokun; F Ostendorf; D L Paulhus; S Pelevin; J-M Petot; N Podobnik; J L Porrata; V S Pramila; G Prentice; A Realo; N Reátegui; J-P Rolland; J Rossier; W Ruch; V S Rus; M L Sánchez-Bernardos; V Schmidt; S Sciculna-Calleja; A Sekowski; J Shakespeare-Finch; Y Shimonaka; F Simonetti; T Sineshaw; J Siuta; P B Smith; P D Trapnell; K K Trobst; L Wang; M Yik; A Zupancic; R R McCrae

doi:10.1126/science.1117199

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

A Terracciano, A M Abdel-Khalek, N Adám, L Adamovová, C-k Ahn, H-n Ahn, B M Alansari, L Alcalay, J Allik, A Angleitner, M D Avia, L E Ayearst, C Barbaranelli, A Beer, M A Borg-Cunen, D Bratko, M Brunner-Sciarra, L Budzinski, N Camart, D DahourouF De Fruyt, M P de Lima, G E H del Pilar, E Diener, R Falzon, K Fernando, E Ficková, R Fischer, C Flores-Mendoza, M A Ghayur, S Gülgöz, B Hagberg, J Halberstadt, M S Halim, M Hrebícková, J Humrichouse, Hans Henrik Jensen, D D Jocic, F H Jónsson, B Khoury, W Klinkosz, G Knezevic, M A Lauri, N Leibovich, T A Martin, I Marusic, K A Mastor, D Matsumoto, M McRorie, B Meshcheriakov, Erik Lykke Mortensen, M Munyae, J Nagy, K Nakazato, F Nansubuga, S Oishi, A O Ojedokun, F Ostendorf, D L Paulhus, S Pelevin, J-M Petot, N Podobnik, J L Porrata, V S Pramila, G Prentice, A Realo, N Reátegui, J-P Rolland, J Rossier, W Ruch, V S Rus, M L Sánchez-Bernardos, V Schmidt, S Sciculna-Calleja, A Sekowski, J Shakespeare-Finch, Y Shimonaka, F Simonetti, T Sineshaw, J Siuta, P B Smith, P D Trapnell, K K Trobst, L Wang, M Yik, A Zupancic, R R McCrae

270 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Journal	Science
Volume	310
Issue number	5745
Pages (from-to)	96-100
Number of pages	4
ISSN	0036-8075
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1117199
Publication status	Published - 2005

Access to Document

10.1126/science.1117199

Cite this

Terracciano, A., Abdel-Khalek, A. M., Adám, N., Adamovová, L., Ahn, C., Ahn, H., Alansari, B. M., Alcalay, L., Allik, J., Angleitner, A., Avia, M. D., Ayearst, L. E., Barbaranelli, C., Beer, A., Borg-Cunen, M. A., Bratko, D., Brunner-Sciarra, M., Budzinski, L., Camart, N., ... McCrae, R. R. (2005). National character does not reflect mean personality trait levels in 49 cultures. Science, 310(5745), 96-100. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1117199

Terracciano, A, Abdel-Khalek, AM, Adám, N, Adamovová, L, Ahn, C, Ahn, H, Alansari, BM, Alcalay, L, Allik, J, Angleitner, A, Avia, MD, Ayearst, LE, Barbaranelli, C, Beer, A, Borg-Cunen, MA, Bratko, D, Brunner-Sciarra, M, Budzinski, L, Camart, N, Dahourou, D, De Fruyt, F, de Lima, MP, del Pilar, GEH, Diener, E, Falzon, R, Fernando, K, Ficková, E, Fischer, R, Flores-Mendoza, C, Ghayur, MA, Gülgöz, S, Hagberg, B, Halberstadt, J, Halim, MS, Hrebícková, M, Humrichouse, J, Jensen, HH, Jocic, DD, Jónsson, FH, Khoury, B, Klinkosz, W, Knezevic, G, Lauri, MA, Leibovich, N, Martin, TA, Marusic, I, Mastor, KA, Matsumoto, D, McRorie, M, Meshcheriakov, B, Mortensen, EL, Munyae, M, Nagy, J, Nakazato, K, Nansubuga, F, Oishi, S, Ojedokun, AO, Ostendorf, F, Paulhus, DL, Pelevin, S, Petot, J-M, Podobnik, N, Porrata, JL, Pramila, VS, Prentice, G, Realo, A, Reátegui, N, Rolland, J-P, Rossier, J, Ruch, W, Rus, VS, Sánchez-Bernardos, ML, Schmidt, V, Sciculna-Calleja, S, Sekowski, A, Shakespeare-Finch, J, Shimonaka, Y, Simonetti, F, Sineshaw, T, Siuta, J, Smith, PB, Trapnell, PD, Trobst, KK, Wang, L, Yik, M, Zupancic, A & McCrae, RR 2005, 'National character does not reflect mean personality trait levels in 49 cultures', Science, vol. 310, no. 5745, pp. 96-100. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1117199

@article{924d794067a111de8bc9000ea68e967b,

title = "National character does not reflect mean personality trait levels in 49 cultures",

abstract = "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.",

author = "A Terracciano and Abdel-Khalek, {A M} and N Ad{\'a}m and L Adamovov{\'a} and C-k Ahn and H-n Ahn and Alansari, {B M} and L Alcalay and J Allik and A Angleitner and Avia, {M D} and Ayearst, {L E} and C Barbaranelli and A Beer and Borg-Cunen, {M A} and D Bratko and M Brunner-Sciarra and L Budzinski and N Camart and D Dahourou and {De Fruyt}, F and {de Lima}, {M P} and {del Pilar}, {G E H} and E Diener and R Falzon and K Fernando and E Fickov{\'a} and R Fischer and C Flores-Mendoza and Ghayur, {M A} and S G{\"u}lg{\"o}z and B Hagberg and J Halberstadt and Halim, {M S} and M Hreb{\'i}ckov{\'a} and J Humrichouse and Jensen, {Hans Henrik} and Jocic, {D D} and J{\'o}nsson, {F H} and B Khoury and W Klinkosz and G Knezevic and Lauri, {M A} and N Leibovich and Martin, {T A} and I Marusic and Mastor, {K A} and D Matsumoto and M McRorie and B Meshcheriakov and Mortensen, {Erik Lykke} and M Munyae and J Nagy and K Nakazato and F Nansubuga and S Oishi and Ojedokun, {A O} and F Ostendorf and Paulhus, {D L} and S Pelevin and J-M Petot and N Podobnik and Porrata, {J L} and Pramila, {V S} and G Prentice and A Realo and N Re{\'a}tegui and J-P Rolland and J Rossier and W Ruch and Rus, {V S} and S{\'a}nchez-Bernardos, {M L} and V Schmidt and S Sciculna-Calleja and A Sekowski and J Shakespeare-Finch and Y Shimonaka and F Simonetti and T Sineshaw and J Siuta and Smith, {P B} and Trapnell, {P D} and Trobst, {K K} and L Wang and M Yik and A Zupancic and McCrae, {R R}",

note = "Keywords: Adolescent; Adult; Character; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Culture; Ethnic Groups; Female; Humans; Male; Personality; Personality Assessment; Questionnaires; Reproducibility of Results; Social Perception; Stereotyping",

year = "2005",

doi = "10.1126/science.1117199",

language = "English",

volume = "310",

pages = "96--100",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "5745",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - National character does not reflect mean personality trait levels in 49 cultures

AU - Terracciano, A

AU - Abdel-Khalek, A M

AU - Adám, N

AU - Adamovová, L

AU - Ahn, C-k

AU - Ahn, H-n

AU - Alansari, B M

AU - Alcalay, L

AU - Allik, J

AU - Angleitner, A

AU - Avia, M D

AU - Ayearst, L E

AU - Barbaranelli, C

AU - Beer, A

AU - Borg-Cunen, M A

AU - Bratko, D

AU - Brunner-Sciarra, M

AU - Budzinski, L

AU - Camart, N

AU - Dahourou, D

AU - De Fruyt, F

AU - de Lima, M P

AU - del Pilar, G E H

AU - Diener, E

AU - Falzon, R

AU - Fernando, K

AU - Ficková, E

AU - Fischer, R

AU - Flores-Mendoza, C

AU - Ghayur, M A

AU - Gülgöz, S

AU - Hagberg, B

AU - Halberstadt, J

AU - Halim, M S

AU - Hrebícková, M

AU - Humrichouse, J

AU - Jensen, Hans Henrik

AU - Jocic, D D

AU - Jónsson, F H

AU - Khoury, B

AU - Klinkosz, W

AU - Knezevic, G

AU - Lauri, M A

AU - Leibovich, N

AU - Martin, T A

AU - Marusic, I

AU - Mastor, K A

AU - Matsumoto, D

AU - McRorie, M

AU - Meshcheriakov, B

AU - Mortensen, Erik Lykke

AU - Munyae, M

AU - Nagy, J

AU - Nakazato, K

AU - Nansubuga, F

AU - Oishi, S

AU - Ojedokun, A O

AU - Ostendorf, F

AU - Paulhus, D L

AU - Pelevin, S

AU - Petot, J-M

AU - Podobnik, N

AU - Porrata, J L

AU - Pramila, V S

AU - Prentice, G

AU - Realo, A

AU - Reátegui, N

AU - Rolland, J-P

AU - Rossier, J

AU - Ruch, W

AU - Rus, V S

AU - Sánchez-Bernardos, M L

AU - Schmidt, V

AU - Sciculna-Calleja, S

AU - Sekowski, A

AU - Shakespeare-Finch, J

AU - Shimonaka, Y

AU - Simonetti, F

AU - Sineshaw, T

AU - Siuta, J

AU - Smith, P B

AU - Trapnell, P D

AU - Trobst, K K

AU - Wang, L

AU - Yik, M

AU - Zupancic, A

AU - McCrae, R R

N1 - Keywords: Adolescent; Adult; Character; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Culture; Ethnic Groups; Female; Humans; Male; Personality; Personality Assessment; Questionnaires; Reproducibility of Results; Social Perception; Stereotyping

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

U2 - 10.1126/science.1117199

DO - 10.1126/science.1117199

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 16210536

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 310

SP - 96

EP - 100

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5745

ER -

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

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this