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Cited by 453Cultural Differences and ValuesSocial and Intergroup PsychologyPersonality Traits and Psychology

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

Open access
Terracciano, A., Abdel-Khalek, A. M., Ádám, N., Adamovová, L., Ahn, C.-k., Ahn, H.-n., Alansari, B. M., Alcalay, L. +79 more·2005·Science
DOI 10.1126/science.1117199PMC PMC2775052
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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.

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Authors
Terracciano, A., Abdel-Khalek, A. M., Ádám, N., Adamovová, L., Ahn, C.-K., Ahn, H.-N., 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., Dahourou, D., De Fruyt, F., de Lima, M. P., del Pilar, G. E. H., Diener, E., Falzon, R., Fernando, K., Ficková, E., Fischer, R., Flores-Mendoza, C., Ghayur, M. A., Gülgöz, S., Hagberg, B., Halberstadt, J., Halim, M. S., Hřebíčková, M., Humrichouse, J., Jensen, H. H., Jocic, D. D., Jónsson, F. H., Khoury, B., Klinkosz, W., Knežević, G., Lauri, M. A., Leibovich, N., Martin, T. A., Marušić, I., Mastor, K. A., Matsumoto, D., McRorie, M., Meshcheriakov, B., Mortensen, E. L., Munyae, M., Nagy, J., Nakazato, K., Nansubuga, F., Oishi, S., Ojedokun, A. O., Ostendorf, F., Paulhus, D. L., Pelevin, S., Petot, J.-M., Podobnik, N., Porrata, J. L., Pramila, V. S., Prentice, G., Realo, A., Reátegui, N., Rolland, J.-P., Rossier, J., Ruch, W., Rus, V. S., Sánchez-Bernardos, M. L., Schmidt, V., Sciculna-Calleja, S., Sekowski, A., Shakespeare-Finch, J., Shimonaka, Y., Simonetti, F., Sineshaw, T., Siuta, J., Smith, P. B., Trapnell, P. D., Trobst, K. K., Wang, L., Yik, M., Zupančič, A., & McCrae, R. R.
Affiliations
  • Eötvös Loránd University (HU)
  • National Institute on Aging, NIH, DHHS, Gerontology Research Center, 5600 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
Corresponding author
  • Terracciano, A.
  • Ghayur, M. A.
  • McCrae, R. R.
ORCID
Venue
Science
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Published
2005-10-07
Volume
310
Issue
5745
Pages
96-100
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
DOI
10.1126/science.1117199
PMC
PMC2775052
OpenAlex
W2145099378
Cited by
453
References
25
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 36
FWCI
28.10
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • QUT ePrints (Queensland University of Technology) (submittedVersion)
  • eCite Digital Repository (University of Tasmania) (submittedVersion)
  • OAR@UM (University of Malta) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion)
  • IRIS (submittedVersion)
  • IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome) (submittedVersion)
  • Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
  • PUB – Publications at Bielefeld University (Bielefeld University) (submittedVersion)
  • Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld (Universität Bielefeld) (submittedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (Queen's University Belfast) (submittedVersion)
  • Faculty of Philosophy (University of Belgrade) (submittedVersion)
  • Rare & Special e-Zone (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) (submittedVersion)
  • SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (Z99 AG999999)
  • National Institute on Aging (ZIAAG000180)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Cultural Differences and Values
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Keywords
national character, personality traits, cross-cultural comparison, stereotypes, national identity, observer ratings, self-report, cultural generalization, cross-cultural perception
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Character, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Culture, Ethnicity, Female, Humans, Male, Personality, Personality Assessment, Surveys and Questionnaires, Social Perception, Stereotyping, Reproducibility of Results

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