PSY321 Lecture 4 Chapter 6- Self and Personality
What are the two types of views of the self?
independent view of self interdependent view of self
How is gender role ideology defined ?
refer to attitudes regarding the appropriate roles, rights, and responsibilities of women and men in society Cultures differ as it relates to opinions about whether roles, obligations, and rights of men and women should differ.
Gender and Essentialism- Cultural differences in Essentialism Evidence for essentialism in Albania
Albanian sworn virgins In rural Albania, property is handed from father to son, but when blood feuds result in the death of all one's sons, a daughter assumes a male identity- physically and social role. Suggesting that males are more essentialized and see gender as being malleable- can change gender based on the requirements of the circumstances
Individualism and Within Culture Variation Explain a study which shows results that differ to what the theory predicts as it relates to views of the self and culture
American and Japanese rate themselves as equally Independent in their view of the self However, US students rated themselves more interdependent than Japanese students Why may this happen? -If you ask persons to rate themselves, they compare themselves to the average person - An american person comparing themselves to individualistic persons may rate themselves as more interdependent and vice versa
List an example of the effect of culture on an individual's description of themselves -results
Americans and Nairobi undergraduates described themselves based on traits and personal characteristics Workers in Nairobi and Indigenous Kenyan Tribes described themselves based on their roles and memberships
Individualism and Collectivism How do cultural practices shape self-concepts?What type of view of the self is common in collectivistic and individualistic cultures
Societies in which persons are individualistic tend to hold independent views of self Societies in which persons are collectivistic tend to hold interdependent views of self
List an example of the effect of culture on an individual's description of themselves -method
Asked persons from 3 groups to complete the 20 statements test University students in Nairobi -most Westernized Adult workers in Nairobi- less westernized 2 Indigenous Kenyan Tribes- least westernized Compared responses to American Undergraduates
Cultural Variability in Motivation for Consistency Describe a study which shows that there is cultural variability in consistency -method and results
Asked to imagine how they would respond to take part in a survey In one condition -participants asked to imagine that hey have always complied with these request Second condition-imagine that your peers complied with similar requests Poles (collectivistic) are more likely to comply if their peers had done so earlier, but Americans (more individualistic) show the opposite.
What influences whether one adopts object/subjective self awareness?
Based on views of the self- whether independent/ interdependent Independent view of the self- persons have more subjective self awareness because you are spending more time looking at the world from your own perspective Less concerned with others' assessments and Interdependent view More concerned with others' assessments and perspectives therefore persons adopt objective self-awareness
What are some limitations/criticisms of the Big 5?
Big 5 might be ethnocentric The Big 5 Model does not capture all the personality variation in the world Big 5 was created using English terms- there may be adjectives that are represented in other languages that may not be presented in the big 5 It may not capture culture-specific personality traits.- vast majority of the studies have used WEIRD samples Example when the big 5 was used in a tribe in the Amazon- the individuals' personalities were not well explained using the big 5
Provide an example of one of the limitations of the Big 5?
Big 5 was created using English terms- there may be adjectives that are represented in other languages that may not be presented in the big 5 When analyzing Chinese personality trait terms, 4 factors were found 1. Dependability:Responsibility,optimism, trustworthiness (associated with Neuroticism) 2. Inter-personal relatedness: harmony,thrift, relational orientation, tradition 3. Social potency:leadership,adventurousness, extraversion (associated with Extraversion) 4. Individualism:logical orientation,defensiveness, self-orientation (associated with Agreeableness) Inter-personal relatedness not correlated with the big 5 factors Openness did not correlate with any of the Chinese factors
What approach is most commonly used to identify the different personality traits
Big Five/ Five Factor Model of Personality According to this model there are 5 personality traits and all personality traits reflect a combination of these traits Can be high/low on any one of the 5 domains which characterize one's overall personality O- openness C-conscientiousness E-Extraversion A-Agreeableness N-Neuroticism
Neurological Representation of the Self Wha is an example of the Neurological Representations of the Self
Chinese and Western participants asked to consider how well some words described themselves or mothers » Westerners showed different regions of activation- view themselves as being distinct from mothers (independent view) » Chinese showed activation in the same regions- representations for themselves and their mothers not distinct-do not see themselves as separate and distinct entities (interdependent view)
Is personality located with geographical location? Explain how personality type may lend itself to a particular social/geographical environment
Compare big 5 characteristics in villages in Italy located on the mainland or off the mainland-on island (different living environments) Islanders differ from Mainlanders in: extraversion- less extraverted conscientious- more conscientious- more likely to think of others open to experience- less open to experience- not interested in experiencing new things Why? Island life is more isolated and lends itself to certain types of personalities Persons who do not have personalities that fit with the island environment are more likely to go to the mainland People who are extraverted, less conscientious and more open to experiences likely to leave the island environment Personality type may lend itself to a particular social/geographical environment
Origins of Gender (In)equality What are some findings that support the "Cultural innovations in agriculture" hypothesis
Compared cultures that primarily used ploughs during and before nineteenth century vs. those that did not • Cultures that relied on ploughs before were still low on gender egalitarianism and there was less female labour force participation. • In the United States, woman immigrants who came from regions where the plough was used- were less likely to participate in the workforce
How does SES influence the view of self? Provide an example
Compared performance on task between first gen. college students (working class family/lower SES) and continuing generation college students (middle class family/higher SES) by having them read an independent message or interdependent message Results- first generation students were more motivated to solve tasks when receiving an interdependent message -message indicating they would be able to work together and learn from others, rather than individually. message more consistent with view of self
Origins of Gender In-equality What is one hypothesis for the origins of gender inequality
Cultural innovations in agriculture may have led to significant differences in gender roles in men and women
The Woodaabe
Differences in culture -Reversal of gender roles -men decorate themselves to attract more women Consistent with our culture -how they speak about -element of courtship-speaking how men go to war with other lineages to steal women (somewhat aggressive act) adj. associated with males cross culturally-aggressive Essentialism aspects of gender -Role of women to greet elders, say goodnight, ,get them water Arbitrary -Idea of what constitutes attractive features different -men teaching children how to do the dance and sing -in our culture the singing ma not be considered very attractive or seductive -opening eyes wide in their culture that is considered an attractive presentation
Explain the "Cultural innovations in agriculture" hypothesis as it relates to gender inequality
Distal cause of gender inequality Agriculture cultivation occurred in two ways -shifting cultivation- women do most of the planting and weeding using a tool similar to a garden hoe. This type of farming did not require much muscular strength and allowed children to be nearby (little danger) -plow cultivation - a large animal is used to pull the plow and turn over the soil. This normally requires muscular strength and energy therefore it is usually done by men Children often stay with women due to dangers of being around ploughs (and large animals that pull ploughs). Therefore in cultures where plough cultivation is practiced there is a strong division of labour and greater gender equality
Individualism and Within Culture Variation What is some evidence for within culture variation as it relates to Individualism
Even though the Japanese are considered more collectivistic on average compared to Westerners, a majority of Japanese university students are classified as individualistic. just because we characterize a regions as being interdependent/collectivist vice versa- does not mean that characterizes everyone in the population
Culture and Gender "The most important decision we make in the morning is what to wear." What does this quote mean
Everyday we make a decision to conform to some sort of expectations or roles that are handed down to males and females based on reproductive anatomy
Describe how personalities are distributed across the USA-
Graphical depiction- even within a single country - that is often seen as a homogenous culture- even so, there are many variations in personality within the culture Cluster 1: extraverted, agreeable, conscientious - Midwestern USA- Minnesota Wisconsin Cluster 2: openness, low neuroticism- West Coast- LA Cluster 3: neuroticism, low conscientiousness- Northeastern states like New York
Provide some examples for Within Culture Variation in the USA
Hawaii and Confederate South score the highest in collectivism Mountain West and Great Plains states, the Northeast, and the Midwest are the least collectivistic SES: Middle class are more individualistic and working class are more collectivistic
Who am I How does culture influence to response to this question? What are two ways in which persons may view themselves?
Some cultures encourage persons to focus on their inner attributes, traits, abilities etc as a means to understand themselves Other cultures people focus on their connections with others and describe themselves in terms of roles, relationships etc.- I am Masai, I am a mother etc. Ways in which persons view themselves influence the way they interact with the world
Cultural Variability in Motivation for Consistency Describe a study which shows that there is cultural variability in consistency -hypothesis and predictions
Hypothesized that persons with an interdependent self concepts may be motivated to act in ways consistent with how others similar to themselves have acted Predicted that Polish should try to be consistent with how others have behaved (collectivistic/interdependent ) USA try to be consistent with how they themselves have behaved in the past
Provide some examples for Within Culture Variation in Individualism and Collectivist in Iceland
Iceland: - Higher socioeconomic status is associated with greater individualism -Lower socioeconomic status is associated with more collectivism
How does culture influence gender role ideology
In Western countries, persons believe that men and women should be treated similarly/equally In other cultures that are patriarchal in nature, people believe that the roles of men and women are clearly different- with men having more rights than women Males and females in a given culture share similar gender attitudes. More egalitarian views are typically held in individualistic cultures Women are endorsing gender role ideologies that indicate that they believe that men and women are equal vs Men who almost always hold more traditional views
Does the BIG-5 Personality Structure Apply Across Cultures?
In a test of 50 different cultures, the Big 5 appeared to apply to personality structures
What are some cultural differences in self-awareness? Provide an example
In an experiment where a computer marks participants' creativity, Hong Kong participants evaluate their own creative abilities as poorer if another participant sees their low score but more creative if they see their high score (objective-self awareness)- self-evaluation based on what others think of them US participants were not similarly affected by others' viewing of their scores. (subjective-self awareness) -
Gender and Essentialism- Cultural differences in Essentialism What is some evidence for essentialism in India
Indians asked to imagine -If you replaced a woman's brain with a man's brain how would the person now act- Persons responded that woman would continue to act as a woman However, if a male brain is replaced with a female brain- the man would then act like a woman Also, in India there is a third gender (Hijra)- biological males who take on female gender role and identity This suggests that female identity was more essentialized than male identity
How is the independent view of the self described
Individual sees themselves as being separate and distinct from others- indicated by the circle not overlapping with others and having characteristics which are unique to them example attitudes, traits, preferences - Big X's The view of one's self also remains stable across situations- indicated by the solid line Friends and family members are part of their in-group but also separate from them Strangers are part of the out-group
People's self-awareness can be changed based on situational factors Describe a study researchers prompt an Objective View of the Self Among Americans
Japanese and American students placed in front a mirror or not and asked to evaluate themselves -evaluate their actual selves and to evaluate the person they would like to be Americans appear to become more self-critical when in front of a mirror- looking at themselves from the perspective of another person Japanese show no effect of mirror, likely because they typically hold an objective view of the self/.
Where do we find individualistic and collectivistic cultures
Most individualistic societies were Western countries- USA, Western European nations, Canada Least individualistic cultures/more collectivistic cultures - Latin America and Asian, African countries etc. 80% of the world's population are collectivistic however, research has emerged from individualistic cultures
How is extraversion described
extraversion- indicates how much an individual is active/dominant
Personality How is personality described
Notion that individuals show different sets of behaviours, dispositions, and attitudes that are relatively stable over time and across situations. It is generally understood that personalities vary among individuals within a culture, but how do they vary across cultures?
Self-Awareness How is objective self-awareness described
Objective self-awareness = people experience themselves as an object—a "me" perspective Look at yourself from the perspective of other people Attention directed inward, as though an audience were evaluating subject.
How is openness described
Openness to experience - reflects intelligence and curiosity
Self-Awareness What are the two types of ways that persons may view themselves
People can have subjective or objective self- awareness Subjective self-awareness Object self-awareness
How is self consistency described
Persons behave the same across a different situations. Whether they're out with friends, with work colleagues, or at home- these persons act the same way
How is the interdependent view of the self described
Persons do not see themselves as separate and distinct entities but participants in a larger social unit and are closely connected with others- indicated by the individual overlapping with other relationships Persons see themselves as sharing characteristics with these individuals- Bolded X's The identity of the person is fluid in different situations- Depending in the situation and the role the person occupies in the situation, the view of self changes accordingly- dotted line re-read
How is self consistency related to view of the self
Persons with an independent view of the self tend to have a consistent view of self despite the situation Persons with an interdependent view of the self tend to be more fluid and less motivated for consistency Depending on the situation and the role the person occupies in the situation, the view of self changes accordingly
Self-Awareness How is subjective self-awareness described
Subjective self-awareness = taking on perspective of a subject—an "I" perspective Attention focused on outside world, not with the self.
Cultural Differences: Performance of Gendered Traits Are there culture differences/gender differences in performance traits related to masculinity and femininity ?
The Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) is a measure of masculinity-femininity and gender roles. It assesses how people identify themselves psychologically. On the BSRI femininity scale, African American and Anglo- American women perform higher than men On the BSRI masculinity scale- African American men and women respond more similarly than Anglo-Americans The extent to which sex differences and gender roles are true varies across cultures
What has been proposed as a solution to the limitations to the Big 5
The HEXACO has been proposed as a solution to the limits of the Big 5- tries to be more cross culturally inclusive It contains one new dimension • H-factor (Honesty-Humility) High score = sincere, modest Low score = deceitful, pretentious in East Asian- these traits are highly valued as persons are modest about personal success Remaining scales are similar to the Big 5 • Emotionality -similar to Neuroticism) • eXtraversion • Agreeableness • Contientiousness • Openness
Gender and Essentialism What does essentialism refer to ?
The idea that characteristics are inborn and cannot be changed. In Western culture, males are more essentialized- less flexible ways of being expressed in socially approved ways- many Americans find it unusual for men to wear dresses or makeup However, people are more accepting of females who engage in masculine activities such as playing with trucks, not wearing make up etc. (females less essentialized)
Is there evidence of universal stereotypes for gender ?Provide an example
There appears to be some cross-cultural consensus in the adjectives that apply most to men and those that apply most to women. Example - male confident, arrogant Females-patient, pleasant, affectionate
How is agreeableness described
extent to which a person is warm or pleasant
Gender and Essentialism Provide an example of essentialism
When women participate in work force at high level-persons are not shocked However, when a man says he wants to be a stay at home father persons find it very unusual as it is seen as a violation of what it means to be a man Do not find it unsual for females to play with toy trucks or ice hockey however, some find it unusual for males to behave in stereotypically female behaviors such as boys playing with dolls or boys taking ballet lessons Americans tend to view male identity to be less changeable and thus, more essentialized
Simultaneous Independent and Interdependent Views of the Self What are the evolutionary advantages of having Simultaneous views of the self?
Within individuals, there varying degrees of independent vs interdependent views of the self depending on the context, circumstances and goals- Both views of the self important From an evolutionary basis an independent view is important for self- definition within a group or in contexts where one is in competition with other individuals (example- competition for a mate) and the interdependent view is important for social group living e.g., for facilitating cooperation
Distinguishing Cultural Personalities Using the BIG FIVE Can we identify trends among collectivistic vs. individualistic cultures? Can we identify discrepancies within these cultural types?
X-axis: Extroversion Y-axis: Neuroticism Individualistic countries seem to be more extraverted than others (countries towards the right-western countries)- Americans most extraverted Collectivistic countries seem to be less extraverted Neuroticism -East Asian societies tend to be less neurotic
How is conscientiousness described
conscientiousness- how responsible or dependable a person is
How is neuroticism described
degree to which one is emotionally unstable, unpredictable
