Traits Across Cultures: a Neo-Allportian Perspective - Article Example

?Introduction The article, ‘Traits Across Cultures: A Neo-Allportian Perspective’ by Brad Piekkola was published in in Journal of theoretical and Philosophical Psychology. It has been significant in its efforts to define and describe the meaning of personality of a person. The psychology of human behavior has always been of intense interest to the psychologists and social scientists. The major underpinning the various theories of personality is the fact that there are some common factors that cut across human race. The five factor theory testaments to it and emphasizes five basic human traits or characteristics of man that are independent of external influences like culture and environment within which a person exists. But the author contradicts the modules of theory and asserts that external aspects like culture and social environment are important elements that have considerable impact on human behavior. The author has adopted subjective epistemology to identify different factors and used Gordon Allport’s theory to understand the wider meaning of personality and personality trait. Hypothesis The key hypothesis of the study is that personality traits as shown by five factor theory are actually traits of temperament of personality which can be broadly construed as part of biological imperatives of personality and not of personality as a whole. The author believes that biological basis of human behavior is important but not exclusive part of personality. Thus, looking from the wider integrated approach, personality is flexible and adapts to the changing environment within which person exists. Research design and methodology adopted The comparative history of research issues greatly facilitate in understanding the various paradigms of the subject matter and help to evaluate the same with new perspectives. Piekkola has used qualitative research comprising of extensive literature review. The qualitative analysis of the information or data is used for generating theories that reflect the realities of life. Indeed, the author’s intrinsic belief that human behavior is intrinsically linked to personality which also reflects social changes and quality of life. It addresses the impact of external factors on personality and personality traits and therefore requisite epistemology is interpretive in nature. This is highly relevant as the broad spectrum of knowledge gained through this methodology has hugely facilitated in realizing the aims and objectives of the study. Data analysis and interpretation The target population is widely spread as it treats the personality of a person as a whole rather than using specifics of individual behavior. Indeed, one of the most relevant features of the study is that it has used subjectivism based research and expertly used the knowledge base through past studies. The author has been able to delve deeper into the wider implications of the meaning of personality within the pre-defined parameters of given socio-cultural paradigms. The qualitative research methodology had focused on literature reviews. Thus, sampling primarily comprised of reading works of wide ranging authors on the topic concerned who had compared different approaches to the same issue but with different perspectives. He has used more than 153 works from 1989 to 2010 of various authors to evaluate and identify the indicators of personality traits and factors that influence human behavior under different circumstances. The wide scope of literature review becomes highly relevant part of Piekkola’s study. It not only gives credence to an exhaustive study but also takes into consideration the changing landscape of transforming socio-historical aspect of changing human values and behavior. Piekkola has asserted that biological concepts of personality traits are not sufficient to define the personality primarily because experience and environment, both significantly influence the personality traits. They are vital to the study because they provide a person with individuality and unique differentiation in personality that could be part of cultural paradigm. Allport firmly believes in individuals having their own unique features within their personality that may defy general attribute contributed to the personality trait. Piekkola supports Allports theory and claims that they are still relevant. Hence, they must also be considered as important imperatives of development of personality. The five factor theory relies heavily on five structural paradigms that constitute personality traits which are: Neuroticism; Extraversion; Openness; Agreeableness; and Conscientiousness. These are key ingredients that cut across human race, culture, color and nationality. They also provide persons with varying degree of temperament that they exhibit under different conditions. He has shown that individuals react differently to same situations because of their experience and socio-cultural influence that determines their behavior and reaction. Conclusion Many social scientists are of the view that human tendency to adapt to the changing environment is critical element of survival and therefore important ingredient of personality traits that is evolved due to circumstances of ‘their lives’. The author has quoted Woodworth (1931:251) who has stated that psychology has been evolving general theory regarding human behavior and not considering individual person ‘as a living whole’. Indeed, it is important that general theory of human personality is defined to predict human behavior under different circumstances. But at the same time, individuals must be treated as distinct entities with unique traits that may go beyond the precincts of general theoretical posits. The author has used differential parameters of the theories to underpin his hypothesis and evaluated the temperament of individual personality traits against the influence of environmental factors. Allport has explained that temperament broadly refers to individual’s emotional nature and his vulnerability to external influence. Thus, five factors are part of temperament that is linked to personality traits and do not solely define the personality traits that are independent of external factors like culture. Piekkola has judiciously exploited the theories of social scientists to evolve new perspectives to relevant issues that impact personality traits of individuals and treat them as unique entities. He has overcome the problems of generalization by integrating ideas and social changes that influence human behavior. The validity of study is not of much concern because qualitative studies are concerned with deeper understanding of human behavior rather than validation and therefore, author’s use of extensive literature is designed to lend credibility to the study. Three future research ideas 1. The modalities of personality traits that differentiate individuals against general attributes and contribute towards the development of personality. 2. How the personality trait is impacted by socio-cultural parameters? 3. Human behavior is intrinsically linked to social changes but at the same time, the fundamental tenets of construct of personality remains common to all. Use and potential impact of research findings The article has given important insight into the changing perspectives of personality traits that are developed as a result of human behavior under different socio-cultural and political conditions. In the real world, the emotional and metaphysical reactions to event are intrinsic part of human behavior. Indeed, the myriad paradigms that influence human behavior are critical factors of changes that help evolve the personality of individuals to suit the changes. In other words, personality traits facilitate adaptability to changes and promote development processes within and outside the precincts of individual personality. Thus, the persons react differently to situations. While one may be prone to hyper reactions, others may exhibit patience. Human behavior and social relationship are dynamic and necessitate better understand of various factors that may influence human behavior. The findings of the research therefore, would greatly facilitate in analyzing the changing behavior vis-a-vis personality traits, temperament and cultural paradigms. In the contemporary environment of advancing technology and globalization, the adaptability of human behavior becomes critical element of personality trait. The flexibility of approach encourages development of new perspectives to issues. Thus, people need to develop new techniques and most importantly new personality traits to meet new challenges. Hence, Piekkola assertion that Allport’s theory of personality is relevant not only in the contemporary times but would help to analyze human behavior and personality traits of future generations also. (words: 1290) Reference Piekkola, Brad. (2011). Traits Across Cultures: A Neo-Allportian Perspective. Journal of theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 31(1), 2-24. Read More