The Measurement of Personality across Cultures: Historical, Conceptual, and Methodological Issues and Considerations

Abstract

The present article discusses historical, conceptual, and methodological issues associated with the cross-cultural measurement of personality. It documents the extensive debate and discussion that has emerged from the juxtaposition of the trait-situation, universalism-relativism, quantitative-qualitative, and anthropology-psychology polarities in the past decade. Following a discussion of these polarities, the present article concludes that the contending (and contentious) positions should be replaced by collaborative disciplinary research efforts that are open to the possibility of both cultural variations and universals in human behavior. Fundamental similarities in behavior may exist across cultural boundaries because of bio-evolutionary, natural language descriptors and similar life-activity and socialization contexts. Major differences may exist for the very same reasons. At this point in time, it is more fruitful to have inquiry guided by questions rather than efforts to affirm positions. Neither side in the bitter debates that have arisen has provided sufficient evidence to warrant their unconditional acceptance. © 2000, Sage Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.