6. Geert Hofstede and Robert McCrae (2004) report that dimensions of culture, su

Question

6. Geert Hofstede and Robert McCrae (2004) report that dimensions of culture, such as individualism, are correlated with specific personality traits, such as extraversion. The culture and personality research of the 1930s and 1940s assumed that cultural practices shape personality. Hofstede & McCrae, however, view personality traits as largely inherited. Thus, they reason that different personality traits would give rise to different cultural practices. How might you explain why a society that has more extraverts would become individualist and a society that has more introverts would become collectivist?

Explanation / Answer

Individualism versus collectivism is one of the basic differences that have been described in varying national cultures. T he individualism-collectivism framework, which describes factors such as how a culture views personal traits like independence, personal achievement, group, team and familial connections, egalitarian relationships and role flexibility, and the human separation from the natural world, is often used to describe personality traits and differences between individuals of varying cultures. Individualism and collectivism are cultural traits that describe the common attitude toward the individual as compared to the group. The individualism-collectivism framework is commonly used to describe personality characteristics, habits and traits that arise from cultures in which certain individualist or collectivist traits occur. However, these traits do not occur to exclusion within these cultures, making it unlikely that the traits are wholly attributable to the cultural context . For example, in Japan it is a cultural norm that individuals will take care of their parents in old age, reflecting the collectivist stance on elder care; in the United States, it is a cultural norm that elders will take care of themselves. However, there are still Americans who take care of their elder parents in preference to sending them to a hired care facility, and there are also Japanese elders who prefer to continue to live on their own despite their childrens cultural requirement for offering care. Being brought up in the same culture sometimes does reflect in the personality of the individuals and that is why someone born and brought in america is seen more extrovert since the culture their is more independent and someone from an asian culture like India,would be seen as an introvert because its more family oriented and collectivist. But these traits are not necessarily confined to being individualistic or collectivist. It can occur in any culture depending upon the influences on the person,going and staying in different cultures also makes it different. But,yes the common notion has become this extraverts are found in individualistic cultures and introverts in collectivist but in reality,its not really the case. And because the general qualities of an extrovert are being confident and independent therefore we tend to link it with individualistic culture more and same applies to introversion as well. Being quiet and being less confident makes them more collectivist. But personality is soemthing which keeps changing right fom childhood till adolscence depending upon the different cultural influences and upbringing.

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