Chapter 6: Self and Personality
Our self-concept varies in important ways across cultures.
Difference in how Japanese and American athletes tend to explain their performance:
o Americans: their performance reflected their own personal characteristics
o Japanese: their performance was guided by the expectations of others
6.1 Who Am I?
Influence of Culture on Self-Descriptions
1. Self-description might include culturally-shaped statements.
o i.e. I’m a devotee of Jazz = cultural product in that you must’ve been exposed to
the music and its surrounding culture.
o At this superficial level, little is known about why we describe ourselves with this
kind of preferences; the culture is merely providing the content about the ways
people think of themselves.
2. Self-description might include statements that refer to an inner attribute about the
self.
o i.e. I’m creative = think in terms of having enduring traits that are
relatively abstract: encapsulates different kinds of thoughts and
behaviors
likely experienced as stable
can exist by itself
o i.e. I’m a younger brother = self is connected with others
a significant other is in one’s self-concept
defines a role in terms of one’s ideas regarding appropriate behaviors
emphasizes a hierarchical relationship
Although all people are able to think of themselves in terms of both abstract and
psychological attributes, the degree varies significantly across cultures. Some cultures
encourage focusing on enduring inner attributes (attitudes, personality traits, abilities) as a
means to understand themselves, others on connections with others (concrete roles,
relationships, memberships).
Cultural Differences in Self-Descriptors: Americans and Kenyans
Americans and Kenyan undergrads describe themselves in terms of enduring traits
and personal characteristics. These are the findings in many Western countries.
Nonstudent populations in Kenya describe themselves in terms of social identity, like
roles and relationships. These are the findings in much of the non-Western world.
Note that Americans do, sometimes, still consider their social roles, and Masai sometimes
still consider their personality traits. These trends appear to be associated with greater
exposure to Western culture (and also simultaneously with greater economic development).
Self-Descriptions and Brain Activity: Danish and Chinese Samples
Danish participants: little difference in brain activation patterns when they considered
social roles or personal characteristics—both involved the medial prefrontal cortex
that’s typically active in self-judgments.
Chinese participants: thoughts about social roles involved more of temporoparietal
junction, a brain region that’s involved in understanding other people’s beliefs.
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Our self-concept varies in important ways across cultures.
Difference in how Japanese and American athletes tend to explain their performance:
o Americans: their performance reflected their own personal characteristics
o Japanese: their performance was guided by the expectations of others
6.1 Who Am I?
Influence of Culture on Self-Descriptions
1. Self-description might include culturally-shaped statements.
o i.e. I’m a devotee of Jazz = cultural product in that you must’ve been exposed to
the music and its surrounding culture.
o At this superficial level, little is known about why we describe ourselves with this
kind of preferences; the culture is merely providing the content about the ways
people think of themselves.
2. Self-description might include statements that refer to an inner attribute about the
self.
o i.e. I’m creative = think in terms of having enduring traits that are
relatively abstract: encapsulates different kinds of thoughts and
behaviors
likely experienced as stable
can exist by itself
o i.e. I’m a younger brother = self is connected with others
a significant other is in one’s self-concept
defines a role in terms of one’s ideas regarding appropriate behaviors
emphasizes a hierarchical relationship
Although all people are able to think of themselves in terms of both abstract and
psychological attributes, the degree varies significantly across cultures. Some cultures
encourage focusing on enduring inner attributes (attitudes, personality traits, abilities) as a
means to understand themselves, others on connections with others (concrete roles,
relationships, memberships).
Cultural Differences in Self-Descriptors: Americans and Kenyans
Americans and Kenyan undergrads describe themselves in terms of enduring traits
and personal characteristics. These are the findings in many Western countries.
Nonstudent populations in Kenya describe themselves in terms of social identity, like
roles and relationships. These are the findings in much of the non-Western world.
Note that Americans do, sometimes, still consider their social roles, and Masai sometimes
still consider their personality traits. These trends appear to be associated with greater
exposure to Western culture (and also simultaneously with greater economic development).
Self-Descriptions and Brain Activity: Danish and Chinese Samples
Danish participants: little difference in brain activation patterns when they considered
social roles or personal characteristics—both involved the medial prefrontal cortex
that’s typically active in self-judgments.
Chinese participants: thoughts about social roles involved more of temporoparietal
junction, a brain region that’s involved in understanding other people’s beliefs.
1
