Cultural influences on personality

The Association Between Personality Traits and Health-Related Quality of Life and the Mediating Role of Smoking: Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

Background

There are positive and negative correlations in different directions between smoking, personality traits, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), where smoking may mask the pathway between personality traits and HRQOL. Understanding the masking pathway of smoking between personality traits and HRQOL can elucidate the mechanisms of smoking's psychosocial effects and provide new ideas for developing tobacco control strategies.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between Big Five personality traits and HRQOL and whether smoking mediates the relationship between them.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study using data from 21,916 respondents from the 2022 Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents survey. Linear regression models were used to analyze the correlations between smoking, Big Five personality traits, and HRQOL while controlling for potential confounders. The mediating role of smoking on the association between Big Five Personality traits and HRQOL was analyzed using the Sobel-Goodman mediation test.

Results

Extraversion (β=.001; P=.04), agreeableness (β=.003; P<.001), and neuroticism (β=.003; P<.001) were positively correlated with HRQOL, whereas openness was negatively correlated with HRQOL (β=-.001; P=.003). Smoking was associated with a decrease in HRQOL and mediated the positive effect of HRQOL on extraversion (z=-2.482; P=.004), agreeableness (z=-2.264; P=.02), and neuroticism (z=-3.230; P=.001). Subgroup analyses further showed that smoking mediated the effect of neuroticism on HRQOL in the population with chronic illnesses (z=-2.724; P=.006), and in the population without chronic illnesses, smoking contributed to the effect of HRQOL on extraversion (z=-2.299; P=.02), agreeableness (z=-2.382; P=.02), and neuroticism (z=-2.213; P=.03).

Conclusions

This study provided evidence that there is a correlation between personality traits and HRQOL. It also found that smoking plays a role in mediating the connection between personality traits and HRQOL. The development of future tobacco control strategies should consider the unique traits of each individual's personality, highlighting the significance of extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Culture and effectiveness of distance restriction policies: evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic

Natural disasters bring indelible negative impacts to human beings, and people usually adopt some post hoc strategies to alleviate such impacts. However, the same strategies may have different effects in different countries (or regions), which is rarely paid attention by the academic community. In the context of COVID-19, we examine the effect of distance restriction policies (DRP) on reducing human mobility and thus inhibiting the spread of the virus. By establishing a multi-period difference-in-differences model to analyse the unique panel dataset constructed by 44 countries, we show that DRP does significantly reduce mobility, but the effectiveness varies from country to country. We built a moderating effect model to explain the differences from the cultural perspective and found that DRP can be more effective in reducing human mobility in countries with a lower indulgence index. The results remain robust when different sensitivity analyses are performed. Our conclusions call for governments to adapt their policies to the impact of disasters rather than copy each other.

A study on why foreign-born East Asians but not US-born East Asians are underrepresented in leadership attainment in the U.S

A recent study investigated the impact of culture of Asian groups on leadership attainment in the U.S. It revealed that East Asians (EAs) are less likely than South Asians (SAs) and white people (WP) to attain leadership positions, and SAs may even surpass WP in leadership attainment. The study explained that the underrepresentation of EAs in leadership positions in the U.S. (the so called bamboo ceiling) is partly because EAs communicate less assertively. Specifically, EA cultures value collectivism (e.g., humility and harmony), which are at odds with western cultures that value individualism (e.g., extraversion and assertiveness), whereas SA cultures are congruent with western cultures. However, the study did not distinguish the different impact of home culture (i.e., EA cultures) and host culture (i.e., western cultures) on US-born EAs versus foreign-born EAs. We argue that for US-born EAs (i.e., second generation EAs), host culture plays a more important role than home culture in their growth and they may not be underrepresented in leadership attainment compared to WP. The bamboo ceiling effect is mostly demonstrated among foreign-born EAs (i.e., first generation EAs) who are shaped mainly under the home culture. We support the argument by conducting analysis on one of the datasets in the original study and a new dataset from Fortune's 40-under-40 list. Our study suggests that when studying the underrepresentation of leadership attainment for EAs, US-born EAs and foreign-born EAs should not be aggregated in one category. Considering the ethnic EA group, the bamboo ceiling phenomenon may exist mainly among foreign-born EAs because US-born EAs, with a median age of 21.3, are much younger than the general American population, who may not be experienced enough to be considered for leadership positions in established large companies.

"My body is a cage": A qualitative investigation into the self-discrepancy experiences of young women with metastatic cancer

OBJECTIVES

The current study investigated self-discrepancy experiences of young women with metastatic cancer.

METHODS

Semistructured interviews were conducted. Data were analyzed through interpretative phenomenological analysis.

FINDINGS

Eight female patients with metastatic cancer aged between 27 and 38 years formed the sample. Three superordinate themes emerged: (1) compulsory changes in self-concept with ambivalent evaluations; (2) new ideals not on the agenda of a healthy young woman; and (3) so-called 'minimalist' expectations from others.

DISCUSSION

Findings indicated that diagnosis and treatment of metastatic cancer impose unique developmental challenges for young adult women. Advanced cancer disrupted the tasks and responsibilities of young adulthood, resulting in frustration, grief, isolation, and overcompensation. These findings suggest that a developmental perspective is crucial when working with self-discrepancy experiences of young women with metastatic cancer.

Cultural-Psychological Differences, Social Acceptance of Same-Sex Relationships, and Dating App Use Motives of Young GBMSM: A Comparative Study Across Hong Kong, Taipei, and Osaka

Gay-specific mobile dating apps such as Grindr are popular among young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) worldwide. However, how the use of these apps differs between regions is underexplored. In this study, we drew on the uses and gratifications literature and cross-cultural studies to examine how cultural-psychological differences (sensation seeking and communication apprehension) and social acceptance of same-sex relationships are associated with the motives for using gay dating apps in three East Asian cities. Using a sample of 18-34-year-old GBMSM (217 participants from Hong Kong, 330 from Taipei, and 175 from Osaka), we found that the Taiwanese participants scored higher than their Japanese counterparts on almost all motives. Sensation seeking was positively associated with using gay dating apps for casual sex, self-worth validation, and thrill of excitement in both Taipei and Osaka. Communication apprehension was positively associated with using the apps for ease of communication in all three cities. Social acceptance of same-sex relationships had positive relationships with using the apps for love in Hong Kong and casual sex in Taipei but negative relationships with other motives in Taipei and Osaka. These inconsistent relationships between the variables across the three cities point to the importance of cultural and regional specificity in predicting gay dating app use motives.

Rural-urban differences in personality traits and well-being in adulthood

OBJECTIVE

One large focus of personality psychology is to understand the biopsychosocial factors responsible for adult personality development and well-being change. However, little is known about how macro-level contextual factors, such as rurality-urbanicity, are related to personality development and well-being change.

METHOD

The present study uses data from two large longitudinal studies of U.S. Americans (MIDUS, HRS) to examine whether there are rural-urban differences in levels and changes in the Big Five personality traits and well-being (i.e., psychological well-being, and life satisfaction) in adulthood.

RESULTS

Multilevel models showed that Americans who lived in more rural areas tended to have lower levels of openness, conscientiousness, and psychological well-being, and higher levels of neuroticism. With the exception of psychological well-being (which replicated across MIDUS and HRS), rural-urban differences in personality traits were only evident in the HRS sample. The effect of neuroticism was fully robust to the inclusion of socio-demographic and social network covariates, but other effects were partially robust (i.e., conscientiousness and openness) or were not robust at all (i.e., psychological well-being). In both samples, there were no rural-urban differences in Big Five or well-being change.

CONCLUSIONS

We discuss the implications of these findings for personality and rural health research.

Cortical and subcortical grey matter correlates of psychopathic traits in a Japanese community sample of young adults: sex and configurations of factors' level matter!

While neuroimaging research has examined the structural brain correlates of psychopathy predominantly in clinical/forensic male samples from western countries, much less is known about those correlates in non-western community samples. Here, structural magnetic resonance imaging data were analyzed using voxel- and surface-based morphometry to investigate the neuroanatomical correlates of psychopathic traits in a mixed-sex sample of 97 well-functioning Japanese adults (45 males, 21-39 years; M = 27, SD = 5.3). Psychopathic traits were assessed using the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRP-SF; 4th Edition). Multiple regression analysis showed greater Factor 1 scores were associated with higher gyrification in the lingual gyrus, and gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala/hippocampus border. Total psychopathy and Factor 1 scores interacted with sex to, respectively, predict cortical thickness in the precuneus and gyrification in the superior temporal gyrus. Finally, Factor 1 and Factor 2 traits interacted to predict gyrification in the posterior cingulate cortex. These preliminary data suggest that, while there may be commonalities in the loci of structural brain correlates of psychopathic traits in clinical/forensic and community samples, the nature of that association might be different (i.e. positive) and may vary according to sex and configurations of factors' level.

Conceptual and methodological issues in the study of the personality-and-culture relationship

Culture-and-personality studies were central to social science in the early 20th century and have recently been revived (as personality-and-culture studies) by trait and cross-cultural psychologists. In this article we comment on conceptual issues, including the nature of traits and the nature of the personality-and-culture relationship, and we describe methodological challenges in understanding associations between features of culture and aspects of personality. We give an overview of research hypothesizing the shaping of personality traits by culture, reviewing studies of indigenous traits, acculturation and sojourner effects, birth cohorts, social role changes, and ideological interventions. We also consider the possibility that aggregate traits affect culture, through psychological means and gene flow. In all these cases we highlight alternative explanations and the need for designs and analyses that strengthen the interpretation of observations. We offer a set of testable hypotheses based on the premises that personality is adequately described by Five-Factor Theory, and that observed differences in aggregate personality traits across cultures are veridical. It is clear that culture has dramatic effects on the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors from which we infer traits, but it is not yet clear whether, how, and in what degree culture shapes traits themselves.

Establishing ties or strengthening friendships? Students' use of online social networks in intercultural friendship development

Purpose

This study was conducted to achieve the following objectives: (1) determine the differences and reasons for using outgroup OSNs by gender, age and student groups (Mainland and Hong Kong [HK] students); (2) uncover the impact of online social networks (OSNs) on the development of Mainland–HK friendships and (3) determine the roles of different OSNs (social networking sites [SNSs] and instant messaging platforms [IMPs]) in the development of intercultural friendships in the real world.

Design/methodology/approach

To explore how OSNs facilitate (or inhibit) intercultural interactions, 198 students completed a questionnaire and 24 students participated in follow-up semi-structured interviews examining the role of OSNs in intercultural friendship development.

Findings

Results revealed that demographic and motivational preferences for using outgroup-OSNs differed among students. Both IMPs and SNSs helped students maintain friendships using little effort, whereas it tended to strengthen their existing social networks, rather than helping to start new friendships. IMPs helped develop a sense of “presence awareness”, strengthening pre-existing friendships and solidifying offline connections. SNSs also assisted students in exploring their shared interests while revealing their values and cultural differences.

Research limitations/implications

The authors’ findings offered empirical evidence on social exchange theory and anxiety-uncertainty management theory regarding the perceived benefit of OSNs on students' friendship development.

Practical implications

The study sheds light on the differences between Mainland Chinese and HK students, including participants' perceptions of different friendship stages.

Originality/value

This study is interested in the roles of different SNSs and IMPs in intercultural friendship development, especially their strengths and weaknesses as perceived by students. Also, the authors are curious about how students select and use IMPs and SNSs differently according to their individual preferences and needs. To the authors’ knowledge, the dynamic link between online communication and intercultural friendship development has not been thoroughly examined in the field of intercultural communication.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of associations between primarily non-autistic people's characteristics and attitudes toward autistic people

This systematic review includes a narrative synthesis and meta-analysis of research on the associations between primarily non-autistic people's characteristics and their attitudes toward autistic people. Of 47 studies included in the narrative synthesis, White undergraduate students were surveyed most frequently. Demographic characteristics were the factors most frequently tested for associations with attitudes, followed by contact-related factors (i.e., quantity and quality), knowledge about autism, trait and personality factors, and other factors that did not fit into a single category. Internal consistency was not reported for some instruments assessing raters' characteristics; some instruments had alpha levels lower than 0.70, and many characteristics of raters were measured using one-item measures. Moreover, theoretical motivations for investigating the raters' characteristics were rarely provided. A total of 36 studies were included in the meta-analysis, which showed that attitudes toward autistic people were significantly associated with participants' gender, knowledge about autism, and quality and quantity of their previous contact with autistic people, but not with their age or autistic traits. These findings indicate a need for more studies that focus on context-related characteristics (e.g., institutional variables such as support/commitment to inclusion), use reliable instruments to measure non-autistic people's characteristics, and situate their investigation in a theoretical framework.

Subjective evaluations of self and others' driving behaviors: A comparative study involving data from drivers in Japan, China, and Vietnam

INTRODUCTION

This study explored the influence of personal attributes on subjectively-reported aggressive driving behaviors, with an emphasis on the inter-influences between subjectively-reported aggressive driving behaviors between self and other individuals. To determine this, a survey was conducted comprising participants' socio-demographic data, information on their history with automotive accidents, and subjective scales to report on the driving behaviors between self and others. More specifically, a four-factor shortened version of the Manchester Driver Behavior Questionnaire was used to collect data on the aberrant driving behaviors of "self" and "others."

METHOD

Participants were recruited from three countries, namely, Japan (1,250 responses), China (1,250), and Vietnam (1,000). This study only considered the "aggressive violations' factor," which was referred to as self-aggressive driving behaviors (SADB) and others' aggressive driving behaviors (OADB). After collecting the data, univariate and bivariate multiple regression models were employed to better understand the response patterns from both scales.

RESULTS

This study found that accident experience had the strongest influence on the reporting of aggressive driving behaviors (followed by education level). However, variation in countries was also found between both the rate of engagement in aggressive driving behavior and its recognition. In this study, highly educated Japanese drivers tended to evaluate others as safe, whereas highly educated Chinese drivers tended to evaluate others as aggressive. This discrepancy can likely be attributed to cultural norms and values. Meanwhile, evaluations from Vietnamese drivers seemed to differ depending on whether they drove cars or bikes, with additional influences as a result of the driving frequency. Furthermore, this study found that it was most difficult to explain the driving behaviors on the "other" scale reported by Japanese drivers.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

These findings can aid policymakers and planners to develop road safety measures that reflect the behaviors of drivers in their respective countries.

Holacracy, a modern form of organizational governance predictors for person-organization-fit and job satisfaction

This study compares illegitimate tasks and appreciation in traditional work organisations and holacracy work organisations based in Switzerland and Germany. In addition, the study tests whether the fit between employees and holacracy organisations depends on personality characteristics. Ninety-five employees working in holacratic companies participated in an online survey with standardised questionnaires on illegitimate tasks, Big Five personality dimensions, perceived holacracy satisfaction and person-organisation fit. For the comparison of illegitimate tasks and appreciation, a propensity-matching comparison group of people working in traditional companies was used. The results revealed significantly lower illegitimate tasks t(53) = -2.04, p < 0.05, with a lower level (2.49) in holacracy than in traditional work (2.78). Concerning appreciation, the results showed significantly higher values for holacratic (5.33) than for traditional work [4.14, t(53) = 4.86, p < 0.001]. Multiple linear regression of holacracy satisfaction on personality dimensions showed neuroticism (b = -4.72, p = 0.006) as a significant predictor. Agreeableness showed marginally significant results (b = 2.39, p = 0.06). This indicates that people scoring low on neuroticism and high in agreeableness may thrive better in holacracy organisations. Based on the results, theoretical and practical implications as for example implications for corporates hiring strategy, are discussed. Finally, this study presents numerous directions for future research.

A Socioecological-Genetic Framework of Culture and Personality: Their Roots, Trends, and Interplay

Culture and personality are two central topics in psychology. Individuals are culturally influenced influencers of culture, yet the research linking culture and personality has been limited and fragmentary. We integrate the literatures on culture and personality with recent advances in socioecology and genetics to formulate the Socioecological-Genetic Framework of Culture and Personality. Our framework not only delineates the mutual constitution of culture and personality but also sheds light on (a) the roots of culture and personality, (b) how socioecological changes partly explain temporal trends in culture and personality, and (c) how genes and culture/socioecology interact to influence personality (i.e., nature × nurture interactions). By spotlighting the roles of socioecology and genetics, our integrative framework advances the understanding of culture and personality.

Palliative and End-of-Life Care Access for Immigrants Living in High-income Countries: A Scoping Review

This scoping review aimed to explore what is known about palliative and End-of-Life (EOL) care access by immigrants with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background living in high-income Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. CaLD immigrants have low utilization of palliative care services with patients' family members taking up the role of caring, leading to immigrants not fully benefiting from the specialized services that are offered to alleviate suffering and promote quality of life. While there is some research in this area mainly in Europe, it cannot be said about all high-income OECD countries. Achieving person-centered care in high-income countries, requires identifying and addressing barriers to care access, especially by immigrants with CaLD background. Five-stage methodological framework by Arksey and O'Malley was used to undertake the review. Immigrants in OECD countries experience challenges in accessing palliative and EOL care services. The review also identified limited literature on the subject and establishes need for more research on the subject.

How social media expression can reveal personality

Background

Personality psychology studies personality and its variation among individuals and is an essential branch of psychology. In recent years, machine learning research related to personality assessment has started to focus on the online environment and showed outstanding performance in personality assessment. However, the aspects of the personality of these prediction models measure remain unclear because few studies focus on the interpretability of personality prediction models. The objective of this study is to develop and validate a machine learning model with domain knowledge introduced to enhance accuracy and improve interpretability.

Methods

Study participants were recruited via an online experiment platform. After excluding unqualified participants and downloading the Weibo posts of eligible participants, we used six psycholinguistic and mental health-related lexicons to extract textual features. Then the predictive personality model was developed using the multi-objective extra trees method based on 3,411 pairs of social media expression and personality trait scores. Subsequently, the prediction model's validity and reliability were evaluated, and each lexicon's feature importance was calculated. Finally, the interpretability of the machine learning model was discussed.

Results

The features from Culture Value Dictionary were found to be the most important predictors. The fivefold cross-validation results regarding the prediction model for personality traits ranged between 0.44 and 0.48 (p < 0.001). The correlation coefficients of five personality traits between the two "split-half" datasets data ranged from 0.84 to 0.88 (p < 0.001). Moreover, the model performed well in terms of contractual validity.

Conclusion

By introducing domain knowledge to the development of a machine learning model, this study not only ensures the reliability and validity of the prediction model but also improves the interpretability of the machine learning method. The study helps explain aspects of personality measured by such prediction models and finds a link between personality and mental health. Our research also has positive implications regarding the combination of machine learning approaches and domain knowledge in the field of psychiatry and its applications to mental health.

The Chinese ring of time

While Western thinking is a linear belief system set in motion by Christianity, Chinese reasoning conceives changes within a circular process that holds together repetition and transformation. Making sense of this is simply to recognize that depending on how we consider the nature of history, we will also partake in a different imprint on society as a whole. The transition from socialist to post-socialist China is also the drift from the stability guaranteed by Chinese philosophy to the individualism offered by the logic of marketization. Over the sociological implosion of Chinese cyclicity, China places its quest for a new identity.

A typology of Jordanian consumers after Covid-19: The rational, the suspicious, and the cautious consumer

This study presents a detailed typology of Jordanian consumers that identifies the effects of Covid-19 on their personal, social, and purchase and consumption patterns following the pandemic. Based on a qualitative approach using a sample of Jordanian consumers (N = 71), this study identifies three main types of consumers: the rational, suspicious, and cautious. All were distinguished by cognitive, emotional, and behavioral differences: the rational consumers viewed the pandemic as a natural occurrence, were willing to vaccinate, and took the opportunity to improve their lives and consumption behavior; the suspicious consumers viewed the pandemic as a man-made virus and refused to rationalize their behaviors and follow the social-distancing rules or vaccinate; and the cautious consumers were generally somewhere in between, and while they improved some aspects of their consumption, social, and personal lives, other aspects either remained the same or worsened. The findings have implications for managers and governmental bodies.

Challenges in the delivery of sex education for people with intellectual disabilities: A Chinese cultural-contextual analysis

BACKGROUND

Staff members' views can have a significant impact on sexuality issues of people with intellectual disabilities. Research on the impact of sociocultural factors in this area in the Chinese context is sparse.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven professionals (social worker, nurse, life skills trainer and manager) to explore their experiences of and attitudes towards the sexual needs of people with intellectual disabilities by applying interpretative phenomenological analysis.

RESULTS

The study identified two major themes, each with two sub-themes: 1. Professional handling of the sexual needs of people with intellectual disabilities (sex education and intervention); 2. Barriers (incompatible approaches and parental resistance). Participants also experienced feelings of resignation facing the barriers they encountered. Collectivism and cultural view about sex are potentially the influencing factors.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the need to adopt an evidence-based sex education programme whose content and delivery should take account of cultural factors.

Men with and without Alcohol Dependence: A Comparative Study of Triguna, Nonattachment, Personality and Subjective Well-Being

Context

Indian models of personality are seldom explored in relation to alcohol dependence. Triguna is an Indian model of personality originating from the Sankhya philosophy, whereby three gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas describe personality features. Additionally, the trait of Non attachment which is a concept discussed extensively in Bhagavad Gita is also studied along with Triguna.

Aims

The current study discusses these concepts and attempts to explore their relationship with personality and subjective well-being, among men with and without alcohol dependence.

Subjects and Methods

A cross-sectional survey method was adopted, with a sample of 84 men from the community without alcohol dependence, screened through alcohol use disorders identification test and 30 men diagnosed with alcohol dependence. Informed consent was obtained from all the participants.

Statistical Analysis Used

The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, and Mann-Whitney U-test.

Results

Men without alcohol dependence scored significantly higher on variables such as Sattva, extraversion and conscientiousness, positive affect, and life satisfaction, than men in the clinical group. Men who were diagnosed with alcohol dependence, scored significantly higher on Tamas, neuroticism, and negative affect.

Conclusions

This novel understanding of the personality structure of patients with alcohol dependence from the Triguna perspective may be helpful in the development of indigenous psychological interventions for alcohol dependence.

Temperaments and orthorexia nervosa: a cross-cultural study between Germany and Lebanon

The aim of this study was to explore the association between affective temperaments and orthorexic eating and whether temperament may explain cross-cultural differences in this behavior while considering the two dimensions of orthorexic eating, healthy (HeOr) and nervosa (OrNe). To accomplish this, 337 and 389 individuals were recruited in Lebanon and Germany, respectively. The brief version of the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego explored depressive, hyperthymic, cyclothymic, anxious and irritable temperaments, and the Teruel Orthorexia scale explored orthorexic eating. HeOr appeared comparable between countries but OrNe was higher in Lebanon. In terms of affective temperaments, the higher the depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious temperaments, the higher were the levels of OrNe. Only the hyperthymic temperament scale was positively associated with HeOr. Three-step regression analysis indicated only gender as a unique predictor for HeOr. By contrast, gender, depressive, hyperthymic, and anxious temperament as well as the two-way interactions country*depressive temperament and country*hyperthymic temperament were significant predictors of OrNe. The positive association between OrNe and depressive temperament was only found for the German sample while the negative association between hyperthymic temperament and OrNe was somewhat stronger in the Lebanese sample. Overall, a higher healthy interest in diet was linked to the hyperthymic temperament. Findings emphasized the role of temperaments in pathological orthorexic eating in general as well as in explaining cross-cultural differences in these behaviors. The assessment of temperaments could help to fit treatments for eating pathologies to individuals from different cultures, focusing interventions more on these aspects.

Factor structure of ten psychoactive substance addictions and behavioural addictions

Over the past two decades, many problematic/excessive behaviours have increasingly been conceptualized as addictions due to their similarity with more traditional psychoactive substance addictions. The primary aim of the present study was to simultaneously examine the factor structure of three psychoactive substance addictions (alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and substance use) and seven behavioural addictions (sex, social media use, shopping, exercise, online gambling, internet gaming, and internet use), using exploratory factor analysis (EFA; N = 481) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; N = 487). A total of 968 participants completed an online survey including ten psychometric scales assessing the ten different potentially addictive behaviours. EFA supported a two-factor solution, with different factors for the psychoactive substance and behavioural addictions (excluding exercise addiction). CFA supported the two-factor model in a separate sample. There was good support for the concurrent and discriminant validities of the CFA latent factors and the reliability of the behavioural latent factor in the two-factor CFA model. While there was support for the concurrent and discriminant validities of the psychoactive substance latent factor, there was insufficient support for its reliability. The taxonomic, theoretical, and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

Big Five Personality Traits, Social Networks, and Depression Among Older Adults in Japan: A Multiple Mediation Analysis

This study examines the mediating effect of social network size on depression among older adults in Japan in association with the Big Five personality traits: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness. Cross-sectional data were obtained from 739 older adults (Mean age = 75.13, SD = 6.86) residing in Tokyo. Multiple mediation analyses estimated total, indirect, and direct effects between personality and depression. Extraversion was associated with the number of kin and friend networks and agreeableness with the number of kin networks. Moreover, these social networks partially mediated the effects of extraversion and agreeableness on depression. The findings show that personality traits such as extraversion and agreeableness are associated with social network size, which contributes to better mental health in old age.

Moderation of the Dimensions of Innovativeness in the Usability of Services Based on Intelligent Personal Assistants

The technology acceptance model (TAM) and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) originating from the theory of diffusion of Innovation seek to understand the use and adoption of technological products, however none of them is focused on understanding behavioral aspects and personal traits of the consumer innovativeness. Research studies that investigate the effect of domain-specific innovativeness (DSI) and innate innovativeness (II) on the perception of usability from innovative behavior (IB) with services such as intelligent personal assistants (IPA) that is get activated based on voice commands are scarce. Also, the extent to which DSI and II have affected consumer’s perception of usability services across different genders has been largely unexplored. Against this backdrop, this study investigated the effect of DSI and II on consumer perception of usability services and how such perceptions differ across consumers genders. The data for the study were gathered via a survey conducted among 101 users of IPA across smartphones from Brazil. It is concluded that there is moderation of DSI in relation to perceived usability and this moderation is significant in males. When II is low there is moderation in perceived usability, however, DSI and II together do not moderate the perceived usability.

Understanding the (lack of) utilization of work-family practices: a multilevel perspective

Purpose

Many employees do not use work-family practices to their full extent, even when they are in need of them. Drawing on the concept of psychological safety the authors propose a new construct: psychological accessibility– employees' sense of embracing the benefits of work-family practices without experiencing a fear of using them. The authors argue that the psychological accessibility of work-family practices could explain the variations in the utilization of work-family practices among employees with similar levels of family needs. Furthermore, the authors propose multilevel contextual factors that could affect the psychological accessibility of work-family practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors develop a theoretical multilevel framework for work-family practices that places psychological accessibility at its core and addresses accessibility of work-family practices from a macro level that includes institutions and the different attributes of the national culture, a meso level that includes work time norms in organizations, and a micro level, that includes the social context at the team level in organizations.

Findings

As part of the conceptual development the authors offer 10 propositions.

Originality/value

The authors' multilevel model of psychological accessibility could explain the variations in the utilization of work-family practices across different national, organizational and group contexts. This paper refocuses scholarly attention to the psychological antecedents of the utilization of work-family practices. The authors offer some practical recommendations to make the utilization of work-family practices a psychologically safe activity.

Value Orientations and Institutional Trust as Contributors to the Adoption of Online Services in Youth: A Cross-Country Comparison

Internet usage data from around the globe show that adolescents are the most frequent Internet users, but mostly for leisure activities and maintaining social contacts. In the present study, we focused on Internet use for e-services, which could improve youth efficiency in the financial domain (responsible consumer behaviour) and bridge the online divide in youth. Specifically, we explored how societal constructs (namely, institutional trust and personal values) influence the use of the Internet for online shopping, e-banking and communication with providers of goods and services online. We used a representative sample of adolescents (N = 10.902) from 10 countries of Southeast Europe where a great variability in Internet use is present, and where the use of e-services is generally lower than the EU average. This also allowed for meaningful cross-country comparisons. We tested a structural equation model of values predicting the use of the Internet through institutional trust (including some relevant demographic variables such as settlement size, SES and Internet use frequency) which was grounded in social capital theory, cultural theory and Schwartz human values model. The model exhibited a good fit to the data but the strengths of regressional paths were rather modest. Looking into the cross-country stability of the model, however, revealed some notable differences: while the relationship between trust and use of the Internet for e-services was modest in some countries, the relationship was insignificant in other countries, where Internet usage is lower in general. This suggests that strategies aimed at leveraging e-services and digital technology potential in youth should also account for cultural specificities in the transitional economies and cultural settings with sub-optimal adoption of digital services.

Cultural Bereavement and Mental Distress: Examination of the Cultural Bereavement Framework through the Case of Ethiopian Refugees Living in South Korea

In South Korea, a mono-ethnic nation, refugees and asylum seekers from culturally distant countries are exposed to cultural bereavement, cultural identity shock, and cultural inconsistency for themselves and their children. Along with biological, psychological, and social factors, this phenomenon is hypothesized as playing a major role in an increased rate of distress among refugees. This study explored the experiences of 11 Ethiopian refugees living in South Korea, and their relevance to cultural bereavement while affirming and suggesting an update for the cultural bereavement framework. The analysis showed the refugees experiencing a slight continuation of dwelling in the past; a sense of guilt due to the fading of one’s culture; different types of anger; and anxiety with relation to the cultural identity of themselves and of their young children. Strong religious beliefs, a continuation of religious practice, informal gatherings within the Ethiopian diaspora, and organized community activities provided an antidote for cultural bereavement. The implication of the result hopes to assist and direct practitioners to identify complex manifestations of mental distress that often get wrongfully labeled as to their causation as well as methods and sources of diagnosis. Any update on the cultural bereavement framework also needs to consult the setting and peculiar circumstances of the displaced people in question.

Positive psychology interventions in the United Arab Emirates: boosting wellbeing - and changing culture?

As the science of wellbeing has grown, universities have adopted the challenge of prioritizing the wellbeing of students. Positive psychology interventions (PPIs), activities designed to increase the frequency of positive emotions and experiences, which help to facilitate the use of actions and thoughts that lead to human flourishing, are being increasingly used worldwide. Known to boost wellbeing and a number of other variables, it nonetheless remains unknown whether their use can influence other variables in non-Western cultures. In this study, we determined the impact of PPIs on a variety of wellbeing outcomes. The 6-week PPI program was conducted in the United Arab Emirates on Emirati university students (n = 120) who reported more positive emotion and overall balance of feelings that favored positivity over time relative to a control group. Yet, there was no effect found on negative emotions, life satisfaction, perceived stress, fear of happiness, locus of control, or somatic symptoms, and no effect on levels of collectivism or individualism. Our findings nonetheless support the use of PPIs in higher education as they show an increase in the experience of positive emotion, with this in itself bringing positive life outcomes, and no negative impact on culture. Our findings serve to build a foundation for understanding for whom PPIs work best - and least - around the world.

Prevalence of mental health problems in women in polygamous versus monogamous marriages: a systematic review and meta-analysis

While some studies suggest different mental health outcomes among women in polygamous versus monogamous marriages, no published systematic review or meta-analysis has analyzed the relevant research literature. This article aims to review the evidence of marriage types (i.e., polygamous and monogamous marriages) and differences in the prevalence of mental health issues. Eleven electronic databases, along with further identified references lists, were searched. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. They included 3166 participants, and 986 women were in a polygamous marriage. All studies were rated for quality and were tested for publication bias. Meta-analyses were conducted on the five symptoms to assess for the effect of marriage type. The studies indicate a significant association of marriage type with psychological symptoms. The meta-analysis indicates that women in polygamous marriage had worsened mental health as compared with women in monogamous marriages. The weighted mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were somatization 0.53, 0.44-0.63; obsession-compulsion 0.35, 0.14-0.56; interpersonal sensitivity 0.42, 0.12-0.73; depression 0.41, 0.15-0.67; anxiety 0.41, 0.15-0.68; hostility = 0.47, 0.28-0.66; phobic anxiety 0.39, 0.17-0.61; paranoid ideation 0.35, 0.24-0.47; psychoticism 0.41, 0.23, 0.59; and Global Severity Index (GSI) 0.43, 0.25-0.60. A higher self-esteem and life satisfaction among women in polygamous marriages and statistically superior family functioning among women in monogamous marriages were also found. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the marital satisfaction of women in polygamous versus monogamous marriages. Results are consistent with the existing research on the prevalence of mental health issues among women in polygamous marriages. Nonetheless, these women were found to have elevated self-esteem and life satisfaction than women in monogamous marriages. Directions for future research are indicated.

The Associations Between Sensory Processing Sensitivity and the Big Five Personality Traits in a Japanese Sample

Abstract. Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a temperament trait characterized by deeper processing of sensory information, being easily overstimulated, stronger emotional reactivity, and more awareness of subtle stimuli. Many studies on Western samples have associated SPS and/or its three components (i.e., low sensory threshold [LST], ease of excitation [EOE], and aesthetic sensitivity [AES]) with the Big Five personality traits, but cultural factors may influence these relationships. This study surveyed a Japanese sample ( N = 1,626) to investigate the associations. Bivariate correlation analyses found that AES had a negatively weak correlation with neuroticism, while it was positively correlated with openness (strongly), extraversion, agreeableness (moderately), and conscientiousness (weakly). LST and EOE had strong positive correlations with neuroticism and moderate negative or weak correlations with the other four traits. The canonical correlation analysis revealed commonality between the constructs of about 55%. While some results were consistent with those of the former studies, others were not. The results contrary to studies on Western samples might be explained by the differences between collectivist and individualist cultures, biological differences, and/or measurement weaknesses.

Ethically questionable negotiation tactics: the differential roles of national, societal and individual cultural values

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to refine theory of negotiation by empirically investigating the extent to which national-, societal- and individual-level cultures relate to negotiators' tendency to endorse questionable negotiation tactics.

Design/methodology/approach

To assess the hypothesized relationships between culture and ethically questionable negotiation tactics at three cultural levels of analysis, the authors collected data from Turks who reside in Turkey and in Germany and from Greeks who reside in Greece and in Cyprus. Respondents' national-level cultural values were inferred from their nationality, respondents' societal-level cultural values were inferred from their country of residency, and respondents' individual-level cultural values were inferred from their discrete and unique individuality.

Findings

At the national level, the authors found that Turks in Turkey and Germany scored significantly higher than Greeks in Greece and Cyprus on the endorsement of pretending negotiation tactics. At the societal level, the authors found that Turkish negotiators in Germany displayed higher levels of lying negotiation tactics and lower levels of pretending negotiation tactics than Turkish negotiators in Turkey. Greek negotiators in Greece endorsed deceiving and lying tactics more than Greek negotiators in Cyprus. At the individual level, the authors found that negotiators who score high on vertical individualism and collectivism endorse questionable negotiation tactics significantly more than negotiators who score high on horizontal individualism and collectivism.

Originality/value

The authors empirically demonstrate how national-, societal- and individual-level cultures differentially influence negotiators' tendency to endorse questionable negotiation tactics. The study's trilevel analysis allows for integrating the societal-level theories of negotiators' acculturation and cultural adjustment to a host culture, highlighting the importance of bicultural identity.

Internet Survey of Awareness and Behavior Related to HPV Vaccination in Japan

Recommendations for HPV vaccines were suspended in 2013 due to unfounded safety fears in Japan. We aimed to clarify the differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated females in their awareness, knowledge, and behaviors toward cervical cancer, HPV vaccination and sex. Questionnaires were administered online to women aged 16 to 20. We conducted investigations for the following: awareness, knowledge, and actions for cervical cancer, HPV vaccination, and sexual activity, as well as items related to participants’ social background. The survey in 828 girls revealed three points. The first is that more than half of the surveyed Japanese girls had poor knowledge about cervical cancer screening, HPV, or HPV vaccines. The second is that those in the unvaccinated group had a particularly poor knowledge of the subject and tended to have higher sexual activity. The final is that only 0.5% of the girls experienced changes in awareness about sexual activity after vaccination. In conclusion, this is the first large-scale survey analyzing the association between HPV vaccination and sexual activity in Japanese girls. Not only do unvaccinated girls not benefit from vaccines, but they also tend to engage in high-risk sexual behavior, and thus it is even more important to provide information on the effectiveness of vaccines and the usefulness of cancer screening.

Culture and the Behavioral Manifestations of Traits: An Application of the Act Frequency Approach

The behavioral manifestations of Big Five traits were compared across cultures using the Act Frequency Approach. American (n = 176) and Filipino (n = 195) students completed a Big Five measure and act frequency ratings for behaviors performed during the past month. Acts for specific traits cohered to an equivalent degree across cultures. In both cultures, the structure of act composites resembled the Big Five and the strength of trait-behavior relationships was very similar. Many acts were multidimensional and analyses revealed cultural commonalities and differences in the relevance and prevalence of acts for the Big Five traits. The results were more consistent with trait than cultural psychology perspectives, because traits predicted behavior equally well, on average, in the two cultures.

Influence of personality traits on aberrant driving behaviors: A comparison of Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese drivers

INTRODUCTION

This study aims to explore the influence of Big Five personality traits in combination with various socio-demographic factors and experiences of accident involvement on aberrant driving behaviors. The study also compares the effects of the level of development (i.e., developed or developing) of three countries on the personality traits and driving behaviors.

METHOD

The four-factor Driver Behavior Questionnaire was used to collect data on aberrant driving behaviors, while a short version of the 10-item Big Five Inventory was used to collect data on personality traits. Responses were collected from Japan (1,250 responses), China (1,250), and Vietnam (1,000). A latent variable model was applied after controlling data in each category (e.g., age).

RESULTS

This study revealed that respondents who experienced accidents in the past and scored higher on Agreeableness were less likely to commit aggressive violations in Japan, China, and Vietnam. Further, Japanese and Vietnamese female drivers who scored high on Conscientiousness were found to be less likely to commit ordinary violations. Neuroticism was positively correlated with aggressive violations only in the case of Vietnamese drivers, irrespective of the history of accident involvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Drivers with particular personality types that are linked with aberrant driving behavior may need to receive additional training on behavior management. Practical Applications: This study may help road traffic policymakers predict future driving behaviors of Vietnamese and Chinese drivers based on those of Chinese and Japanese drivers, respectively, and act accordingly.

The Enactment of Knowledge Sharing: The Roles of Psychological Availability and Team Psychological Safety Climate

Scholars have made great efforts to investigate the antecedents of knowledge sharing. In the current study, we applied the proactive motivation model (Parker et al., 2010) to propose a theoretical model to advance this research line and examined the relationship between coaching and knowledge sharing. A total of 197 subordinates embedded in 32 teams from a logistics company completed the survey questionnaire. Our results show that leaders' coaching behavior is positively related to employees' knowledge sharing behavior through increased psychological availability. Furthermore, our results show that the team psychological safety climate can strengthen the effect of psychological availability on employees' knowledge sharing behavior, as well as the indirect effect of leaders' coaching behavior on employees' knowledge sharing via psychological availability (i.e., a moderated mediation effect).

The Dark Side of Emotion Recognition - Evidence From Cross-Cultural Research in Germany and China

Background

The dark triad of personality (DT) comprises three antisocial personality traits (i.e., narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) that are characterized by callousness and the motive to elevate the self while derogating other people. Previous research indicates that the positive relationship between the DT traits and interpersonally deviant behaviors is especially pronounced at high levels of emotional abilities. This has also been referred to as dark Emotional Intelligence (EI). Since prior studies predominantly examined dark EI via trait-approach, the present study targeted at providing evidence for dark EI using a behavioral measure of EI, namely emotion recognition performance. In order to study the robustness and cross-cultural validity of findings, parallel investigations were conducted in Germany and China.

Methods

A total of N = 198 German (age: M = 23.40, SD = 5.88, 130 female) and N = 223 Chinese (age: M = 19.01, SD = 1.06, 105 female) participants took part in an online survey and completed a set of questionnaires in German and Mandarin translations, respectively. DT traits were assessed by means of the Short Dark Triad Scale. As a behavioral measure of emotional abilities, participants completed the Eyes Test for pairs of eyes of Caucasian and Asian models. Moreover, participants filled in the Emotional Manipulation Scale for the assessment of emotionally manipulative tactics.

Results

Effects were highly gender- and culture-dependent. Among German females, Machiavellianism and narcissism showed the strongest positive associations with emotionally manipulative tactics at high levels of emotion recognition performance. A similar pattern of results was found among German males for psychopathy. None of the effects was observed in the Chinese female or male samples.

Discussion

The present findings indicate that emotional abilities may constitute risk factors with the potential to promote rather than to prevent deviant behaviors especially in samples from Western cultures with pronounced scores on DT personality traits. Limitations and psychometric properties are discussed.

Implications of Individualist Bias in Social Identity Theory for Cross-Cultural Organizational Psychology

Social Identity Theory ( SIT) as used in cross-cultural organizational psychology (CCOP) shows individualistic biases by envisioning an autonomous person whose culture supports temporary, largely independent, and readily interchangeable relationships with multiple categorical groups, organizations, and other collectives. We seek to reduce these biases in CCOP by drawing from recent social psychological analyses, notably Motivated Identity Construction Theory, that have refined identity theory’s original principles. To make a broad range of organizational applications, we rely heavily on our cross-cultural psychology audience’s familiarity with basic SIT topics and controversies by discussing them quite briefly. We apply such refinements to theories about correlates of organizational identification (OI) measures, interpretive OI theorizing, and an intrapersonal network approach to OI. We conclude by extending these refinements to other constructs linking individuals to organizations: organizational commitment, attachments to organization groups and components, and roles and norms.