National Character Does Not Reflect Mean Personality Trait Levels in 49 Cultures

TLDR

People commonly hold beliefs about the typical personality traits of their own and other cultures, which may be generalizations, stereotypes with some truth, or inaccurate. The study collected national character ratings from 3,989 participants across 49 cultures and compared them to average personality scores derived from observer ratings and self‑reports. National character ratings were reliable yet did not align with assessed personality traits, indicating that such perceptions are unfounded stereotypes that may help maintain national identity.

Abstract

Most people hold beliefs about personality characteristics typical of members of their own and others' cultures. These perceptions of national character may be generalizations from personal experience, stereotypes with a "kernel of truth," or inaccurate stereotypes. We obtained national character ratings of 3989 people from 49 cultures and compared them with the average personality scores of culture members assessed by observer ratings and self-reports. National character ratings were reliable but did not converge with assessed traits. Perceptions of national character thus appear to be unfounded stereotypes that may serve the function of maintaining a national identity.