Effects of Culture on the Association of Neuroticism with Adverse Outcomes

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

Personality traits shape who we are - chatty or shy, conscientious or a little careless, calm and steady or prone to negative feelings. Traits also shape how people respond to us. One trait that is important for the quality of our relationships and well-being is neuroticism, the opposite of which is emotional stability. Neuroticism is defined as the tendency to react with strong and intense negative emotion to everyday experiences of threat, loss, and frustration. This trait has been linked to poor relationships and well-being. This project tests novel hypotheses about the role of culture in reducing vulnerability to negative relationship and well-being outcomes for those higher in neuroticism. The hypotheses are tested using various methods including daily experience, behavioral observation, and physiological stress reactivity within experimental and longitudinal research designs. The results of this project will innovatively inform how culture and processes linked to culture (such as social support) can enhance relationship quality and well-being. The responses of others play an important role in the association of neuroticism with poor relationship quality and well-being. Recent studies by the researcher, Belinda Campos of the University of California Irvine, indicate that the poor outcomes typically associated with neuroticism are reduced in Latinas, a group whose culture distinctively emphasizes four characteristics in relationships: interdependence, physical proximity, social support, and positive emotion. This project examines the influence of culture on the association of neuroticism with adverse outcomes. The proposed research tests the novel hypothesis that distinctive features of Latino culture shape social responses, including acceptance and support, that are protective for those who have high levels of neuroticism. Hypotheses will be tested by examining everyday experience and social behavior in three cultures (Latino, Asian, European) in a longitudinal study of same-culture, same-sex dyads. The influence of culture on relationship quality, well-being and physiological responses will be examined. This work innovatively investigates the complex interplay of personality, culture, and social processes. It will lead to discoveries of social processes that are protective for some people from interdependent cultures. These social and behavioral processes may be leveraged to enhance the well-being of all.