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Investigating Implicit Trait Theories Across Cultures

Washington State University, church{at}mail.wsu.edu

Marcia S. Katigbak

Washington State University

Fernando A. Ortiz

Washington State University

Alicia M. Del Prado

Washington State University

José De Jesús Vargas-Flores

National Autonomous University of Mexico

Joselina Ibáñez-Reyes

National Autonomous University of Mexico

Jose Alberto S. Reyes

De La Salle University-Manila

Rogelia Pe-Pua

University of New South Wales

Helena F. Cabrera

University of Santo Tomas

Implicit trait and contextual theories encompass lay people’s beliefs about the longitudinal stability (vs. instability) of traits; the cross-situational consistency (vs. variability) of behavior; the ability to predict (vs. not predict) individuals’ behavior from their traits; the ability to infer traits from few behavioral instances (vs. the difficulty of doing so); and the importance of traits in understanding people (vs. the greater importance of contextual factors such as roles and relationships). Implicit trait and contextual beliefs were investigated in two individualistic cultures, the United States and Australia, and two collectivistic cultures, Mexico and the Philippines. Hypotheses based on an integration of trait and cultural psychology perspectives were supported. The structure of implicit beliefs replicated well, and trait beliefs predicted judgments about cross-situational consistency of behavior in all four cultures. Implicit trait beliefs were stronger, and implicit contextual beliefs weaker, in the United States as compared to Mexico and the Philippines.

Key Words: implicit theories • traits • cultural psychology

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				A. T. Church, M. S. Katigbak, A. M. Del Prado, F. A. Ortiz, K. A. Mastor, Y. Harumi, J. Tanaka-Matsumi, J. De Jesus Vargas-Flores, J. Ibanez-Reyes, F. A. White, et al. Implicit Theories and Self-Perceptions of Traitedness Across Cultures: Toward Integration of Cultural and Trait Psychology Perspectives Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, November 1, 2006; 37(6): 694 - 716. [Abstract] [PDF]