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Implicit Theories and Self-Perceptions of Traitedness Across Cultures

Toward Integration of Cultural and Trait Psychology Perspectives

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

Marcia S. Katigbak

Washington State University

Alicia M. Del Prado

Washington State University

Fernando A. Ortiz

Washington State University

Khairul A. Mastor

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Yu Harumi

Washington State University

Junko Tanaka-Matsumi

Kwansei Gakuin University

José De Jesús Vargas-Flores

National Autonomous University of Mexico

Joselina Ibáñez-Reyes

National Autonomous University of Mexico

Fiona A. White

University of Sydney

Lilia G. Miramontes

Washington State University

Jose Alberto S. Reyes

De La Salle University-Manila

Helena F. Cabrera

University of Santo Tomas

From the trait perspective, traitedness, or consistency of behavior, is expected in all cultures. However, cultural psychologists argue that behavior may be more determined by traits in individualistic than collectivistic cultures. The authors investigated implicit theories and self-perceptions of traitedness in two individualistic cultures, the United States (n = 342) and Australia (n = 172), and four collectivistic cultures, Mexico (n = 400), Philippines (n = 363), Malaysia (n = 251), and Japan (n = 192). Although implicit trait beliefs were endorsed in all cultural groups, they were stronger in individualistic than collectivistic cultures. Cultural differences in self-perceptions of one’s own traitedness, as operationalized by self-monitoring, were also found, and comparisons involving the United States and most collectivistic cultures were consistent with cultural psychology perspectives. The ability of self-construals to predict implicit beliefs and self-perceptions of traitedness was also investigated. Overall, the results supported efforts to integrate trait and cultural psychology perspectives.

Key Words: implicit theories • self-monitoring • self-construals • traits • cultural psychology

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