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Personality and happiness: a national-level analysis
1Department of Management, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. steel@ucalgary.ca
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|September 11, 2002
Summary
National personality traits, specifically Neuroticism and Extraversion, significantly predict national subjective well-being (SWB). These traits offer greater explanatory power at the national level than previously recognized.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cross-cultural psychology
- Personality psychology
Background:
- Debate exists on whether national personality traits explain national subjective well-being (SWB).
- Many researchers consider personality traits irrelevant for national-level analyses.
- This study reviews criticisms and presents empirical evidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between national personality traits and national SWB.
- To determine if personality traits incrementally predict SWB beyond economic factors.
- To highlight the explanatory power of national personality traits.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Eysenck's 3-factor model and Costa and McCrae's 5-factor model.
- Analyzed correlations between personality traits (Neuroticism, Extraversion) and national SWB.
- Assessed the predictive value of personality traits alongside gross national product per capita.
Main Results:
- Neuroticism and Extraversion showed significant correlations with national SWB.
- Lie scale scores were also strongly associated with national SWB.
- Neuroticism and Extraversion incrementally predicted SWB, independent of GDP per capita.
Conclusions:
- National personality traits, particularly Neuroticism and Extraversion, are significant predictors of national SWB.
- Personality traits demonstrate stronger relationships at the national level compared to the individual level.
- National personality traits possess considerable, yet often overlooked, explanatory power for national SWB.
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