Regional Differences and Similarities in the Personality of New Zealanders

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Regional Differences and Similarities in the Personality of New Zealanders L M. Greaves, L J. Cowie, G Fraser et al Regional Differences and Similarities in the Personality of New Zealanders Lara M. Greaves, Lucy J. Cowie, Gloria Fraser, Emerald Muriwai, Yanshu Huang, Petar Milojev, Danny Osborne, Chris G. Sibley University of Auckland, Auckland Marco Zdrenka University of Canterbury, Christchurch Joseph Bulbulia, Marc S. Wilson, James H. Liu, Andrew Clouston Victoria University, Wellington The current study contributes to an emerging literature on regional differences corpus of information documenting such in personality. We analyse data from a national probability sample of New differences, empirical research in the Zealanders (N = 6,518) to examine differences and similarities in mean levels area is lacking. of Big-Six personality (Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, In the current paper, we aim to Neuroticism, Openness to Experience, and Honesty-Humility) across 63 document the differences (or the geographical General Electorate Districts in New Zealand. Of these six core lack thereof) in personality across aspects of personality, only Honesty-Humility and Openness to Experience different regions of New Zealand. To varied significantly across regions. Those from large cities (i.e., Auckland, do so, we draw upon data from the first Wellington, and Christchurch) were higher in Openness to Experience, wave of New Zealand’s own national whereas those from Palmerston North, and many regions of the South Island longitudinal study, the New Zealand were higher in Honesty-Humility, relative to those living in other regions of Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS). In New Zealand. However, regional differences explained only a trivial amount terms of regions, we focus on differences of variance in the two traits. This research speaks directly to anecdotes about between people living in the 63 General regional differences across New Zealand, and shows that, for the most part, Electoral Districts (GEDs) using the the strong regional similarities far outweigh alleged regional personality 2007 electoral boundaries. These area differences across the nation. units provide a reasonably detailed level of differentiation between the regions of New Zealand and are also fundamentally important to the outcomes of elections Keywords: Personality, Geography, Regional Differences, Big-Six, Mini-IPIP6 in our nation. We are unaware of any studies in New Zealand that have empirically Any collocation of persons, no citizens from some nations tend to tested whether there are regional matter how numerous, how scant, differ from those in other nations in differences in the personality of New how even their homogeneity, terms of core personality traits, have Zealanders. Nevertheless, examining how firmly they profess common been comprehensively explored (e.g., potential regional differences in doctrine, will presently reveal Terracciano et al., 2005). By and personality is an important area of themselves to consist of smaller large, this literature demonstrates that research for a number of reasons. groups espousing variant versions personality differences across nations First, empirical data can help refute of the common creed; and these tend to be fairly trivial (Terracciano laypeople’s erroneous beliefs about the sub-groups will manifest sub- et al., 2005). As such, the stereotypes existence (and/or magnitude) of regional sub-groups, and so to the final ascribed to different nationalities tend differences in personality. Second, limit of the single individual, to be greatly exaggerated. Nevertheless, research on aggregate personality scores and even in this single person stereotypes about the personalities of across regions provides important conflicting tendencies will people from different regions within a baseline information that can be linked express themselves. country still exist. To offer a few examples to future research on regional diversity, differences in voting patterns across from New Zealand, anecdotal evidence would suggest that New Zealanders electorates, regional differences in health —Jack Vance, The Languages of tend to talk about North Islanders and and wellbeing, and possible differences Pao (1958) South Islanders, Aucklanders versus in migration patterns. Research on everyone else; and within Auckland, regional differences in other nations, Research on the extent to which Westies, again perhaps, versus everyone for example, has tended to focus on nations have different ‘personalities’, else. However, despite what would differences between states in the US, and or more accurately, whether the seem to be a lively and robust anecdotal has explored how state-level differences • 4 • New Zealand Journal of Psychology Vol. 44, No. 1, March 2015 New Zealand Regional Personality Differences and Similarities in personality correlate with support Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, demographics. Sibley and Pirie (2013) for the Republican versus Democratic Openness to Experience and Honesty- reported that women were significantly parties (e.g., Rentfrow, 2010; Rentfrow, Humility (see also Sibley et al., 2011, higher than men in Extraversion, Jost, Gosling, & Potter, 2009). for further details). The Mini-IPIP6 Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, has been extensively validated for use Neuroticism and Honesty-Humility. A Big-Six Model of Personality in New Zealand, and shows a reliable Men were higher in Openness to Personality is generally defined as factor structure and internal reliability Experience. With regard to age-based “relatively enduring styles of thinking, (Sibley et al., 2011), good item response (cohort) differences, results indicated feeling and acting” (McCrae & Costa, parameters and well-distributed test that Extraversion decreased over the 20- 1997, p. 509). Personality traits can information functions (Sibley, 2012), 50 year old age range, and then tended be thought of as conceptualisations well-documented and detailed norms to plateau. Agreeableness, in contrast, of recurring characteristics across for different demographic groups in remained fairly similar across different people and across cultures (McCrae & New Zealand (Sibley & Pirie, 2013), cohorts. Conscientiousness increased Costa, 1997). Contemporary personality extremely high levels of stability over the 20-50 year old age range, and research has largely focused on the Big over a one-year test re-test period then plateaued. Neuroticism decreased Five model of personality (Goldberg, (Milojev, Osborne, Greaves, Barlow, & continually across the age range, with 1981, 1990, 1999). This model identifies Sibley, 2013), and utility in predicting the most pronounced reduction among personality through the following five psychological outcomes associated middle to older age adults. Openness distinct dimensions: (a) Openness to with exposure to the Christchurch to Experience decreased in a relatively Experience, (b) Conscientiousness, earthquakes (Osborne & Sibley, 2013). linear fashion across the age range. (c) Extraversion, (d) Agreeableness, Finally, Honesty-Humility tended to be and (e) Neuroticism. Openness to Demographic differences in lower amongst younger cohorts, and Experience captures engagement personality in New Zealand was highest among older age groups. in task-related endeavours and Sibley and Pirie (2013) previously curiousness. Conscientiousness includes documented standard demographic The Geography of Personality diligence, organisation, and motivation differences in Big-Six personality in Inspired by questions about national to carry out tasks. Friendliness and New Zealand using Time 1 NZAVS data. stereotypes and potential differences in involvement in social activities are Their analysis focused on factors such child-rearing styles, there is a plethora reflected in Extraversion, whereas as gender, age, income, deprivation, of research on cross-national differences Agreeableness covers tolerance and ethnicity, and so forth, but did not in personality. The introduction of the ingroup cooperation. The monitoring examine broader regional differences. Big Five model has resulted in renewed of inclusionary status through insecurity Thus, while we have detailed interest in cross-national personality and anxiety is captured by Neuroticism. information on personality differences differences, with Terracciano, McCrae, Recently, a sixth dimension of across these standard demographics, and colleagues leading the research personality has been proposed, thereby very little is known about broader in this area (e.g., Hofstede & McCrae rendering the Big-Six (or HEXACO) regional differences. Sibley and Pirie 2004; McCrae, 2001; McCrae et al., model of personality (Ashton & Lee, (2013) reported standard gender and 2005; McCrae & Terracciano, 2007; 2001, 2007, 2009). This sixth trait, age differences in personality, but noted Schmitt, Allik, McCrae, & Benet- Honesty-Humility, consists of reciprocal that there were remarkably few other Martinez, 2007). Contrary to popular altruism, sincerity, and (the absence of) systematic group-based differences in opinion, similarities in mean levels of entitlement. personality. Moreover, the demographic personality traits have been found across We examine regional differences differences that were detected were neighbouring nations. For example, in mean personality using this Big-Six trivial in size, being small enough that neighbouring countries tend to be more framework that incorporates marker they were effectively meaningless in any similar in personality than those that items assessing the Big-Five
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