The Relationship Between Personality and Cultural Values Among Workers in Global Virtual Teams

Abstract

The question of whether culture is “personality writ large” (Benedict, 1935: vii) has long intrigued scholars. With data from 57 nations, we investigated associations between individuals’ personality traits and their national cultural values. Using the Five Factor Model of Personality (i.e., openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism) to understand personality and Hofstedian Cultural Dimensions (i.e., power distance, individualism/ collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, gender egalitarianism, assertiveness, teamwork preferences, and long-term orientation) to understand cultural values, we conducted multilevel analysis that accounts for individual personality and cultural value differences both within and between nations. The results showed individual and collective personality are associated with national culture at weak and largely non-significant levels. We also show within-country variance is greater than between-country variance. This research holds implications for individuals working with others from different national backgrounds and highlights the problem of assuming workers from the same national culture share cultural values or personalities.