Italian laypeople's assumptions about human nature compared with ten personality theories.
Hochwälder's (2000) methodology was applied to 270 Italian participants, differing in age and profession, to gather information about the participants' position on nine fundamental dimensions of human nature in relation to some demographic aspects and in comparison with 10 personality theories. The Italian sample stressed the importance of environment and the Unknowability and Changeability of human nature. A holistic, subjective, and heterostatic perspective was also assumed. The influences of age and sex were small, although differences were found among the professional groups. As in Hochwälder's study, the theoretical position of the average respondent was most similar to Allport's position and most dissimilar to Skinner's position. Differences were found between Hochwälder's Swedish sample and the subsample of Italian high school students. Results are discussed within a cross-cultural framework. The completeness of these nine dimensions is also discussed and other possible dimensions are proposed.
Forzi
Mario
M
University of Trieste, Italy. forzi@univ.trieste.it
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude / Q000208:ethnology*; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D011582:Psychological Theory