EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY AND ACCULTURATION IN A COMMUNITY SAMPLE FROM JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

The Five Factor Model (FFM) of personality and the NEO-PI-R are regarded as the gold standard in personality assessment against which all other tests are compared. The universality of both the model and the test is accepted but evidence from African and Asian contexts is less conclusive. Recently it has been argued that acculturation may be amongst the most important factors influencing responses on personality scales like the NEO-PI-R, thereby influencing replicability of the FFM. Thus, this study explored the relationship between personality and acculturation using the NEO-PI-3 and the South African Acculturation Scale (SAAS) in a convenience sample of 272 South Africans in Johannesburg. Significant personality differences were found between acculturated and unacculturated individuals. With the exception of two Openness to Experience facets (Aesthetics and Values) and two Agreeableness facets (Straightforwardness and Compliance) significant agreement was found between the factor structures of acculturated and unacculturated individuals. These results are discussed within the context of the universality of the FFM and the NEO-PI-3 and the role of acculturation in this context.