Personality Profiles and the “Russian Soul”: Literary and Scholarly Views Evaluated

Abstract

Many domestic and foreign observers have claimed that Russians have a unique constellation of personality traits that mirrors their distinctive historical and cultural experience. To examine the hypothesized uniqueness of Russian personality, members of the Russian Character and Personality Survey collected data from 39 samples in 33 administrative areas of the Russian Federation. Respondents ( N = 7,065) identified an ethnically Russian adult or college-aged man or woman whom they knew well and rated the target using the Russian observer-rating version of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. The mean personality profile of Russians was very similar to the international average based on 50 different countries, debunking the myth of a unique Russian soul.The small variations from world norms did not converge with depictions of Russian national character in fiction and the scholarly literature. New items intended to capture distinctive, emic aspects of Russian personality provided no new information beyond the familiar Big Five dimensions. Religion, ethnicity, and beliefs about the uniqueness of the Russian character and the malleability of personality traits had little effect on personality ratings. Perceptions of the Russian soul do not seem to be based on the personality traits of Russians.

Russians Inhibit the Expression of Happiness to Strangers: Testing a Display Rule Model

“…Furthermore, considerable evidence supports the supposition that Russians are unhappy, consistently ranking at the bottom relative to other countries on well-being measures (e.g., Kööts-Ausmees, Realo, & Allik, 2015; Marks, Abdallah, Simms, & Thompson, 2006). Such differences have been explained as being more than a mere response bias (Veenhoven, 2001), instead reflecting the tumultuous political history of soviet bloc countries (Allik et al, 2011), or the lower wealth, poorer climate, or lower autonomy experienced in Russia (Fischer & Boer, 2015; Fischer & Van de Vliert, 2011).…”

Personality profiles of cultures: Patterns of ethos

“…Another source of information on ethos is found in myth, folklore and poetry, the stories that are passed from generation to generation (cf. Allik et al, 2008). We seem to grasp the 6 I included my own independent ratings (which were generally in line with the others') although I am clearly not an expert on Japanese culture.…”

Russian Women Traveling: A Sociocultural Perspective

“…Part of their national character is that Russians do not live in the present, only in the past or future (Likhachev, 2000). Allik et al (2011) contrast Russian character with the materialistic Western cultures. Russians regard themselves as special, possessing a mysterious Russian soul, which has become a feature of national identity.…”

“…Historians, novelists and politicians use this Russian soul proposition in explaining Russian history. History, political regimes, geography (Europe and Asia), the Czars and the Soviet era have all formatted a distinctive Russian identity (Allik et al, 2011).…”

“…Literature and art play a strong role in the perception of Russian national culture and mentality. The idea of the Russian national character has its roots in fiction; the works of Dostoyevsky are probably the most familiar (Allik et al, 2011). Literature suggests an idea of a national life, societal values, and morality; literature even shapes the perception of people and their understating of good and bad (Goloubkov, 2013).…”