The measurement of personality across cultures - Historical, conceptual, and methodological issues and considerations

The present article discusses historical, conceptual, and methodological is sues associated with the cross-cultural measurement of personality. It docu ments the extensive debate and discussion that has emerged from the juxtapo sition of the trait-situation, universalism-relativism, quantitative-qualit ative, and anthropology-psychology polarities in the past decade. Following a discussion of these polarities, the present article concludes that the c ontending (and contentious)positions should be replaced by collaborative di sciplinary research efforts that are open to the possibility of both cultur al variations and universals in human behavior Fundamental similarities in behavior may exist across cultural boundaries because of bio-evolutionary, natural language descriptors and similar life-activity and socialization co ntexts. Major differences may exist for the very same reasons. At this poin t in time, it is more fruitful to have inquiry guided by questions rather t han efforts to affirm positions. Neither side in the bitter debates that ha ve arisen has provided sufficient evidence to warrant their unconditional a cceptance.