What changes when we attempt to measure personality outside of the contexts where the instruments were developed and validated? In episode 57, we’re joined by Karen Macours from the Paris School of Economics about her research into practical issues with using a popular Big Five personality measures outside of western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic settings. Her article, “Challenges to capture the big five personality traits in non-WEIRD populations”, was published with multiple co-authors on July 10, 2019 in the open-access journal Science Advances.

Websites and other resources

• • Karen’s website
  • Measuring Skills in Developing Countries (2018 paper with Rachid Laajaj) (PDF)
  • List of news stories mis-representing Karen and her colleagues’ study as “The Famous Big 5 Personality Test Might Not Reveal The True You”
  • World Bank’s STEP website
  • Free online version of the 15-item Big Five Inventory
  • Information about the Big Five Inventory at its author’s website
  • “Why the Myers-Briggs test is totally meaningless” (Vox)

Press and Media

Discover Magazine | Oregon Public Radio | Medical Xpress

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