CH 3

African perspectives of personality

psychology

After completing this chapter you should be able to:

• Explain the need for African perspectives on personality
• Define attributes of personhood in an African cultural context
• Distinguish between personal and collective selfhood in the
African context
• Describe the characteristics of collective selfhood in the
African context
• Discuss the role of spirituality in attributions of personhood in
African settings
• Explain the influences of globalisation on understanding
personality in African settings.
Why an African perspective on personality?

• Ecological, ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity

• Distinct world view – differs from Eurocentric view

Picture courtesy of M. Henning

Approaches to personality psychology in the
African context
• How does culture influence and form how people understand
and express themselves?
• Many Eurocentric personality theories and measures.
? Relevant to African settings?
- emic approach
Regard cultural - qualitative research
Approaches concepts &
methods
to build & African wisdom
expand - knowledge to fit
African Focus on African culture
psychology indigenisation of - examine universality
personality of constructs
psychology - measurement issues
= Eurocentric
understanding of
personality
How might personality be understood?

Familiarity
Shared - Valid
assessment
world view
Cultural - Behavioural
script - Valid difficulties
Culture knowledge
- Values - How to
- Collective
story - Beliefs access
- Behaviours knowledge

• Behavioural expectations may differ between cultures

• Interpretive validity theory - use multiple frames of evidence
- valid characterisation of attributes
• Cultural context important - study cultural scripts objectively.
World-view influences on personhood

Cultures have specific world views - cognitive orientation

values
beliefs
interpersonal relating patterns
understanding bigger picture

Picture courtesy
of M. Henning

Define personhood indicators - intergenerational transfers through

cultural scripts
World-view influences on personhood cont.

• Individualistic and relational selves:

WORLD VIEWS

individualist collectivist

Eastern &
independence Western interdependence
African
World-view influences on personhood cont.
World-view influences on personhood cont.

• Individualist/independent world view:

- view of personality
- own unique traits, abilities, beliefs guide actions
- control of own destiny
- independently choose ultimate goals.

• Collectivist/interdependent world view:

- needs, prescriptions of social context guide actions
- social understanding of a person
- appreciate interdependence.
World-view influences on personhood cont.

• Teaching &
Acculturation learning in
• cultures other
interact daily • adopt / language
imitate
Multicultural behaviours Native-language
society illiteracy

• Personality psychology is culture bound.

• World view − framework for Africa-centred psychology.
The African personhood in context

• Personal and collective selfhood:

- interaction between modernisation and traditional ways

African world view

Collective
Personal selfhood
selfhood

Individual
Transpersonal clan
attributes &
identities
awareness

Western view of Influence personal

personality selfhood
The African personhood in context cont.

Inclusion

ancestors
future members
responsibility to family and community shared
relational forces to understand behaviour
allocated social roles
The African personhood in context cont.

Characteristics of African collectivistic selfhood

Holism
• People, nature, supernatural in balance
• Beliefs about the Creator
• Religious order in universe.
Plurality
• Social and moral functioning
• Malevolent and benevolent forces
• Open choices to align with forces.
People are beneficiaries of creation
• The Creator communicates with humankind, animals,
plants
• Ancestors play role in family and community.
Human life seen as cyclic
• Three phases of selfhood
• Spiritual, social, ancestral.
African person and collective selfhoods in a
globalising world

• Personal and collective expressions influenced

• Qualities of Ubuntu retained.
Model on the expression of personhood in transitional
culture or modern Africa
African person and collective selfhoods in a
globalising world cont.

Influences of modernity and tradition on the expression

of personhood
• Adopt and cultivate transcultural qualities
• Expanding cultural scripts
- cultural pre-scripted role functions still foundation.
Translational processes for personhood decisions and
outcomes
• Adopted external views used in specific contexts
e.g. assertive at work but respect elders at home
• Expression of personhood through: - innovations
- products
- ideas
- adaptations
- performance.
Personhood in African context
benefits to self and others and subjective
experience
Chapter summary

• African perspective on personality differs from Eurocentric view

• Regard cultural concepts to expand African psychology
• Personality understood through: - collective stories
- cultural scripts
- shared world view
- familiarity
• World views: - individualist - emphasise independency
- collectivist appreciate interdependence
• Acculturation occurs in multicultural societies
• Interaction between modernisation and traditional ways
• African personhood inclusion: from ancestors to social roles
• Characteristics of African collectivistic selfhood
• Globalisation influences personal and collective expressions
- transcultural qualities adopted and used in specific
contexts
- external views used in specific contexts.