The Impact of Gender Role Development on Personality in Western and Indian Cultures

As a result of the highly controversial nature versus nurture debate, psychologists have begun to question the influence of culture norms on the development of an individual’s personality. This essay discusses the impact diverse gender roles in Western culture and Indian culture have had on specific aspects of personality using the Big Five factor model, as empiral evidence supports the theory that personalities are shaped by the culture they are established within. Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development specificy time frames and particular processes throughout the lifespan that can contribute to the development of personality. During the period in which a child attends school, the presence of encouragement or discouragement can determine how competent the child feels in their abilities, and how willingly they will continue a particular behaviour. In Australia, education is encouraged for both genders, however in India, greater importance is placed upon the education of male children. Research has shown the difference in gender roles has impacted the average extraversion and openness scores on the Big Five personality test. Similar results were obtained when the gender differences in employment were compared to other cultures; however, employed Indian females exhibited higher scores of conscientiousness than Australian females. Lastly, this essay examines the differences in gender roles when approaching interpersonal relationships and how this may have contributed to variations in personality traits between the two cultures, as Indian couples who have joined in an arranged marriage appear to reflect on their own behaviour more frequently, leading to an increase in the traits of agreeableness and conscientiousness. It is evid...

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...ures. The presence of family when choosing a partner in Indian culture is much greater than in Western culture, and marriages arranged by parents are not an uncommon occurrence (Jaiswal, 2014). The sixth stage of psychosocial development begins at the age of approximately nineteen and continues until the age of forty, during which the focus shifts from the self to forming intimate relationships with others in an effort to avoid isolation (Erikson, 1977). Although arranged marriages are often opposed by those within Westernised societies, research suggests that Indian couples in arranged marriages experience higher levels of contentment than Western couples, and exhibit higher scores of agreeableness and conscientiousness on the Big Five test, further supporting the hypothesis that cultural practices and gender roles can influence personality traits (Markus, 2004).