Title: Differences between affective profiles in temperament and character in Salvadorians: the self-fulfilling experience as a function of agentic (self-directedness) and communal (cooperativeness) values

Authors: Danilo Garcia; Bibinaz Ghiabi; Patricia Rosenberg; Ali Al Nima; Trevor Archer

Addresses: Centre for Ethics, Law and Mental Health (CELAM), University of Gothenburg, Sweden Wallinsgatan 8, SE 431 41, Mölndal, Gothenburg, Sweden; Network for Empowerment and Well-being, University of Gothenburg, Box 500, SE 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden ' Network for Empowerment and Well-being, University of Gothenburg, Box 500, SE 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden ' Network for Empowerment and Well-being, University of Gothenburg, Box 500, SE 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden ' Network for Empowerment and Well-being, University of Gothenburg, Box 500, SE 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden ' Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Box 500, SE 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden; Network for Empowerment and Well-being, University of Gothenburg, Box 500, SE 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden

Abstract: We used the affective profiles model to investigate differences in personality with respect to different combinations of positive (PA) and negative affect (NA). The positive affect and negative affect schedule was used to categorise 135 Salvadorians into four affective profiles: self-fulfilling (high PA and low NA), high affective (high PA and high NA), low affective (low PA and low NA), and self-destructive (low PA and high NA). Personality was measured using the temperament and character inventory-revised. High NA individuals reported higher levels of harm avoidance, while high PA individuals reported higher levels of persistence. Self-destructives reported lower levels of self-directedness compared to all profiles, while cooperativeness was higher only among self-fulfilling individuals. Nevertheless, also low affectives scored high in self-directedness. The discerned differences in character suggest that the self-fulfilling experience, defined as frequently experiencing positive emotions and infrequently experiencing negative emotions, is a function of agentic values in conjunction with communal values.

Keywords: affective profiles; Cloninger; psychobiological model; negative affect; positive affect; TCI; temperament; character; Salvadorians; self-direction; self-fulfilling experiences; cooperation; communal values; adolescents; young adults; El Salvador; personality differences.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2015.067592

International Journal of Happiness and Development, 2015 Vol.2 No.1, pp.22 - 37

Received: 07 Jan 2014
Accepted: 21 Mar 2014
Published online: 22 Apr 2015 *

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