Chapter 22: Semantic and Linguistic Aspects of Personality

Semantic and Linguistic Aspects of Personality comprehensively explores the semantic and linguistic foundations of personality psychology, asserting that the scientific study of personality is fundamentally built upon distinctions embedded within natural language lexicons. It addresses the central difficulty in defining personality, noting that scientists often provide broad, inclusive definitions while employing operationalizations that capture only a segment of that range. Personality can be conceived either as a measurable set of observable attributes (like traits or characteristics) or as the underlying system (mechanisms) that generates those attributes. Viewing personality as attributes requires that they possess atemporality—relative stability across time—distinguishing them from transitory states, processes, or actions, which often serve as situation descriptors. The discussion highlights the crucial role of variable selection by reviewing twelve disputed categories of person-descriptors (including physical attributes, social status, psychopathology, temporary states, and abilities) that often challenge narrow definitions of personality. The choice between narrow and inclusive variable selection strategies significantly impacts the resulting dimensional structure, particularly in lexical studies which rely on the premise that importance is reflected by representation in language. While the widely influential Big Five factor structure (Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Intellect/Openness) has consistent support in Germanic and Slavic languages, its appearance is contingent on a relatively narrow selection of variables. In contrast, the Big One (Evaluation) and Big Two (Dynamism and Social Propriety/Morality, reflecting "getting ahead" and "getting along") appear ubiquitous and relatively impervious to variable selection effects. Inclusive selection strategies often reveal a robust Big Six structure (including Honesty/Humility) or even Seven Factors, which commonly includes a highly evaluative dimension like Negative Valence (Noxious Violativeness). Finally, the chapter connects the personality-as-system approach to psychological anthropology, using the distributive model of culture. In this view, personality is conceptualized as the individual's idioverse or mindset—the total complex organization of cognitions, beliefs, values, and expectations—which constitutes culture at the individual level. Integrating the attribute (external, reputation-based) and system (internal, mechanism-based) perspectives is necessary for a complete understanding of personality.