2026/08/01 by Arnaud Natal, Damien Girollet
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Cultural Differences and Values #Personality Traits and Psychology #Social Power and Status Dynamics
paper · doi:10.1080/00346764.2026.2701445
openalex created_date 2026/07/18 · crossref issued 2026/08/01 · crossref published 2026/08/01 · crossref published-online 2026/08/01 · openalex publication_date 2026/08/01 · crossref created 2026/08/01 · crossref deposited 2026/08/01 · crossref indexed 2026/08/01 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/02
Using original data from rural South India, we examine how personality traits intersect with caste and gender to shape interpersonal network characteristics in a Global South context. We analyse the relationship between four personality traits (emotional stability, plasticity, conscientiousness, and locus of control) and three network outcomes (strength of ties, caste, and gender heterophily) using econometric tools. We document four main findings. First, personality traits significantly shape tie strength, reflecting differences in how individuals balance relational dependence and social autonomy. Second, personality is associated with selective social boundary crossing, which may facilitate interaction across caste lines, while remaining constrained by gender norms. Third, personality traits shape network characteristics to a similar extent across networks, suggesting that ties remain governed by stable patterns of social interaction. Fourth, personality operates as a context-dependent resource, shaping networks primarily among individuals who are structurally able to act, particularly men and middle castes.