Learning Spanish makes you less neurotic?
From The Telegraph of all places… who manage to dumb down scientific research to a point where it makes almost no sense then fail to provide a link to the original paper… :
A second language ‘changes personality’
By Robert Matthews (Filed: 03/07/2005)If only Basil Fawlty had learnt a little Spanish.
Psychologists have discovered that people take on the characteristics of foreign nationals when they switch into their language – and such a change in the embittered hotel owner could well have improved life for the hapless Manuel.
The personality changes, however, run deeper than a desire to gesticulate wildly when talking in Italian or to plunge into gloom when speaking Russian. According to research, using different languages alters basic characteristics traits such as extroversion and neuroticism.
Researchers at the University of Texas made the discovery while studying the personality traits of bilingual English and Spanish speakers in the United States and Mexico. They began by establishing the attributes of native speakers, using the results of personality tests on almost 170,000 people.
The results showed that English-speaking Americans are typically more conscientious, agreeable and outgoing than native Mexicans, but also less neurotic.
I always feel more extraverted and less neurotic when I’m in Spanish speaking mode, happily talking to strangers, smiling and all that. But the second bit of the article makes no sense to me. Does racial profiling via 170,000 personality tests make it OK? And how the chingada do you measure “agreeability” and “conscienciousness”? Are they including undocumented immigrants in the test, I’d feel less outgoing too if I thought I was in constant danger of being deported and the government of the county I lived in was hell bent on building a 4.5 metre wall along its border with my home country with funds left over after waging a ill-thought-out and illegal war on abstract nouns and then legalising torture round the world… And then there’s the socioeconomic aspects of the respective countries…
Meanwhile, somewhere in Torquay:
Basil Fawlty: Manuel…
[Basil thwacks him on the forehead with a spoon]
Basil Fawlty: …You’re a waste of space.
Hey G,
They are looking at THE personality test called the BIG 5, or OCEAN: Openness to new experience, conscientousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. You should google this and take a free OCEAN on yourself. Good times.
Needless to say, in looking at *socioeconomic aspects* it is clear that your wife has poisoned your mind. See if they sell herbs down there that purge you of sociological influences.
I'll track BIG 5 down and take it in English then in Spanish and compare my extraversion scores…
Last I heard there was no known cure for sociological influences…
How's Davis treating you?
Here's the link to the test for anyone interested:
http://www.latpro.com/USER/resources/ocean120frameset.php Unfortunately, no Spanish version there…
Compare and contrast your scores with mine: (I’m obsessive, compulsive, over-the-top, easy to take for a ride, and emotionally dependent among other things…)
Openness to Experience: 57
Approximately 30% of the population fall in this range.
Imaginative, open-minded and experimental. Likes to work in a changing environment that provides intellectual stimulation.
People who score in this range are likely to get bored with the same old routine and they will go out of their way to find a different way of doing something – even if it is just getting from ‘A’ to ‘B’.
Conscientiousness: 56
Approximately 30% of the population fall in this range.
Industrious, disciplined, responsible and dependable. People who score in this range are hard working and well-organised in everything they touch. They like to be punctual – if not early.
A very high scoring person might be described as obsessive and compulsive.- as being ‘over the top’,
Extraversion: 56
Outgoing, gregarious, enthusiastic, cheerful and assertive. Actively seeks excitement.
‘Life and soul of the party’.
High scorers make themselves known in a group and give the impression of being self-assured.
In extreme cases, and on the down-side, they may be very dependent on other people for approval.
Agreeableness: 59
High scorers are compassionate, good-natured and eager to co-operate. People who score in this range prefer to avoid conflict.
They are likely to be unselfish and to treat people with courtesy and respect.
Prefers a supportive, harmonious and trusting environment.
They can easily be ‘taken for a ride’ as they believe that everyone is honest, decent and trustworthy. These people are ‘nice guys’!
Natural Reactions: 35
Approximately 30% of the population fall in this range.
Low scorers are not very emotionally reactive – even when under pressure.
They are resilient, calm and able to deal with stressful situations.
People who score in this range rarely experiences negative emotions.
They work well under pressure.