The Manifestation of Extraversion and Dominance: Evidence of Three Different Russian Cultures (Tuvans, Komi, Russians)

In this study we explore the phenomenon of dominance and extraversion in three contrasting cultures: Russians, Komi and Tuvans. The main purpose of the study was to identify how individuals from three different socio-cultural backgrounds manifest extraversion and social dominance. The total sample included 342 people aged 18 to 45 years: Russians (70 men and 64 women, 19 ± 1.3 years), Komi-Zyryans (85 women and 54 men, 33 ± 7.1 year) and Tuvans (32 men and 47 women, 27 ± 4.5 years). All the study participants filled out a form where they were asked to assess how accurately each of the presented personality traits characterizes them. If necessary, filling out the forms was accompanied by a translation into the respondent's native language. Further, we carried out a factorization of the empirical material obtained, which allowed us to identify two factors - two generalized personality qualities: extraversion-introversion and dominance. In addition, we collected information about age, body mass index and hand grip strength from each participant. The results of the study revealed the following. The level of extroversion does not differ in all three cultures, and does not depend on ethnicity. However, in each of the cultures, men were more extroverted, not women. The level of extraversion is significantly determined by the individual biological parameters such as: age and physical development (handgrip strength). In all three populations, young men were more active and more extroverted than adults, and in all three populations, strong individuals were extroverts, and weak individuals were introverts, regardless of gender. Our results refute the well-established notion that men are more focused on social dominance than women. In each of the cultures, men and women did not differ in the level of dominance. Moreover, all three populations did not significantly differ in the level of dominance among themselves. A detailed analysis of the individual qualities that determine the level of dominance showed that the differences in the level of dominance were explained by participants’ sex and body weight. However, assuming the complex nature of the formation of dominant behaviour and the possible contribution of cultural specificity to its manifestations, we considered each population separately. It turned out that the level of dominance depends on the gender and age characteristics in Tuvans and Komi. So, among the Komi, young women demonstrate dominance in behaviour, and middle-aged women, on the contrary, behave in a subordinate way. In the sample of the Tuvans, middle-aged men behave dominantly, while young men demonstrate subordinate behaviour. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

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