Robert R. McCrae

Brief Biography

Robert R. McCrae was born in 1949 in the town of Maryville in the northwest corner of Missouri.

For his undergraduate education, in 1967 McCrae entered Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, where he majored in philosophy, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1971.

For graduate school, McCrae moved to Boston University, which granted him a master’s degree in personality psychology in 1974 and a PhD in the same field in 1976.

After a two-year post-doc, in 1978 McCrae was hired by the Gerontology Research Center (GRC) at the National Institute of Aging, in Baltimore, Maryland—a component part of the National Institutes of Health.

McCrae spent his entire career with the GRC, where he was appointed a full-time researcher and went on to found the Laboratory of Personality and Cognition Across the Lifespan.  He retired in 2009.

McCrae focused on the structure of personality and the application of that theoretical understanding to health, well-being, and aging, as well as to the developments of better tools for personality assessment.

More specifically, McCrae is well known for publishing—in 1985, in collaboration with Paul T. Costa, Jr.—the “NEO [Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness] Personality Inventory” (later revised as the NEO-PI-R). The basic theoretical framework underpinning the NEO-PI-R is known as the “Five-Factor Theory” of personality, also known as the “Big Five” personality traits.

Later in his career, McCrae switched his focus to the cross-cultural understanding of human personality by comparing the results of personality assessments administered to individuals in diverse societies around the world. He is known for defending the universality—and genetic basis—of the most-important personality types.

McCrae has more than 500 publications to his credit, including over 250 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He has also co-authored or co-edited around a half dozen academic books, notably, Personality in Adulthood, with Paul T. Costa, Jr. (1990; second edition, 2002).

Notable Quotes

Note: The original sources of the following quotations attributed here to Robert R. McCrae are provided where known. If no specific source is mentioned, then the attributed quotation may be assumed to derive from or (perhaps via paraphrase) be inspired by McCrae’s many academic and popular writings.

Cross-Cultural Psychology

In the past decade, cross-cultural research has become a part of mainstream psychology, for two main reasons. First, psychologists have been urged to respect human diversity and to question the assumption that American college students are an adequate sample of humanity . . . Second, cross-cultural research has become much easier than it once was.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

There is a moral as well as a scientific imperative to study people everywhere.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

No longer is it necessary for a psychologist to learn a new language and travel to a foreign country to conduct studies; email and the Internet make it possible to survey the world from the comfort of one’s own office . . .

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

In many respects, trait psychology turns out to be much the same around the world. What psychologists learned about traits from American samples actually does apply to most people.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

Throughout most of the 20th century, social scientists assumed they were the product of socialization: child-rearing practices, early life experience, and so on. Naturally, they assumed that different cultures would give rise to different kinds of personalities. . . . Our research shows that, in some important ways, this is not true . . .

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

[P]ersonality traits and their structure are somehow encoded in the human genome. Many classic theories of personality and the theories of psychotherapy they gave rise to need to be revised.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

Diversity of Personalities

The Big Five traits provide a framework for understanding the spectrum of human behavior, but within that framework, there is infinite variation and complexity.

In the tapestry of personality, each thread contributes to the richness of the whole. Embracing diversity is essential to understanding the complexity of human nature.

The beauty of personality lies in its diversity. No two individuals are exactly alike, yet each contributes something valuable to the tapestry of humanity.

Our personalities are like fingerprints, each one unique and irreplaceable. Embracing our individuality allows us to celebrate the diversity of human experience.

Individuality of Personality

Personality is like a kaleidoscope. Each of us has our own unique pattern, formed by the interplay of traits.

The beauty of personality lies not in its simplicity, but in its complexity. It’s the intricate interplay of traits that makes each individual a masterpiece.

The study of personality is a journey of discovery, a quest to unravel the mysteries of human nature and understand what makes each of us beautifully, wonderfully, and uniquely ourselves.

Malleability of Personality

Personality is not set in stone; it’s a dynamic process shaped by our interactions with the world around us.

Personality is not destiny. While our traits may predispose us to certain behaviors, we always have the capacity to change and grow.

Personality is the music of the soul, composed of countless harmonies and dissonances. It’s the symphony of our lives, constantly evolving and unfolding with each passing moment.

Personality is not only about differences between people but also about the ways in which people change over time.

McCrae on McCrae

Our paper [“Universal Features of Personality Traits from the Observer’s Perspective: Data From 50 Cultures,” with Antonio Terracciano, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2005, 88: 547–561—ed.] is widely cited presumably because it includes so large a sample of cultures, examines the best established model of personality traits, and has very striking findings.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

Our paper [see previous quote—ed.] is widely cited presumably because it includes so large a sample of cultures, examines the best-established model of personality traits, and has very striking findings.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

With my colleague, Paul Costa, I developed a measure of personality traits over 30 years ago. We conducted our initial research in American samples, but in the 1990s colleagues around the world took an interest in our findings and asked if they could translate the NEO-PI-R [Revised Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory]. At first, we had no idea whether it would be possible to do so, or whether the instrument would work in different cultures. However, we were happy to assist in the effort to find out, and over the course of a few years, data from several cultures became available.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

I was particularly interested in seeing whether our findings could be replicated across cultures, and wrote a series of papers that were essentially reanalyses of data our international colleagues had collected for their own projects. When Antonio Terracciano joined our Laboratory, he and I decided to collect new data from a broader range of nations. With the help of many talented and generous psychologists around the world (78 of them were co-authors of the 2005 paper), we launched the Personality Profiles of Cultures (PPOC) Project.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

Of course, there are always complexities (should the response scale go from 5 to 1 instead of from 1 to 5 in languages like Arabic that read from right to left?), and occasional disappointments. I recall some years ago that a project we had started in Zimbabwe had to be terminated because of the worsening political situation there . . .

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

National Stereotypes

In 2005 Antonio published a paper in Science that evaluated the accuracy of national stereotypes by comparing them to PPOC aggregate personality scores. The British, for example, are supposedly reserved, but in fact they are among the most extraverted of peoples (think of British pubs). Americans are alleged to be much more assertive than Canadians, but the data do not bear that out. National stereotypes are sometimes good for a laugh, but they can also be the source of prejudice and discrimination. This research, which was widely publicized, helped to dispel some of the myths about national character.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

[T]he finding that the structure of personality is universal ought to have an impact on how people around the world think about each other. Simplistic stereotypes cannot be right, because everywhere we find a range of personality variation . . .

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

Nature vs. Nurture

Our personalities are not only shaped by our genetics but also by the environments we inhabit. It’s the dynamic interplay between nature and nurture that forms the essence of who we are.

Understanding personality means exploring the dynamic interplay between biology, environment, and individual experiences.

Understanding personality is like untangling a complex web of nature and nurture, with each thread contributing to the unique tapestry of an individual.

Personality

Our personality is what we really are at heart, and is it something we share with all of humanity.

There is no “good” or “bad” personality. Every trait has its strengths and weaknesses, and it’s the balance between them that determines our behavior.

Personality is not just what we see on the surface. It’s also the hidden depths that shape our thoughts, feelings, and motivations.

Personality is not a fixed destination; it’s a journey of self-discovery and growth, shaped by our experiences and choices.

Personality is not something we possess; it’s something we inhabit. It’s the lens through which we perceive the world and the filter through which we interact with it.

Personality is not a set of rules to follow; it’s a canvas to paint upon, allowing for endless possibilities of expression and growth.

In the symphony of personality, each trait plays its own unique melody, blending together to create the harmonious composition of the self.

Personality is not something we possess; it’s something we inhabit. It’s the lens through which we view the world and the palette with which we paint our lives.

Personality is the poetry of the soul, written in the language of behavior and emotion, with each verse revealing a glimpse of our innermost selves.

Personality traits endure over many decades and they influence a host of important life outcomes—health behaviors, vocational interests, creativity, political views, and much, much more—so the question of how they are shaped is crucial.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

Personality Psychology

Personality psychology is not about personality, it’s about individual differences.

True understanding of personality requires empathy and open-mindedness. We must strive to see beyond our own perspectives and appreciate the uniqueness of others.

The study of personality is a journey into the mysteries of the human psyche. It’s a quest for meaning and insight that enriches both our own lives and the lives of those around us.

Understanding personality is not about categorizing people into boxes; it’s about appreciating the rich tapestry of human nature, woven with diverse threads of experience and expression.

Personality psychology aims to explain the whole person in all of his or her psychological dimensions.

Understanding personality can help us navigate the complexities of human behavior and relationships, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle.

Understanding personality requires a holistic approach, considering both stable traits and the potential for growth and change.

Personality Traits

Traits are enduring dispositions that account for consistent patterns of behavior.

Personality traits are the scaffolding of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Personality traits serve as the foundation upon which our behaviors and thoughts are built.

Personality traits are the building blocks of who we are, shaping our thoughts, actions, and relationships.

Personality traits are like the colors of the rainbow—they come in infinite shades and combinations.

Personality traits are like colors on a palette. It’s the unique blend and intensity of each trait that paints the portrait of who we are.

The Big Five traits are the building blocks of personality, but it’s the unique combination and expression of these traits that make each person truly distinct.

The Five-Factor Model offers a valuable framework for understanding human personality, but it’s important to recognize the uniqueness and complexity of each individual.

The Five-Factor Model offers a lens through which we can understand the complexity and diversity of human personality, recognizing both its stability and its capacity for change.

The Five-Factor Model provides a framework for understanding the richness and diversity of human personality, while also highlighting its universal aspects.

Five-Factor Theory is a highly simplified model of the personality system that will doubtless need to be refined as new findings emerge.

[P]ersonality traits are a fundamental characteristic of the human species.

Self-Reporting

[T]here are good reasons to be cautious about the interpretation of self-reports . . .

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

Universality of Personality

Across such diverse cultures as Portugal, Israel, and Japan, the same traits clustered together. For example, people who were sociable also tended to be cheerful and energetic and assertive, a cluster of traits that defines the factor called Extraversion. All cultures seemed to have extraverts and introverts.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

The same traits appear over and over in the most diverse cultures. Just as people all over the world have the same cardiovascular system and the same endocrine system, they also have the same personality system. It’s a part of human nature.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

[T]he ways in which people differ are always along the same lines, the universal dimensions of personality. Our personality is what we really are at heart, and it is something we share with all of humanity.

Interview, “Robert R. McCrae Talks About Personality Traits Across Diverse Cultures,” ScienceWatch.com, July, 2011.

The expression of traits is, of course, shaped by local influences, but basic human nature is everywhere much the same. Not only is this position well-supported by the data; it also, I believe, forms a better basis for international understanding than perspectives that postulate that those of different cultural backgrounds must inevitably remain alien to us.