Assessment of personality traits and aggression through projective methods: A cross-cultural comparison

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to examine the personality traits and aggression tendencies of individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds using projective methods. In this context, individuals' aggression tendencies and personality traits were assessed through the drawing techniques "Draw a Cactus" test and the "Draw a Non-Existent Animal" test. The research was conducted using the phenomenological model, a qualitative research method. Qualitative data derived from the analysis of drawings were transformed into quantitative data through frequency and percentage calculations and presented in tables. The study population consisted of individuals from various cultural backgrounds residing in Guildford, England. The sample group included 160 participants aged between 18 and 65, originating from England, Turkey, India, and Far East, collected between April and September 2024. The data collection tools employed were the Demographic Information Form, the "Draw a Cactus" test, and the "Draw a Non-Existent Animal" test. The Demographic Information Form was designed to gather participants' age, gender, and cultural background. The "Draw a Cactus" test is a projective method used to evaluate personality traits and aggression tendencies, while the "Draw a Non-Existent Animal" test is a projective tool aimed at analyzing participants' aggression tendencies and internal conflicts. These tools significantly contributed to understanding participants' inner worlds and behavioral tendencies, aligning with the research objectives. This study explored how individuals' aggression tendencies and personality traits vary within cultural contexts, revealing strong interactions between aggression, personality traits, culture, individual differences, and social norms. Participants from England and Far East (Asia) displayed higher levels of calmness compared to those from India and Turkey. Conversely, Indian and Turkish participants exhibited more outward expressions of aggression, which were less prevalent among participants from England and Far East (Asia). Indian participants demonstrated lower self-confidence rates, while English, Far East (Asian), and Turkish individuals exhibited higher self-confidence. Far East (Asian) participants also scored higher in traits of cheerfulness and optimism compared to other groups. The findings further highlighted the influence of cultural norms on familial attachment and social tendencies, emphasizing the utility of projective tests in uncovering unconscious tendencies. A statistically significant relationship was identified between cultural differences and aggression tendencies across genders. Among women, Far East (Asian) participants displayed the highest levels of aggression, while Indian participants showed the lowest. Among men, aggression tendencies were most prominent in Indian participants. The results underscore that aggression tendencies are shaped by the combined effects of cultural norms and individual characteristics. Keywords: Aggression, Personality, Culture.