The manifestation of traits in everyday behavior and affect: A five-culture study

Consistent with trait theory and the density distributions approach (Fleeson, 2001), the Big Five traits predicted personality and affect states across 20 days in five cultures. Perceived autonomy in everyday situations did not moderate the strength of the trait-state relationships, but individuals manifested the positive pole of the Big Five traits more in situations in which they perceived greater autonomy. Consistent with the dynamic mediation model (Wilt, Noftle, Fleeson, & Spain, 2012), the relationships between trait extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience and positive affect states were generally fully mediated by the associated personality states. Cultural differences in the strength of the trait-state relationships were limited and were not accounted for by cultural differences in individualism-collectivism, dialecticism, or tightness. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.