NationStates Jolt Archive

Canadian, eh? Think again
Personality survey says we're not so different than Americans

Sheryl Ubelacker
Canadian Press

Friday, October 07, 2005

TORONTO -- Ask any Canadian to define the typical Canuck and among the descriptions proffered is sure to be: "We're not like Americans."

After all, Americans are brash, arrogant and aggressive. We Canadians, on the other hand, are polite, modest and somewhat introverted.

We're as different from our neighbours to the south as, well, beavers are from bald eagles.

Aren't we?

Not according to a study of national personalities, which found that this time-honoured perception of our oh-so-unique Canadian psyche -- and other cultures' stereotypes of themselves -- are in fact just so much hooey.

"These stereotypes are as Canadians see themselves and Americans as they see themselves," said Robert McCrae of the U.S. National Institute on Aging, a principal investigator of the study on national personalities around the world.

"Canadians think they're extremely agreeable; the Americans think they're very disagreeable," he said. "Canadians believe that they're very calm and not irritable, very even-tempered, whereas Americans think they're more anxious and hostile.

"The fact is Canadians and Americans have almost identical average personality traits."

In a measure of five main areas of personality, covering a total of 30 traits, Canadians and their U.S. cousins fell roughly in the middle. Not only that, but they weren't all that different from other cultures around the globe, researchers found.

The study, published in the latest issue of Science, collected data through personality questionnaires given to thousands of people living in 49 countries.

Over and over, stereotypes about different nationalities emerged, but all were left wanting.

"These are very interesting sociological phenomena," McCrae said. "They get made into myths and they turn up in literature and in songs and in jokes and kind of have a life of their own."

Take the Brits, for example, whose national character is typically viewed as reserved and stalwart.

"The English showed the worst agreement in the entire set between the stereotype and the measured personality," said McCrae. "The stereotype of the English is that they're very reserved, whereas as in fact English are extroverts.

"And English think that they're relatively conventional and closed, but compared to most people in the world, they're pretty open to experience."

Germany was one example in which at least part of the stereotype matched reality, he said. "Germans think that they're conscientious and industrious and they measured out as conscientious and industrious."

Argentines believe they're a nation of disagreeable folk, and that reputation is pervasive throughout Latin America. But Argentines scored as average on the agreeableness scale.

McCrae noted that one Canadian researcher, upon seeing the results, said: " `Well, the Canadians are not going to like this story, because they really want to believe that they are much nicer than Americans.'

"I think that shows that at least one of the functions that stereotypes serve is to assert a national identity. We want to distinguish ourselves from Americans, so we'll invent some kind of difference and exaggerate it, and in this case it has to do with things like agreeableness," he said of the so-called Canadian identity.

Paul Trapnell, a professor of psychology at the University of Winnipeg, agreed that claiming particular national character traits can support certain motives: differentiating a population from other cultures and building its self-esteem.

"So we'll try to see ourselves as different from Americans and the differences we'll latch onto are the differences that also serve our desire to think good about ourselves," said Trapnell, one of three Canadian researchers who contributed data to the study.

What he found interesting was how homogenous the notion of the "typical Canuck" was across the country.

"The views that persons in Vancouver have about Canadians are very similar to the views that Nova Scotians have about Canadians," Trapnell said. "So we do possess a somewhat loosely organized but shared perception of what our national character is like, even though that shared perception doesn't turn out to be a real one."

What another country does on the world stage or on home soil may also contribute to national stereotypes, suggested psychologist Delroy Paulhus of the University of British Columbia, who also took part in the study.

"Canadians confuse typical Americans with their country's foreign policy, which seems belligerent," Paulhus said by e-mail. "Or Canadians extrapolate the higher rate of crime in the U.S. to infer typical character."

Whatever the reasons, typecasting an entire people can be dangerous, the authors say, leading to prejudice, discrimination and persecution.

"Clearly it tells us that we need to be very cautious about making generalizations about groups of people, any kind of groups of people," McCrae said. "Because often those generalizations are unfounded.

"Instead, what we have to do is remind ourselves that we're dealing with individuals, and regardless of what their nationality or their age or their gender, we should look at their personality as it is in themselves."

Linkey (http://www.canada.com/national/story.html?id=02479c28-0097-402c-ada7-e35623a8121a)

So the general drift of this is that Canadians are defensive and hostile towards the notion that they aren't nicer then those crude and vulgar Americans and that they feel that they are a much better type of person then Americans because they aren't bigoted and arrogant? >.>

Makes perfect sense.

The notion that we define ourselves by what we aren't (i.e., American) is old, outdated, but very pervasive. This was the overweening tendency of my parents' generation, but this has been diminishing as we progress in the 21st century. Increasingly, we define ourselves by our own value systems.

This article seems sadly dated.

= everybody else in the world (according to the article).

So the general drift of this is that Canadians are defensive and hostile towards the notion that they aren't nicer then those crude and vulgar Americans and that they feel that they are a much better type of person then Americans because they aren't bigoted and arrogant?
This pretty much says it all, IMHO: "What another country does on the world stage or on home soil may also contribute to national stereotypes, suggested psychologist Delroy Paulhus of the University of British Columbia, who also took part in the study."

The notion that we define ourselves by what we aren't (i.e., American) is old, outdated, but very pervasive. This was the overweening tendency of my parents' generation, but this has been diminishing as we progress in the 21st century. Increasingly, we define ourselves by our own value systems.

This article seems sadly dated.


Not so much so in my opinion, mainly because of my experience with younger Canadians online. There most certainly IS a tendency towards arrogant presumption towards American's based on the notion that Canadians aren't as presumptuously arrogant as Americans. The touch of irony is why I decided to repost this here.

Perhaps you are right though, and it is more the case with the older generations.

It seems like one of those days that is full of contradictions. To say that one is better than others because they are not arrogant is in reality an arrogant thing to say.

It seems like one of those days that is full of contradictions. To say that one is better than others because they are not arrogant is in reality an arrogant thing to say.

Exactly.

"After all, Americans are brash, arrogant and aggressive. We Canadians, on the other hand, are polite, modest and somewhat introverted."

They forgot to add Canadians also suck.

Have you a link to the entire Survey?

Not so much so in my opinion, mainly because of my experience with younger Canadians online. There most certainly IS a tendency towards arrogant presumption towards American's based on the notion that Canadians aren't as presumptuously arrogant as Americans. The touch of irony is why I decided to repost this here.
I think you'll find that younger people everywhere tend to define themselves by what they aren't, though. Saying this is a tendency amongst young Canadians doesn't really hold water where I'm sitting, all innate sense of nationalism to one side.
Perhaps you are right though, and it is more the case with the older generations.
It's a bad habit, one that I myself inherited from my parents' generation, but which I've (mostly) overcome with age. If nothing else, learning to keep ones' arrogant presumption to oneself whenever possible acts as a deterrent - as it becomes an internal dialogue at that point, and tact and diplomacy can overrule ingrained prejudice.

It takes one to know one.

Ask any person if they are the same as their neighbours, and they will surely insist they are not. They are more similar to the occupants of the house down the block, which looks to ideal from a distance. No one wants to be compared to the familiar, nose picking moron in the yard next to them.

Besides, could anyone really say, "yes, it is true...your prejudices are correct... we are all the same over here"? It is human nature to want to stand out.

Examples - England & all their neighbors. Lebanon & all their neighbors. India and Pakistan.

National stereotypes AREN'T that accurate? :confused: :eek:

Was this article found between the pieces on the Pope's religious beliefs and where bears like to take their dumps?

They forgot to add Canadians also suck.
What, while we aren't nibbling or caressing? Come, come now. That last comment wasn't terribly helpful, though I suspect it was intended to be hurtful.

The funny thing is, the more Americans I get to to know, the more I'm confused by the "brash and arrogant" stereotype. Americans are just folks, to me. Most Americans I've dealt with say the same thing about Canadians.

I do agree with Dobbsworld that habit of defining Canadian as being "not American" tends to be ingrained in the older generations. I see it in the younger generations to though. Its bugs me, be cause it is such a stupid to define our national identity.

Personally, I think people are people, where ever you go. There are differences, some of them quite large, between peoples attitudes, and some of them are shaped by the culture the person grew up in, but ultimatly we're all human. Focusing on the differences doesn't help anyone.

I don't got by surveys only by my own experience. In my own experience Americans come as different as Candians. There are assholes everywhere in the world. Although I do think that you can view a nation through its foreign policy and other actions of its leaders (up to a point). I mean in George W. Bush's first election he stole the election (the most democratic society in the world was robbed of its basic notion); he lied to his people to start a war in Iraq that was merely based on a resentment against Saddam Hussein; he passed the Patiot Act which set the civil rights movement back decades; he passed tax reforms that only benefit one per cent (if that) of the nation; he doesn't give a shit about the environment ----- yet he was re-elected. Maybe Americans are not arrogant just very very very very very gullible.

On an outside issue. Does anyone know how to look at another nation's profile. I've been clicking on the nation. Then clicking on view profile. Then I get a blank screen. What's up with that????

It's the "Visit *name here*'s Homepage!" button, not the profile.

I tend to think of Canada (society-wise) as just like America except with the volume turned down a little.

Just one word for the Canadians:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433/BennyJoe81/nooowned.jpg

EDIT: Changed my mind.

Maybe Americans are not arrogant just very very very very very gullible.No points for gullibility. Don't lose sight of the fact that we handed Brian Mulroney back-to-back majorities, even after we lost huge numbers of jobs under the initial Canada-US Free Trade agreement.

We are, at times, just as gullible as our neighbours to the south.

Unfortunately.

It isn't gullibility. It is voter apathy. Half of the country didn't even vote in the 04 election for instance. Just around 30 percent.

People are people, plain and simple.

Might I suggest you read Fire and Ice: The United States, Canada and the Myth of Converging Values by Michael Adams before jumping to conclusions based on a single article? Michael Adams is the president of Environics research group, and has been polling Americans and Canadians on all sorts of subjects for the last decade.

Adams challenges the current common belief that Canadian and American values are converging. From his polling research, he has concluded that Canadians are becoming much more liberal and pluralist than Americans.

For a short synopsis of his book, see:

http://www.theglobalist.com/DBWeb/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=3501

Bah, this is tracking PERSONALITY traits, but personality traits aren't necessarily the predominant cultural force.
Culture-wise, we're a healthy mix between European and American culture because both had equal weight in the development of our culture and our value system.

I did an survey on this in October 2003. I've found that exactly 56.55% of Americans are arrogant and brash while Canadians rank in at a mediocre 52.51%. British suprisingly were at 52.1% and the French were at an astounding 93.19%, trailing still, Saudi Arabia at 93.20%. Don't believe me? Well, screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew you!

funny, i thought i made a thread about "Canadians is like Americans" :confused:

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=448500

oh well, it's pretty much a dead thread anyways.

BTW... HEY AMERICANS, I'm your long lost brother!!! :D

Linkey (http://www.canada.com/national/story.html?id=02479c28-0097-402c-ada7-e35623a8121a)

So the general drift of this is that Canadians are defensive and hostile towards the notion that they aren't nicer then those crude and vulgar Americans and that they feel that they are a much better type of person then Americans because they aren't bigoted and arrogant? >.>

Makes perfect sense.


I think it might have something to do with making grandiose generalizations or somehthng bit I think you catch my drift.

I think the truth of the matter is that citizens of Canada aren't entirely like citizens of the United States, while citizens of the United States aren't entirely like citizens of Canada. However, there are a great deal of similarities. However, given that we share a lot of media and live side-by-side, I don't see how anyone could expect otherwise.

I also believe that the idea of one group being similar to, but not entirely like the other group holds true when comparing citizens of Canada to citizens of Canada and citizens of the US to citizens of the US.

Though it seems kind of silly to me that people are always accusing Canadians of emulating the US culture, and never the other way around. Though really, I'd say it's neither, because even though Canada was recognized as a country later than the US, the two cultures still evolved side by side from about the same point in time.

the only thing differnt is that Americans are better.

the only thing differnt is that Americans are better.No no... the only thing different is that Americans are a lot violent, worst educated, arrogant, and paranoid than Canadians. :D

the only thing differnt is that Americans are better.
That's a value judgement. Can you phrase that so it's a factual judgement instead?

That's a value judgement. Can you phrase that so it's a factual judgement instead?
it IS a fact, and to the post above, none of those are true, we just have better football.

it IS a fact, and to the post above, none of those are true, we just have better terrorist alarm system.
fixed :D

it IS a fact, and to the post above, none of those are true, we just have better football.
If it's a factual judgement, as opposed to a value judgement, no doubt you have your supporting facts ready-at-hand to make your argument, then. Well? Out with them, or admit you're indulging yourself at the expense of the thread. Hah-haah!

canadians are gay :D
thats uncalled for!

If it's a factual judgement, as opposed to a value judgement, no doubt you have your supporting facts ready-at-hand to make your argument, then. Well? Out with them, or admit you're indulging yourself at the expense of the thread. Hah-haah!
why dont you gaive me facts supporting the opposite?

thats uncalled for!
<<< ---- see left :rolleyes:

ha ha

why dont you gaive me facts supporting the opposite?

Because you presented the original statement, the burden of proof lies on you.

why dont you gaive me facts supporting the opposite?
It's your assertion. The onus is not on me to refute your claim - the onus is on you to back up your assertion. Failure to do so is indicative of trolling, which will not go rewarded by further discussion from this end.

So then?

Prove it, Foghorn.

Because you presented the original statement, the burden of proof lies on you.
thats like me trying to prove the Bible! (which on this forum i might have to)
ok, Ameerica >Canada, so Americans> Canadians

thats like me trying to prove the Bible! (which on this forum i might have to) come on, its a common fact amoung the world!
That's not an argument. That's a cop-out.

I'm sure you can either do better, or simply retract your earlier statement as being baseless and/or a value judgement as opposed to a factual one.

Mmmkay?

thats like me trying to prove the Bible! (which on this forum i might have to) come on, its a common fact amoung the world!

...Er... I don't know what world you've been living in... but um... yeah. Just yeah.

And no, it's nothing like trying to prove the Bible.

Now please, enlighten us on why you think the US is undeniably better than Canada...?

Now please, enlighten us on why you think the US is undeniably better than Canada...?
!




America is stronger in soo many ways!!!

!

America is stronger in soo many ways!!!

Give specifics, and explain how this makes the US inherently better then Canada.

!




America is stronger in soo many ways!!!
Okay, no more jelly babies for the troll. I gave you your chances, instead you just wanna stir up the pot.

Good luck with that.

I'm outta here.

!




America is stronger in soo many ways!!!
like a roman empire?

more money, more military strength, more bombs, disneyland, we're fatter, im sure the Pope, and the Beetles made more trips here...

more money, more military strength, more bombs, disneyland, we're fatter, im sure the Pope, and the Beetles made more trips here...

And the more important second matter, HOW this makes the US inherently better than Canada...?

Actually, nevermind. I'm going to stop feeding the troll as well. Toodles.

!




America is stronger in soo many ways!!!
But strength does not mean better. For instance, America may have a stronger military, but because of the funding required for it, they have weaker social programs. So what you have to do is prioritize the following if you wanna figure out who is 'the best' from your prospective - military might, economic strength, civil rights, and social equality. And I'm proud to say that Canada exceeds most in 3 of those 4 terms.

Really, the only differences between the US and Canada is the money's more colorful and all the bilingual signs are in English and French instead of English and Spanish.

Really, the only differences between the US and Canada is the money's more colorful and all the bilingual signs are in English and French instead of English and Spanish.

Also, Canadians use more metal money. :D

Oh man, I was so embarrassed when I accidently paid for an American movie with a Canadian $20 bill. The poor cashier was just staring at the purple money, and was like "... I don't think we take this."

Really, the only differences between the US and Canada is the money's more colorful and all the bilingual signs are in English and French instead of English and Spanish.
That and being married to the partner of your choice, regardless of gender/gender preference. There's a few other salient differences, but why split hairs, eh?

Really, the only differences between the US and Canada is the money's more colorful and all the bilingual signs are in English and French instead of English and Spanish.
You know, people do this to Canada all the time, but heres a simple fact: you could say the same for just about any other nation when comparing cultures regionally. Just try South America - compare the cultures of Brazil and Venezuela. Yes, they're distinctive and on their own, but they're also incredibly similar. What about the British and the Scots/Irish? Or the Russian and Ukrainians? The Chinese and the Japanese? Or hell, even the Germans, French, and British. They all have close similarities in their cultures because they're influenced by a greater regional culture, which is the collective influence of all distinct societies (some more than others), and all of this is true despite the clear distinctiveness of these societies and cultures.

like a roman empire?

We're better than the Roman Empire since half of our presidents don't commit suicide or get assassinated by their mothers.

Also, Canadians use more metal money. :D

Oh man, I was so embarrassed when I accidently paid for an American movie with a Canadian $20 bill. The poor cashier was just staring at the purple money, and was like "... I don't think we take this."


I wouldn't take it either. Real Canadian $20 notes are green. The new ones have a hologram too. :)

Americans and Canadians > French

I wouldn't take it either. Real Canadian $20 notes are green. The new ones have a hologram too. :)

Oh right. It was a $10. Whoops. :D

more money
USian federal budgets: DEFICITS since 2001 (or earlier)
Canadian federal budgets: SURPLUSES since 1993 (or somewhere around that)
more military strength
Where's the military? Oh wait, they're all in Iraq.
more bombs
In a near future, the world is gonna end up telling the US to disarm after the war on "Terror", Iraq, Iran, N.Korea, China, Canada, France.........
disneyland
What about it, there's disneyland in other places in the world besides the US
we're fatter
I disagree, everybody in the world is fatter :D
and the Beetles made more trips here...
VW?

Really, the only differences between the US and Canada is the money's more colorful and all the bilingual signs are in English and French instead of English and Spanish.
There are many, many differences between Canadians and Americans based on many different ideologies.

Military, healthcare, individual freedoms, governance, death penalty, gun control, litigation, sports preferences, nationalism, etc, to name a few. These ideologies are not based on arrogance. They are based on differences that go back to the American Revolution when the US broke away from England.

Other defining moments of a difference between two nations:

War of 1812

American Civil War

American involvement in WW 1 and WW 2

The Vietnam War

And the War on Iraq.

more money, more military strength, more bombs, disneyland, we're fatter, im sure the Pope, and the Beetles made more trips here...


This man does not represent the opinions of all Americans on this forum.

No points for gullibility. Don't lose sight of the fact that we handed Brian Mulroney back-to-back majorities, even after we lost huge numbers of jobs under the initial Canada-US Free Trade agreement.

We are, at times, just as gullible as our neighbours to the south.

Unfortunately.
Ahhhhh I had blocked that evilness from my mind. Too true though. And don't even bring up Mike Harris. I'm still smarting from that one. Now I'll totally agree with Canadians being gullible if the Liberals get re-elected both Nation-wide and in Ontario. Boy do I hate that liar Dalton McIdiot...oops I mean McGuinty.

No no... the only thing different is that Americans are a lot violent, worst educated, arrogant, and paranoid than Canadians. :D
The also have bad teeth.

thats uncalled for!

but very funny

I don't know who, but somebody once said

"Canada had the opportunity to be the greatest of Western nations, with British Culture, French food, and American technology.

Instead, they have British food, American culture, and French technology."

On the other hand, the Canadians I met in Japan seemed the most reasonable and well-adjusted bunch, so I'd like to visit Canada and find out for myself one day. Just as soon as they turn up the dang heat.

I don't know who, but somebody once said

"Canada had the opportunity to be the greatest of Western nations, with British Culture, French food, and American technology.

Instead, they have British food, American culture, and French technology."

On the other hand, the Canadians I met in Japan seemed the most reasonable and well-adjusted bunch, so I'd like to visit Canada and find out for myself one day. Just as soon as they turn up the dang heat.
French technology? Where that come from?

[QUOTE=The Chinese Republics]French technology? Where that come from?[/QUOTE

Good question. I'm not even sure what the French make, or why British food would be considered bad.

Are there a lot of Peugot taxi cabs in Quebec?