Does multilingualism shape personality? An exploratory investigation

Aims and objectives: Personality psychologists argue that personality is the result of nature and nurture. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the latter. The present study considers the effect of multilingualism, a social factor, on personality. Methodology: A total of 651 multilinguals from around the world filled out an online questionnaire containing questions about participants’ language profile and a so-called “Big 5” questionnaire: the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire (short form). Data and analysis: Correlation analyses were run between the level of multilingualism of participants and their scores on five personality traits. A parceled structural equation model was then used to examine the influence of multilingualism on three personality subscales. Findings: The model indicated significant positive path coefficients between the level of multilingualism and Flexibility, Social Initiative and Open-mindedness. Significance: Our findings confirm and expand earlier research that showed that multilingualism/multiculturalism can be considered to be enduring environmental factors that contribute to the shaping of personality profiles.