Cross-Cultural Assessment of Emotional States and Personality Traits

Biographical information regarding Wilhelm Wundt and William James is briefly described, and the contributions of these founders of psychology in Europe and the US to the understanding of emotions and personality are reviewed. Important theoretical contributions of Darwin and Freud to the historical evolution of emotions and personality as psychological constructs are also examined. Critical issues and sources of error in the cross-cultural adaptation of psychological tests of emotional states and personality traits are evaluated, emphasizing the importance of construct equivalence in the languages of the tests that are being translated and adapted. The nature of anxiety, anger, depression, and curiosity as fundamental psychological concepts is discussed, and the importance of measuring these vital signs in diagnosis and treatment is emphasized.