Scientists discover what Spaniards are really like

10 October 2005

MADRID — Spaniards are neither extroverts nor irresponsible, a new study finds.

In fact, they are a lot more like the Japanese and quite the reverse of the way Spaniards would like to see themselves, the journal Science reported.

A study of 4,000 people from 49 countries found national stereotypes do not correspond with reality.

So Spaniards may like to compare themselves to the most extroverted people in the world, along with Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand and Serbia.
 
But they are no more show-offs than the Japanese.

And in terms of reliability, they rank alongside the Germans and the German-speaking Swiss.

Maria Luisa Sanchez Bernaro, a professor of psychology at Complutense University in Madrid, who took part in the study, said: “The object of the research was to find out whether national stereotypes, that is, what people think of their fellow citizens, have anything to do with real personalities

“Stereotypes are used as mental shortcuts, to classify people quickly, but they are erroneous and dangerous. They can be the basis for prejudice.”

The study asked people to describe their own personalities, then asked friends and relatives to describe those same people, and finally asked the interviewees how they saw their own fellow citizens.

The results of the two first questionnaires often matched, but the the third did not the first two.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news