Toward Integration of the Niche Diversity Hypothesis With Other Explanations for Personality Covariation: Reply to Međedović's (2019) Commentary on Lukaszewski et al. (2017). Issue 4 (May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lukaszewski, Aaron; Gurven, Michael; von Rueden, Christopher R.; Smaldino, Paul
• Is Part Of: Social psychological & personality science. Volume 11:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 574
• Page End: 576
• Publication Date: 2020-05
• Subjects: behavioral ecology -- behavioral syndromes -- niche diversity -- personality -- socioecological complexity; Personality -- Periodicals; Social psychology -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 155.2
• DOI: 10.1177/1948550619873679
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1948-5506

Abstract

The hypothesis of a human-universal personality structure is undermined by cross-cultural studies in small-scale societies. To explain cross-population differences in patterns of behavioral covariance, we proposed the niche diversity hypothesis, which holds that the degree of behavioral covariation within a population is inversely related to the number and diversity of niches within its socioecology. This hypothesis is formalized as a computational model, and its predictions have been supported empirically. Herein, we respond to several important issues regarding this line of research that were raised in a recent commentary: (1) the study of specific behavioral syndromes should be integrated into the niche diversity model; (2) environmental harshness might alternatively explain our cross-cultural findings regarding effects of niche diversity; and (3) better definitions of behavioral traits are needed for future research. We conclude that the niche diversity hypothesis can be integrated with other explanations for cross-cultural differences in personality covariation.