Pakistan Journal of Professional Psychology: Research & Practice

2006, Vol. 1, No. 1, 19-24

Psycho-social Personality Features Among N.W.F.P. Male

Population

Farhana Jahangir

Head of the Psychology Department

University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan.

The main objective of the present investigation was to study the psychological and social

aspects of the personality of the participants vis-a-vis their socioeconomic status. The

authors realizing the degree of importance attached to the social status in Pakistani society

and its resultant characteristizations of the individuals in the shape of varied interests of the

classes, personality traits etc, planned the present project. For this purpose CPI and MMPI

were administered upon the participants. (N=695). The design of the study was 2x3 factorial,

with 2 (low-high scoring subjects on the CPI sub-scales and the neurotic triad of MMPI) and

3 (socioeconomic classes: upper-middle-lower). The results showed a significant difference

between the low-high scoring subjects on the two tests, for the three socioeconomic groups .

According to Allport, Personality is the dynamic Stratification into various strata in a society (i.e.

organization of those psychophysical systems within upper-middle-lower classes) takes place to define

the individual that determines his unique adjustment relationship of people belonging to same group and to

to his environment. Personality may be defined in others on the basis of their uniqueness.

terms of attributes and qualities that is highly typical of According to Stagner (1961) middle class children

an individual and is an important part of an overall in almost all the cultures across the globe balance their

impression created by others (Hall & Lindzey, 1991). long-term goals, hard work at school and control of

People from different socio- economic their aggression in an organized way. They are

backgrounds have different learning experiences. This expected (by parents) to be cooperative with their

study emphasized the learning perspective of authorities but not at the expense of their achievement

personality development. Experiences attached with and competitiveness. On the other hand, the lower

being raised in different socio-economic status (SES) class youngsters except for socially ambitious ones,

classes are thought to give way to different personality are brought up in a less controlled manner with an

traits prevalent in that class system. People belonging erratic and a less consistent disciplinary mode.

to upper class for example can provide more facilities Moreover, most of them experience physical and

such as good schooling, exposure to media, respect verbal abuse. Their future rests on an ambition of a

from the lower classes etc. to their children and a better secure job, good pay and not on an achievement

chance in acquiring healthy personality oriented ambition with clear aims. It is due to the lack

characteristics. Similarly being free from economic of control on parent's part that may result in delinquent

tensions save such children from developing behavior of the child and more and more dropouts

psychological disorders. from school. The children from lower class leave

The opposite phenomena can be seen in the lower school much earlier than middle and higher classes.

classes i.e. having most of their energies allocated to Stagner further asserts that higher class is clearly

earning, they are unable to give much time to child distinct from other two, because of being a small group

rearing practices and are mostly frustrated. This of wealthy property owners whose life style is such

frustration creates a hindrance in developing useful that even parental control does not exist, children by

personality traits in their children who in turn become virtue of their wealth and other accessories can have

vulnerable to develop disorders. higher education in the most prestigious institutions.

The interrelationships and the emotional They can afford an expensive living and have much

attachments within a family differ from culture to permissive and organized way of life, whereas, middle

culture and from strata to strata in a specific society. class life is being more rationally ordered in

20 FARHANA JAHANGIR

comparison with the higher and lower classes. the middle class category. Monthly income of Rs.

Lal (1987) provided an empirical evidence of the 10,000 or less was categorized with lower class.

effects of socioeconomic status upon the self-

perception, self-concept, self-image and self-esteem, Instruments

when he studied boys and girls from high, middle and

low socioeconomic classes for his research. In another 1. Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ)

study, Sacchi, Minzi & Maria (1983), examined the was constructed by the researcher that included age,

relationship of socioeconomic status and personality name, education, place of residence, monthly as well

variables in Argentina. They found that high as annual family income and parental education etc .

socioeconomic class students were more creative, able

to express aggression in a controlled manner and were 2. California Psychological Inventory,

more adept to normal thinking than the lower SES (CPI) .

subjects. Lower SES subjects showed more Translated and adapted version of California

stereotyped thinking and inhibition of affection. In yet Psychological Inventory (CPI) (Ahmed, 1985), which

another research by Atherley (1991) with 213 children comprised of 18 subscales was used in the present

from different SES classes and academic ability study. It was initially developed at the University of

concluded that children with low SES reported California by Gough (1957) and two revisions were

themselves to be less well-behaved and less happy made in 1987 and in 1995 by the same author. From the

than those with higher SES and ability. latter two revisions, culturally loaded items have been

Hence, it is the contention of the author of this dropped and from original 480 items the number

research that successful life is to be seen in the context reduced to 462 and 434 respectively. The main goal

of one's economic level, which is directly related to the behind its development was to get the description of

family's occupational and social status that enables normal personality. Its scales principally address to

individuals to attach meaning to their activity in daily personality characteristics important for social living

life as also mentioned by Khan, Anila & Pervez and interaction. These scales are Dominance, Capacity

(1991). Hypotheses for the present research are as for status, Sociability, Self-presence, Self-assurance,

under. Well-being, Responsibility, Self control, Tolerance,

Achievement-via independence, Intellectual

1. The participants belonging to upper class would efficiency, Flexibility, Socialization, Good

score higher on CPI as compared to the participants of impression, Communality, Achievement via

middle and lower classes. conformance, Psych mindedness, Femininity and

2. The participants belonging to upper class would Law enforcement. There are four clusters of scales

have lesser neurotic traits in comparison with those measuring (1) Poise, Ascendancy, Self-assurance, and

participants who belong to middle and lower classes. Interpersonal adequacy (2) Socialization, Maturity

and Social responsibility (3) Achievement potential

Method and Intellectual efficacy (4) Personal orientation and

Sample Attitude towards life. While three of its scales: Well

being, Good impression and Communality are the

The sample consisted of 695 male participants validity scales designed to check the fake, good, bad

who belonged to different geographic locations of and highly popular responses. The CPI has mean of 50

North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan. and a standard deviation of 10. For the present study 12

The ages of the participants ranged between 18-35 out of 18 subscales of CPI were used because they

years. The participants were divided into two groups were thought to be more relevant with the goals of the

according to their educational qualification i.e. present study.

intermediate to Masters and professionals (Medical In the present investigation KR-20 reliability

Doctors, Engineers etc.). 60 out of 695 participants indices were used for the subscales of CPI for the total

belonged to upper class, 201 from middle and 434 sample of 695 participants. The obtained indices of

were from lower class. reliability ranged from .72 to .97 with a median value

Each participant was assigned a socioeconomic of .89.

class (upper-middle-lower) according to his/her

annual/monthly income. Those having income of Rs. 3. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

30,000 or more were included in upper class, while (MMPI).

participants receiving Rs. 15,000-25,000 were put in MMPI is most widely used for both clinical and

PERSONALITY FEATURES AMONG N.W.F.P. MALES 21

research purposes. Translated and adapted Urdu to find the highest and lowest percentage of

version of MMPI (Mirza, 1977) was used in this study. participants in a particular socioeconomic class.

It is composed of three validity indicators: Lie (L),

Validity (F), correction (K) and ten clinical scales: Table 1

Hypochondriasis (Hs); Depression (D); Hysteria Percentages of participants in High and Low score

(Hy); Psychopathic deviate (Pd); Masculinity/ categories on 12 sub scales of CPI for their

Femininity (Mf); Paranoia (Pa); Psychasthenia (Pt); socioeconomic status (upper-middle-lower).

Schizophrenia (Sc); and Hypomania (Ma). However,

the reported reliability of the MMPI appears to be Socio-economic status

quite satisfactory. Sub-scales Score Upper Middle Lower

Only the neurotic triad out of 13 sub-scales was % % %

used in the present study, which comprised of Hysteria

(Hy), Depression (D) and Hypochondriasis (Hs)

scales. The participants were arranged into low and

high scorers according to the standard scores of T=70

on MMPI. The KR-20 indices of reliability indicate a

high internal consistency of neurotic triad of MMPI

for the present research.

For the present study the inter-correlation among

the CPI and MMPI sub-scales were also established.

Research Design and procedure

In this study 2x3 factorial design was used. The

participants were arranged into low and high scorers

on CPI and MMPI sub-scales according to the

standard scores of T=50 in case of CPI and T=70 on

MMPI. Hence, the 2x3 design for CPI is: 2 (low-high

scorers on CPI sub-scales) and 3 (socioeconomic

classes: upper-middle-lower), and 2x3 design for

MMPI is: 2 (low-high scores on MMPI neurotic triad)

and the 3 (socioeconomic classes: upper-middle-

lower).

CPI and MMPI were administered to the

participants in a group setting, with 30 participants

tested daily according to a fixed schedule and time.

Before starting administration, the purpose of the

study was explained to the participants and their

consent was obtained to participate in the study. The

participants filled the Personal Information

Questionnaire after completing CPI and MMPI. The

scores obtained on the two tests were transferred into

High

Low

High

Low

High

Low

High

Low

High

Low

High

Low

High

Low

High

Low

High

Low

High

Low

High

Low

High

Low

51.7

48.3

46.7

53.3

63.3

36.7

51.7

48.3

53.3

46.7

58.3

41.7

43.3

56.7

41.7

58.3

36.7

63.3

25.3

74.6

44.8

52.2

35.3

64.7

36.8

63.1

66.2

33.8

31.3

68.7

57.7

42.3

45.8

54.2

47.8

52.2

36.3

63.7

31.8

68.2

27.9

72.1

10.6

89.8

25.8

74.2

19.8

80.2

19.1

80.9

47.7

52.3

17.5

80.5

53.2

46.8

40.6

59.4

37.6

62.4

29.5

70.5

16.1

83.9

22.8

77.2

standard scores by using the Install Equation Editor

and double. This enabled the researcher to divide the Note: Do = Dominance, Cs = Capacity for status,

scores into low-high categories, i.e. above and below

the standard scores prescribed for the two tests.

Results

Sy = Sociability, Sp = Self-presence, Sa = Self-assurance,

Wb = Well-being, Re = Responsibility, Sc = Self control,

To = Tolerance, Ai = Ach-via independence,

Ie = Intellectual efficiency, Fx = Flexibility

Table 1 represents the percentages of participants

The results are presented in tables 1-4. falling in the high-low score categories of

Percentages were calculated of participants falling in socioeconomic status. The percentage of participants

the low-high score categories for three classes of falling in the three categories: upper-middle-lower

socioeconomic status (upper-middle-lower) in order socioeconomic classes, is greater for the high scoring

22 FARHANA JAHANGIR

participants on the 12 CPI sub-scales than the low A 2x3 Chi-Squared Analyses between the three SES

scoring ones except for the scales; Self assurance, groups (Upper, Middle, Lower) and high and low

Sociability and Responsibility. Further, the highest scores on the 12 subscales of CPI. (df =2)

percentage among the three SES categories is for the The result shows a highly significant difference

upper class followed by the middle and the lower class

respectively.

Table 2

Percentages of participants according to

socioeconomic status and low and high scores on the

neurotic triad of MMPI.

CPI Scales

Dominance (Do)

Capacity for status (Cs)

Sociability (Sy)



32.52

31.88

17.74

.0000

High

Low

D High

Hs Low

9.9

90.9

27.3

91.6

13.1

86.6

34.1

89.5

14.2

85.7

35.0

86.6

Self Control (Sc)

Tolerance (To)

Flexibility (Fx)

4.29

12.77

6.18

.000

falling in the low-high score categories for their

socioeconomic status (upper-middle-lower) on the

neurotic triad of MMPI. The percentage of low scoring

participants is greater than the high scoring

participants. Moreover among high scoring

participants belonging to low socioeconomic status

have a high percentage followed by the middle and the The results of the study show that the low and high

upper class respectively. Whereas the low scoring scoring participants belonging to different

subjects have an opposite percentage to the above. socioeconomic classes are significantly different on

Table 3

A 2x3 Chi-squared analyses between three SES

groups (upper-middle-lower) and high and low scores

on the neurotic triad (Hy-D-Hs) of MMPI. (df = 2)

The results in Table 3 show a highly significant

Neurotic Triad



53.60

.000

115.77

.000

52.78

.000

difference between the low-high scoring participants

for the three SES classes on the neurotic triad.

Table 4 represents a 2x3 chi-square analyses of the

low high scoring participants on the 12 sub-scales of

CPI for their socioeconomic status.

Table 4

the 12 sub-scales of CPI and the neurotic triad of

MMPI. The significantly differentiating sub-scales of

CPI and MMPI are meant to identify strong, dominant,

influential individuals, who are to take initiative and

exercise leadership, have qualities that lead to

ambition, self assurance, an undisturbed sense of

personal worth, possessing secure and balanced self

concept in contrast to those who are devoid of the

above qualities. (Megargee 1972, Mckinley,

Hathaway & Meehl, 1948).

It is generally considered that the social status

plays a vital role in the development of personality,

and this in turn shapes the relationships of people with

one another and the community as a whole. This social

status seems to be cuboid, for it shadows a relation

with personality, the occupational and educational

system, the income and the social expectancies. In

other words people are expected to behave in a

particular manner. Socioeconomic status is considered

Discussion

participants.

sub-scales for the socioeconomic status of the

between the low- high scoring participants on the 12

Table-2 indicates percentage of participants

Self presence (Sp)

35.52

.0000

Socio-economic status

Self assurance (Sa)

21.01

.0000

MMPI Scales Score Upper Middle Lower

Well being (Wb)

24.65

.0000

% % %

Responsibility (Re)

1.31

.000

Low

72.6

65.8

65.0

Achievement via independence

6.30

.000

High

8.3

10.4

13.3

Law enforcement (Ie)

32.36

.000

PERSONALITY FEATURES AMONG N.W.F.P. MALES 23

to be the pillar for the healthy growth and to the struggle against the increasing concentration of

enhancement of a family structure from a total economic power associated with more worries, less

perspective. Economic upheaval or status is a factor, sufficiency etc. It is therefore concluded, by referring

which is overt and can be seen directly affecting the to the results of the study that the socioeconomic

personality of an individual. status plays a pivotal role in the personality makeup of

Since, the present investigation dealt with a study the individuals.

of personality characteristics through the contribution It can be suggested on the basis of the present

of participants socioeconomic status, therefore the study that a person belonging to lower SES has less

result of the present study reveals that the participants opportunities to develop healthy personality traits

belonging to the higher SES are scoring high on most which can help him in his future success. So we should

of the CPI scales, followed by middle class and the keep a soft approach towards lower SES people i.e. in

lower class respectively. While on MMPI, lower class not setting a rigid criteria for selection of candidates

has secured the highest percentage, followed by for jobs, giving admission in school etc. Similarly

middle class and the upper class on the neurotic triad. government schools should improve their teaching so

This trend of the data endorses hypothesis: that that the class difference in education at least is

participants belonging to upper class would score minimized.

highest on CPI and would score low on the neurotic

triad of MMPI. References

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