Assertiveness and personality: Cross-cultural differences in Indian and Serbian male students*

Nachiketa Tripathi1, Sonia Nongmaithem1, Marija Mitkovic2, Lidija Ristic2 and Jezdimir Zdravkovic2

 

1Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India

2Serbian Association of Behavioural Cognitive Therapists, Nis, Serbia

 

Abstract

 

The present study investigates the differences in assertiveness and the ability to discriminate assertiveness from aggressive and defensive/passive behaviour and the relation among them across Indian and Serbian cultures, besides exploring the relationship between personality and assertiveness in both the cultures. Measures of assertiveness, scale of discrimination among assertive, aggressive and passive behaviour and Big-Five personality inventory were administered on Indian (N=108) and Serbian (N=116) engineering students.  Results indicated significant difference in the assertive behaviour of Indian and Serbian samples, apart from significant relationship between personality and assertiveness.

 

*An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 18th Annual Conference of NAOP, held at IIT Guwahati, India, during December 14-17, 2008.