National character, cultural temperament, and embodied-socio-psychological dimensions: a cross-cultural analysis

This article explores the relationship among cultural dimensions, national character, and psychological constructs through the Body Image and Schema Test (BIST). It opens a dialogue with Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, Kretschmer’s typology, and the Big Five personality traits to analyse personality's psychodynamic and embodied nature across four cultural groups: Mediterranean, Latin American, North African, and Indian. The study utilises data from 5,300 participants, categorised by region, to examine BIST factors such as energy constructs, ego sensitivity, psychomotor development, and relational dynamics. The findings reveal significant cultural variations in body schema and image. Mediterranean cultures tend toward symbolic retention and high relational energy, while North African participants demonstrate assertiveness and heightened ego sensitivity. Indian participants exhibit advanced postural development and holistic self-perception, whereas Latin Americans focus on relational harmony. The study highlights how sports, hobbies, and dance influence body schema, with a more pronounced impact observed in India and Latin America compared to the Mediterranean and North Africa. BIST’s psychodynamic approach helps bridge the gap between mental cultural dimensionsand embodied practices, providing nuanced insights into the interplay between physicality, personality, and cultural norms. Its focus on symbolic and relational constructs enriches cross-cultural psychological studies and complements existing theoretical frameworks. However, the study also acknowledges limitations, such as reliance on self-reported data and the lack of intranational variations.