| JOURNAL OF INDIAN ACADEMY OF APPLIED | | | | personality variables, namely, dominance, neuroticism, |
| PSYCHOLOGY, JANUARY 2007, Vol. 33, No.1, | | | | empathy, need-achievement, ego-ideal, introversion, |
| p:129-132. | | | | self-confidence, dogmatism, and pessimism. |
| INTRODUCTION | | | | This inventory consists of 50 items distributed among 9 |
| The innovations in the field of science and technology | | | | dimensions represented in it. There are 5 items in |
| during the 20th and 21st centuries have caused an | | | | empathy, 5 on ego-ideal, 6 in pessimism, 7 in |
| explosion in the use of electronic items throughout the | | | | neuroticism, 6 in introversion, 5 in need-achievement, 5 |
| globe. Prevalence and excessive use of electronic | | | | in self-confidence, 5 in dogmatism, and 6 in dominance. |
| goods has been found among people cutting across | | | | This measure is a two point scale; each item is |
| cultural differences. Electronic technology is changing | | | | followed by two responses: 'yes' and 'no'. The 'yes' |
| our life-style to a great extent. There are many areas | | | | response indicates the presence of the variable in the |
| of electronic technology helping different sections of | | | | respondent and the 'no' the absence of it. A score of 1 |
| common man. | | | | is given for the presence of the variable (that is, 'yes' |
| Breakthroughs made in the arena of information | | | | response) and 0 for the absence of it (that is, for 'no' |
| technology and communications (ICT) have resulted in | | | | response). If an item is unanswered it is not taken for |
| the emergence of e-banking, e-commerce, | | | | consideration. The 9 different variables of the inventory |
| e-governance and e-medicine, etc, which have set in a | | | | receive different range of scores. The higher the |
| trend for e-culture (Patel & Rajendran, 2005). | | | | score in a trait indicates the prevalence of that trait in |
| According to Uzelac (2003) the ICT revolution started | | | | the respondent. Each of the 50 items included in this |
| some decades ago but its development towards | | | | scale was based on satisfactory validity indices |
| network logic was brought about by the Internet which | | | | obtained. The developer of the scale obtained reliability |
| gave it an extra push. It is the ICT-availability and | | | | co-efficient of 0.52; significant at 0.01 levels. |
| Internet access that provides opportunities for | | | | Procedure |
| production of e-culture (Mercer, 2003). | | | | The subjects were personally and individually |
| E-culture is both technological and a social | | | | contacted by the researcher and data was obtained |
| development. There is a widespread consensus that | | | | through face-to face interview. The duration of data |
| new digital and networking technologies like the World | | | | collection were spread over a period of one month. |
| Wide Web (WWW) and the Internet have the | | | | The obtained responses were scored and statistically |
| capacity to change the domains of everyday social | | | | analyzed. |
| and personal life by transforming work and knowledge | | | | Results and Discussion |
| forms, gender and body politics, health and science, | | | | The objective of this research study is to explore the |
| domestic life and entertainment as well as | | | | relationship of e-culture with personality dimensions. For |
| transforming national economics and international | | | | this purpose Pearson's product moment correlation |
| relations, democracy and the distribution of power | | | | were calculated, since no significant gender differences |
| (Dona Kolar-Panov, 2003). | | | | were found results for both sexes are combined and |
| Presently research on e-culture is at a rudimentary | | | | given in Table 1. |
| level and thus is its definition. Scholars working in this | | | | It is inferred from the results summarized in Table 1 |
| field have attempted to define e-culture in different | | | | that e-culture is positively and significantly related to |
| ways, but all being far from conclusive. Patel and | | | | two personality dimensions, namely, need-achievement |
| Rajendran (2005) have defined "electronic culture" as | | | | and dominance. This study reveals that people high in |
| "increased use of electronic goods by individuals in | | | | the personality traits of 'need-achievement' and |
| various areas." According to the view of De Haan and | | | | 'dominance' tend to make more use of electronic |
| Huysmans (2002) the term 'e-culture' is stated to refer | | | | products. The increased indulgence in electronic culture |
| to the diffusion of new technology, its application for | | | | by them may be a symbolic indication of their |
| various avenues such as information and | | | | achievements and also an effort to dominate others. |
| communication in addition to shifts effected in related | | | | Van Dijk (2001) has pointed the conditions for the |
| attitudes, values and norms. | | | | emergence of e-culture as four different types of |
| Culture and psychological processes influence one | | | | access to information and communication technology |
| another and a dynamic interplay exists between them | | | | (ICT): (1) motivation- which concerns psychical access |
| (Lehman, Chiu, and Schaller, 2004). According to Oishi | | | | to ICT, the interest in it, the will to use it and the lack of |
| (2004) 'culture and personality" is one of the | | | | fear of new technology; (2) possession- means in this |
| fashionable slogans of contemporary social science. | | | | context the availability of equipment and an Internet |
| The culture and personality study also called | | | | connection at home or at work, school or university; (3) |
| "Psychological Anthropology," is a branch of | | | | use- the actual use that people make of available |
| anthropology that seeks to determine the nature of | | | | possibilities; and (4) skills- the possession of digital skills. |
| the interest between the individual and his culture. | | | | Hence the presence of motivation to posses and use |
| Numerous research studies in anthropology and social | | | | electronic products and also acquiring the required |
| psychology indicate the influence of culture upon | | | | digital skills by individuals high in 'need-achievement' and |
| personality variables. Chauhan (1985) indicates that the | | | | 'dominance' might be felt as an accomplishment |
| impact of culture upon man is of crucial concern. | | | | enabling them to feel superior to others who lack it. |
| Cultures are diverse and dynamic social systems and | | | | Table 1: Pearson's moment correlation co-efficient for |
| not static monoliths (Bandura, 2002), cultural changes | | | | e-culture with personality dimensions. |
| are inevitable due to innovations exert influence on | | | | Personality dimensions r |
| personality. | | | | Empathy -0.015 |
| The knowledge and understanding of personality | | | | Ego-Ideal -0.016 |
| serves many a purpose. It helps to anticipate and cope | | | | Pessimism 0.079 |
| with the problems of interpersonal interaction and also | | | | Introversion -0.011 |
| facilitates the process of accommodation and | | | | Neuroticism -0.014 |
| assimilation to environment. For psychologists, | | | | Need Achievement 0.119* |
| knowledge about factors influencing personality is of | | | | Self-Confidence 0.033 |
| crucial importance, it enables them to predict and | | | | Dogmatism -0.007 |
| manipulate the behaviour of the clients productively. | | | | Dominance 0.118* |
| Purpose of the study | | | | ** significant at 0.001 levels |
| Researches on e-culture now are only at the beginning | | | | *significant at 0.005 levels |
| of a long process. Reviews indicate that studies on | | | | The present study indicates that personality dimensions |
| e-culture are fragmented and inadequate. Scanty | | | | of 'need-achievement' and 'dominance' are positively |
| information is available about the effect of e-culture on | | | | and significantly related to e-culture. |
| social and cultural development. Only recently, the | | | | References |
| International research community has started showing | | | | Bandura, A. (2002). Social cognitive theory in cultural |
| interest in exploring e-culture. The impetus for the new | | | | context. Journal of Applied Psychology: An International |
| interest may be the realization that e-culture is | | | | Review. 51, 269-290. |
| widespread, inevitable and also places adaptive | | | | Chauhan, N.S. (1985). Manual for Cultural Determination |
| demands upon people. | | | | Scale. Meerut: MAPA. |
| In India, unfortunately, the research efforts in | | | | De Haan, J & Huysmans, F. (2002). E-culture: An |
| understanding and investigating the status of e-culture | | | | Empirical Exploration. The Hague: Social and Cultural |
| have not yet gained momentum. The research and | | | | Plan Bureau. pp.145-155. |
| academic community are dormant regarding the | | | | Dona Kolar-Panov (2003). Cautious Optimism for |
| influence of e-culture. An examination of related | | | | e-Culture in Europe. In S. Dragojevic., D. Dodd., B. |
| literature in Indian context indicates that e-culture has | | | | Cvjeticanin and C. Smithuijsen (Ed)(2005): E-Culture: |
| received poor attention. In particular, from a | | | | The European Perspective- Cultural Policy, Creative |
| psychological perspective, e-culture still remains | | | | Industries, Information Lag (From the proceeding of the |
| unexplored at local level and less explored at global | | | | round table meeting, Zagreb, 24-27 April 2003). Zagreb: |
| level. The knowledge and understanding of the | | | | Institute of International Relations. pp. 99-106. |
| relationship between cultural changes and personality is | | | | Lehman, D. R., Chiu, C & Schaller, M. (2004). |
| indispensable in order to mould and govern one's | | | | Psychology and Culture. Annual Review of |
| behavioural pattern. It is now essential for psychologists | | | | Psychology, 55, 689-714. |
| to also evaluate the influence of e-culture upon | | | | Mercer, C. (2003). Knowing Ourselves: e-culture in the |
| personality, as the emerging and encompassing | | | | value production chain. In S. Dragojevic., D. Dodd., B. |
| e-culture effects shifts in related attitudes, values and | | | | Cvjeticanin and C. Smithuijsen (Ed)(2005): E-Culture: |
| norms (De Haan and Huysmans, 2002). Hence this | | | | The European Perspective- Cultural Policy, Creative |
| study is an attempt to explore the relationship | | | | Industries, Information Lag (From the proceeding of the |
| between e-culture and personality dimensions in Indian | | | | round table meeting, Zagreb, 24-27 April 2003). Zagreb: |
| context. | | | | Institute of International Relations. pp. 81-88. |
| Method | | | | Muthayya, B.C. (1973). Manual for Multivariable |
| Sample | | | | Personality Inventory (MPI). Agra: Agra Psychological |
| The sample for this study comprised of 100 students | | | | Research Cell. |
| (50 females and 50 males) randomly selected from | | | | Oishi, S. (2004). Personality in Culture: A neo-Allportian |
| Annamalai University, Chidambaram Taluk in Cuddalore | | | | View. Journal of Research in Personality, 38, 68-74. |
| District, Tamil Nadu. The age range of the sample | | | | Patel, J. M. A & Rajendran, K. (2005). E-culture |
| were between 18 to 24 years (Mean Age= 22.1 | | | | Inventory. SCOPE- Annamalai Psychology Journal, 1, |
| years). | | | | 1-11. |
| Tools | | | | Uzelac, A. (2003). E-culture: Cultural Goods between |
| The research tools used in this study for data | | | | Public Domain and Private Property. In S. Dragojevic., D. |
| collection were the (1) E-culture Inventory and (2) | | | | Dodd., B. Cvjeticanin and C. Smithuijsen (Ed)(2005): |
| Multivariable Personality Inventory. | | | | E-Culture: The European Perspective- Cultural Policy, |
| (1) E-culture inventory | | | | Creative Industries, Information Lag (From the |
| This inventory was developed by Patel and Rajendran | | | | proceeding of the round table meeting, Zagreb, 24-27 |
| (2005) to measure e-culture. The inventory consists of | | | | April 2003). Zagreb: Institute of International Relations. |
| 42 items with 2 responses, i.e., "yes" and "no" | | | | pp. 31-40. |
| respectively for each item. The 42 items are classified | | | | Van Dijk, J. (2001). The accessibility of ICTs and the |
| into 4 areas, namely, home=16 items, office=11 items, | | | | quality of infrastructure and services. In: Ministry of |
| personal=8 items and public=7 items. The score for | | | | Transport, Public Works and Water Management of |
| 'yes' in home area is 2, in office is 1, in personal area is | | | | the Netherlands (Ed.), People in networks: A |
| 3 and in public area is 1 were as the score for 'no' in all | | | | contribution to the discussion of the Ministry of |
| the areas is 0. The maximum score possible in this | | | | Transport to the debate about the Digital Divide. The |
| inventory is 74 and the minimum score is 0. High score | | | | Hague: Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water |
| indicates high e-culture and low score indicates low | | | | Management. |
| e-culture. The reliability and validity co-efficient for this | | | | J.M. ASGARALI PATEL, is presently working as a |
| inventory were found to be highly significant at 0.001 | | | | Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology, |
| levels. | | | | Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar- 608 002. |
| (2) Multivariable Personality Inventory (MPI) | | | | K.RAJENDRAN, is presently the Professor and Head, |
| This inventory was developed by Muthayya (1973) is a | | | | Department of Psychology, Annamalai University, |
| multidimensional measure on personality. This tool | | | | Annamalai Nagar- 608 002. |
| measures an individuals personality based on nine | | | | |