Identifying the Malay Adjectival Personality Factor Structure: A Psycho-lexical Approach

Aim: This lexical-based study explores the Malay adjectival personality factor structure in two studies. Methods: In Study 1, the structure of the Malay personality lexicon was investigated using self-ratings (n=589) on a total set of 261 personality-descriptors. Personality-related descriptors were extracted from a Malay dictionary via comprehensive sampling and subjected to frequency of use ratings. The hierarchical emergence of factors from 1 to 8 was explored. Substantive mode of factor content comparison was adopted. A Big-6 factor structure was retrieved at the six-factor solution in the non-ipsatised, but not in ipsatised data. In Study 2 (n=802), the replicability and comparability of emic Malay personality structure in Study 1 were examined. The emic Malay adjective-based personality taxonomy, was then, quantitatively compared with the etic Big-5 and Big-6 personality taxonomies through a joint factor structure analysis. Key Findings: Results showed that a Big-6 factor structure emerged only in non-ipsatised data, with slight similarity on emotionality factor of both Big-5 and Big-6 personality models and slightly different extraversion factor. The other four factors, however, are not reflective of openness, conscientiousness and agreeableness factors, nor does it reflect the Big-6’s honesty-humility factor.

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Malay Adjectival Personality Factor Structure in a Nutshell

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• Malay personality taxonomy consists of six personality factors, namely, Nefarious, Emotionality, Virtues, Indulgence, eXtraversion and Accommodative, abbreviated as NEVIXA, four of which are very unique to the Malays.

• Only Emotionality and Extraversion personality domains from the Big-5 and Big-6 models mapped well on the Malay personality taxonomy. They are nevertheless, slightly different.

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