Aspects of Australian national character : an exploratory study of Australian social personality

Abstract

Traditionally, national character in Australia as elsewhere, has been the domain of the historian and the political scientist rather than the psychologist. Systematic research data on Australian national character are almost non-existent, and much of what has been said and written in the literature about Australian national character can be most appropriately described as a 'popular concept' approach to the subject. This would be national character in its most original meaning and this approach has been used by historians and other writers [Baker, 1959; Coleman 1963; Lawrence, 1922; Palmer, 1954; Pringle, 1958) to reflect their observations of psychological traits or features thought to be characteristic of Australian citizens. While usually impressionistic rather than precise, such essayistic descriptions of national character nonetheless often contain much truth.