Introduction

The interpersonal circumplex orders interpersonal variables in a circular space through the blending of two orthogonal axes that frame the interpersonal world, namely dominance and warmth. The circular space is sliced into octants to yield eight interpersonal scales: Assured-Dominant, Arrogant-Calculating, Cold-Hearted, Aloof-Introverted, Unassured-Submissive, Unassuming-Ingenuous, Warm-Agreeable, and Gregarious-Extraverted. The interpersonal circumplex is operationalized in several inventories, of which one is the International Personality Item Pool-Interpersonal Circumplex (IPIP-IPC).

Whereas evidence supports the validity and utility of the interpersonal circumplex in western contexts, the interpersonal circumplex remains untapped in Africa. Given that interpersonal relations are culturally constituted, an appealing opportunity is presented for the assessment of the cross-cultural transportability of the interpersonal circumplex and inventories such as the IPIP-IPC in South Africa.

Objectives

To examine the circular structure of the IPIP-IPC in South Africa.

Design/Methodology

Participants were 353 undergraduates (85% women). 81.9% of the sample were Black African, 5.9% White, 5.7% Mixed-Ethnicity, 5.4% Indian, and 0.3% Asian. Participants’ ages ranged from 17 to 33 years (Mean = 21.09).

The psychometric properties of the ‘original’ and an ‘adapted’ IPIP-IPC were assessed. The ‘original’ IPIP-IPC comprises 32 items, whereas the ‘adapted’ IPIP-IPC includes 18 additional ‘South African’ items. The circular structure of the data were assessed with multidimensional scaling, and structural equation modelling.

Results

The reliabilities of the ‘original’ IPIP-IPC scales were mostly unsatisfactory, but support was found for the hypothesized circular structure. The ‘adapted’ IPIP-IPC yielded enhanced reliability, but slightly weaker evidence of circular structure.

Conclusions

Results support the cross-cultural transportability of the interpersonal circumplex and the validity of the IPIP-IPC. This opens up opportunities for more research on interpersonal aspects of personality, which is particularly salient in the African context.