Ricerc@Sapienza

In this chapter, we review the recent literature exploring the generality of the Resilient, Under-controlled, and Over-controlled (RUO) types in describing individual personality, using measures of the Big Five factors of personality. The theoretical roots of the three types are delineated with special attention to the classical person-centered approach. Then we focus our attention on studies attesting the existence and the value of the RUO types across different cultures. We will argue that, despite some incongruence among studies, cross-cultural studies clearly attest to the recurrence of three reliable configurations of the Big Five personality traits that generally correspond to the RUO types. In the second part of the chapter, we offer a broad perspective on the current status of research on the RUO types. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and heuristic value of types, critically evaluating empirical proofs sustaining the temporal stability and the replicability of the three types across different samples and cultures. The role of typological approaches within the contemporary debate on the objectives of personality psychology is also discussed.