Are You a Product of Your Environment? How Social Cohesion Shapes Your Personality

Mira Elwood in Mind & Education July 2025 • 4 min read.

"New research reveals the surprising ways your community influences key personality traits. Discover how social bonds and local dynamics play a critical role."

In an era where community bonds seem increasingly frayed, understanding the factors that hold societies together is more vital than ever. Social cohesion – that 'glue' that binds individuals in a community – is gaining significant attention from researchers and policymakers alike. But what if the strength of that social glue not only shapes our societies but also molds who we are as individuals?

Emerging research is beginning to explore the profound connection between our environment and our personalities. One fascinating study delves into how the social cohesion of our immediate surroundings relates to the strength of our core personality traits. Imagine that the very fabric of your community – the level of trust, cooperation, and shared values – could be influencing whether you are more agreeable, conscientious, or open to new experiences.

This article unpacks the groundbreaking work of Larsen, Esenaliev, Brück, and Boehnke, who conducted a multilevel study in the Kyrgyz Republic, a region where social cohesion is a particularly pressing issue. Their findings reveal surprising connections between the social environment and individual personalities, offering fresh insights into the interplay between society and self.

The Building Blocks of Social Cohesion: More Than Just Getting Along

Person merging with community environment

Before diving into the research findings, it's important to understand what social cohesion actually means. It's not simply about everyone being friendly. Researchers like Dragolov et al. (2016) have developed comprehensive models, highlighting three key domains that characterize a cohesive society:

These domains aren't isolated; they overlap and interact to create a strong sense of community. For instance, strong social networks (part of resilient social relations) can foster trust in people, which in turn strengthens positive emotional connectedness.

Resilient Social Relations: This emphasizes the horizontal connections between individuals, encompassing strong social networks, trust in people, and acceptance of diversity.
Positive Emotional Connectedness: This focuses on the vertical relationships between individuals and institutions, including identification with the community, trust in institutions, and a perception of fairness.
Focus on the Common Good: This addresses the collective orientation of the community, including solidarity and helpfulness, respect for social rules, and civic participation.

Understanding these building blocks is crucial because they provide a framework for measuring and analyzing social cohesion. And as the Kyrgyz Republic study shows, these elements can have a tangible impact on the personalities of the people living within that social context.

The Bigger Picture: Why Social Cohesion and Personality Matter

The study in the Kyrgyz Republic offers valuable insights, but it also raises important questions for future research. For example, understanding the direction of the relationship between social cohesion and personality is critical. Does a cohesive community foster certain personality traits, or do certain personality traits lead to stronger social cohesion?

Moreover, the findings highlight the need to consider cultural context. What works in the Kyrgyz Republic might not necessarily apply in other parts of the world. Further research is needed to explore these relationships across different cultures and societies.

Ultimately, understanding the interplay between social cohesion and personality is essential for creating thriving communities. By recognizing the impact of our environment on our individual traits, we can work towards building stronger, more supportive societies that foster the best in all of us.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1002/ijop.12551, Alternate LINK

Title: The Connection Between Social Cohesion And Personality: A Multilevel Study In The Kyrgyz Republic

Subject: General Psychology

Journal: International Journal of Psychology

Publisher: Wiley

Authors: Mandi M. Larsen, Damir Esenaliev, Tilman Brück, Klaus Boehnke

Published: 2018-11-28

Everything You Need To Know

What is social cohesion and why is it important?

Social cohesion refers to the 'glue' that binds individuals within a community. It's not merely about people being friendly; it encompasses the strength of social bonds, trust, cooperation, and shared values. It's important because it influences societal structure and, as research suggests, individual personalities. This is especially critical in today's environment where community bonds may be weakening. Understanding the building blocks of social cohesion, like Resilient Social Relations, Positive Emotional Connectedness, and Focus on the Common Good, can help us understand its impact on individuals.

What are the building blocks of social cohesion?

The three key domains that characterize a cohesive society are Resilient Social Relations, Positive Emotional Connectedness, and Focus on the Common Good. Resilient Social Relations emphasize horizontal connections, including strong social networks, trust in people, and acceptance of diversity. Positive Emotional Connectedness focuses on vertical relationships, involving identification with the community, trust in institutions, and a perception of fairness. Focus on the Common Good addresses the collective orientation, including solidarity, respect for social rules, and civic participation. These domains interact to create a strong sense of community, shaping individual personalities and the overall social environment.

How does social cohesion relate to personality?

Researchers have been exploring the connection between the social environment and personality traits. A study in the Kyrgyz Republic, conducted by Larsen, Esenaliev, Brück, and Boehnke, provides evidence. The research suggests that the strength of social cohesion within a community influences core personality traits like agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness. The environment, including the levels of trust, cooperation, and shared values, appears to mold aspects of an individual's personality. However, the direction of this relationship requires further research, to determine if social cohesion fosters certain traits or vice versa.

Why are the study's findings significant?

The study's findings are important because they challenge the idea that personality is solely inherent. It suggests that the environment plays a significant role in shaping personality. In the Kyrgyz Republic, this research highlighted how the level of social cohesion in a community could be linked to personality traits, raising questions about how we understand ourselves and our communities. These insights are valuable for understanding societal dynamics and the interplay between individuals and their social contexts. Furthermore, understanding these building blocks of social cohesion can offer ways to improve our personalities.

What are the implications of this research?

The implications of the research extend to how we understand the relationship between individuals and their surroundings. If social cohesion does indeed shape personality, then fostering a cohesive community could contribute to the development of certain desirable traits like agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness. It also raises questions about interventions aimed at strengthening social bonds and improving communities, potentially leading to positive individual and societal outcomes. Further research, such as determining if a cohesive community fosters certain personality traits, is critical to understanding the complex relationship between society and self.