Universality of gender differences in 10 aspects of personality: A study of younger and older adult Peruvians

•Gender differences in the 10 aspects of personality have been reported in Canada.•This study tested their universality among Peruvian professionals.•Industriousness and orderliness were free of gender differences.•Men exhibited greater assertiveness and intellect than women.•Women presented greater scores than men in the remaining six aspects.

This study replicated the Weinberg, DeYoung, and Hirsh (2011) Canadian study in Lima, Peru to assess the universality of gender differences in personality. Younger (aged 22-32, N = 363) and older (aged 33-55, N = 348) participants in university executive extension programs filled in the Big Five Aspect Scales. Gender differences entailing the commonalities of the Volatility and Withdrawal aspects of Neuroticism and the specificities of the Enthusiasm and Assertiveness aspects of Extraversion emerged in one or the other age group. Gender differences in the commonalities of the Compassion and Politeness aspects of Agreeableness and specificities of the Intellect and Openness aspects occurred in both groups. The article addresses the possible reasons why these gender differences in personality recur consistently.