An intraindividual process approach to the relationship between extraversion and positive affect: is acting extraverted as "good" as being extraverted?

This article investigates whether rapid variation within a person in extraversion is associated with positive affect variation in that person. In Study 1, participants reported their extraversion and positive affect every 3 hr for 2 weeks. Each participant was happier when acting extraverted than when acting introverted. Study 2's diary methodology replicated the relationship for weekly variations in positive affect. Study 3's experimental methodology replicated the relationship when extraversion was manipulated within a fixed situation. Thus, the relationship between extraversion and positive affect, previously demonstrated between persons, also characterizes the internal, ongoing psychological functioning of individuals and is likely to be explained by something capable of rapid intraindividual variation. Furthermore, traits and states are at least somewhat isomorphic, and acting extraverted may increase well-being.     

Channeling identity: A study of storytelling in conversations between introverted and extraverted friends

This narrative study examined the process of personal storytelling between college-age friends who were similarly introverted or extraverted. Participants were 19 introverted and 20 extraverted same-sex pairs (49% female) who had been friends for an average of 18 months. Stories emerged spontaneously during 10-min catch-up conversations. Extraverted friends more often told stories that changed the topic, and more often co-constructed story plots. Introverted friends more often told stories that were embedded in a developing theme, and constructed story plots solo. With regard to content, extraverted friends told stories about romance more so than introverted friends, whose stories more often concerned family/hometown, and older events. The findings suggest that the traits of extraversion and introversion channel the identity-making process.     

The causal effects of extraversion on positive affect and neuroticism on negative affect: Manipulating state extraversion and state neuroticism in an experimental approach

Although the relationships between extraversion and positive affect and between neuroticism and negative affect are powerful, the patterns of causality accounting for them are unknown. We employed an experimental methodology to manipulate state extraversion and state neuroticism to determine their causal status. In Experiment 1, state extraversion was manipulated by instructing participants to act extraverted and introverted during two different discussions with two other participants. Participants reported more positive affect when instructed to act extraverted than when instructed to act introverted, and this finding was supported by the ratings of observers. In Experiment 2, state neuroticism was manipulated by instructing participants to act neurotic and emotionally stable during two different discussions. Participants reported more negative affect when instructed to act neurotic than when instructed to act stable. Thus, at least some part of the extraversion-positive affect and neuroticism-negative affect relationships may be accounted for by the causal influences of extraverted behavior and neurotic behavior, respectively.     

On the formation of favourable impressions: Associations between self-presentation motives,task behaviour,and others’ evaluations of the self in a team-sport setting

Individuals adopt self-presentation motives in sport settings to shape others’ perceptions of the self. However, the effectiveness of different types of motives in shaping favourable evaluations has not been explored. We examined pathways from 2 × 2 self-presentation motives to others’ evaluative perceptions via task behaviour. Participants (N = 112) reported their self-presentation motives immediately prior to a basketball game, had their behaviours (i.e., shots, time spent on the sideline) recorded via video during the game, then completed agentic (e.g., competent) and communal (e.g., supportive) ratings of their teammates following the game. Structural equation modeling revealed positive pathways from acquisitive motives to behaviour (i.e., acquisitive agency) and favourable evaluations (i.e., acquisitive-agency and -communion). Negative pathways were observed from protective communion to behaviour and others’ evaluations. The findings indicate that different types of self-presentation motives may differ in their impression management effectiveness and may either promote or suppress task behaviour.     

Your personality on a good day: How trait and state personality predict daily well-being

The dynamic mediation model (Wilt, Noftle, Fleeson, & Spain, 2012) explains the associations between personality traits and happiness through links between personality states and daily well-being. To test this model, and the mediators of these relations, we examined if between- and within-person variation in personality was associated with daily well-being for undergraduates (N = 133) and US adults (N = 117). The model explained the trait neuroticism and daily well-being association. Also, after controlling for traits, people were happier on days in which they were extraverted, agreeable, conscientious, emotionally stable, and open to experience. Finally, these associations were partially mediated by the satisfaction of daily psychological needs. We discuss how the operationalization of state extraversion might impact its relation with daily well-being.     

In search of information that confirms a desired self-perception: motivated processing of social feedback and choice of social interactions

The present studies examined how the motivation to see oneself as characterized by desirable attributes may influence feedback seeking and social preferences. In Study 1, participants were first led to believe that extraversion or introversion is conducive of success. Next, they received false feedback about themselves, related to extraversion and to introversion. In a surprise recall, extraversion-success participants remembered extraversion feedback more accurately and introversion feedback less, compared to introversion-success participants. Study 2 examined preferences for others as potential sources of feedback. The findings revealed that extraversion-success participants preferred others who perceived them as extraverted, whereas introversion-success participants preferred others who perceived them as introverted. Thus, people appear to rely on how others regard them to realize a desired self-perception. These processes, oriented more toward social and interpersonal aspects of the self, complement the more intrapersonal processes of motivated self-perception studied in the past.     

Concurrent and lagged effects of counterdispositional extraversion on vitality

There are two contrasting perspectives on the effects of state extraversion. One states that people benefit from behaving extraverted, regardless of their level of trait extraversion. The second entails that behaving concordant to one’s trait is natural while deviations from the trait level— counterdispositional behaviors—are effortful to maintain, leading to mental fatigue. We test the possibility that both perspectives are correct, with beneficial effects of high state extraversion showing immediately, while the depleting counterdispositional effects are delayed. Experience sampling data from 67 employees (N = 1,664), shows that extraverted behaviors are associated with high levels of vitality in the short-term, however, if the extraverted behaviors are not congruent with one’s trait level, they backfire, leading to depleted levels of vitality about one later.     

Extraversion and neuroticism: Investigation of resting electrodermal activity

In 1967 Eysenck published his biological account of extraversion and neuroticism. In the same year Claridge identified several problems with this theory. More recently Robinson has detailed a promising modification to Eysenck's theory which addresses many of the issues raised by Claridge. Drawing on Robinson's theory it was hypothesised that differences in resting electrodermal activity (EDA) would contrast extraverted‐neurotics (low arousal) and introverted‐neurotics (high arousal). The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) was used to identify four extreme groups of female participants: extraverted‐stable (n = 16), extraverted‐neurotic (n = 15), introverted‐stable (n = 8) and introverted‐neurotic (n = 16). EDA measures of skin conductance level (SCL) and non‐specific skin conductance response (NS‐SCR) were collected during two rest periods. Planned contrasts between the extraverted‐neurotic and introverted‐neurotic groups provided support for Robinson's theory on SCL but not NS‐SCR. It was argued that the results for NS‐SCR frequency could be accommodated by Robinson's theory if NS‐SCR was conceptualised as a measure of cortical reactivity to unspecified stimuli rather than as a measure of tonic arousal.     

Beyond the big five as predictors of dispositions toward ridicule and being laughed at: The HEXACO model and the dark triad

We aimed to extend research on dispositions toward ridicule and being laughed at by testing the localization of the fear of (gelotophobia) and the joy in (gelotophilia) being laughed at, and the joy in laughing at others (katagelasticism) in the HEXACO model and the Dark Triad traits (both have not been examined so far). Study 1 (HEXACO model: N = 216) showed that gelotophobia was related to low extraversion, high emotionality, and low honesty‐humility; gelotophilia to high extraversion and high openness to experience; and katagelasticism to low agreeableness and low honesty‐humility. These results were similar to prior findings based on the Five‐Factor model, and supported the notion that the honesty‐humility trait contributes to the prediction of individual differences in gelotophobia and katagelasticism. Study 2 (Dark Triad: N = 204) showed that gelotophobia was related to high Machiavellianism and low narcissism; gelotophilia to high narcissism; and katagelasticism to high psychopathy and high Machiavellianism. These data helped to clarify our findings on the honesty‐humility trait, showing that gelotophobes and katagelasticists differ in their socially aversive characteristics. Overall, this research provides empirical evidence that dark (but subclinical) traits can be seen as relevant personality predictors of how people deal with laughter and ridicule.     

Shake and Fake: the Role of Interview Anxiety in Deceptive Impression Management

We investigated whether anxiety about self-presentation concerns during interviews (i.e., interview anxiety) is associated with applicants’ use of deceptive impression management (IM) tactics. We examined the relationship between interview anxiety and deceptive IM, and we examined whether the personality traits of honesty-humility and extraversion would be indirectly related to deceptive IM through interview anxiety. Participants (N?=?202) were recruited after an interview for a research assistant position. Interview anxiety scores were positively related to deceptive IM. Furthermore, there was evidence of a negative indirect effect of honesty-humility on deceptive IM, via overall interview anxiety. Also, extraversion was indirectly associated with deceptive IM through interview anxiety. Results suggest that deceptive IM can be used as a protective mechanism to maintain self-esteem or to avoid the loss of rewards. This paper is the first to examine the role of interview anxiety in interview faking.

     

Executive functions and extraversion

Executive functions and extraversion have been linked to similar neurological substrates. Participants were tested on a variety of tasks that assessed performance on three components of executive functioning (i.e., shifting, updating, and inhibition) and two measures of extraversion (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised and Carver and White’s BIS/BAS scales). More extraverted participants showed different patterns of executive function performance than the more introverted participants. Extraverts performed best on more difficult tasks and on updating tasks. Conversely, introverts performed best on set shifting tasks. These results suggest that executive functioning strengths differ based on degree of extraversion.     

Voice Expression and Rated Extraversion

Eighteen Ss listened to neutral and emotional passages recorded by 22 speakers who had taken the Eysenck Personality Inventory. The estimates of extraversion arrived at by the 18 listener-judges did not correlate significantly with the EPI measure of extraversion. Despite this lack of criterion validity, some voices were clearly and reliably rated as more introverted or extraverted than others. The judges' own degree of extraversion was not a significant factor in the judgments.     

Measuring adolescents’ beliefs in conspiracy theories: Development and validation of the Adolescent Conspiracy Beliefs Questionnaire (ACBQ)

Four studies (total n = 961) developed and validated the Adolescent Conspiracy Beliefs Questionnaire (ACBQ). Initial items were developed in collaboration with teachers. An exploratory factor analysis (Study 1, n = 208, aged 11–14) and a student focus group (N = 3, aged 11) enabled us to establish the factor structure of a 9-item scale. This was replicated via confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2 (N = 178, aged 11–17), and the scale displayed good convergent (i.e., relationship with paranoia and mistrust) and discriminant validity (i.e., no relationship with extraversion). Study 3a (N = 257) further tested convergent validity with a sample of 18-year-olds (i.e., relationship with adult-validated measures of conspiracy beliefs) and demonstrated strong test–retest reliability. Study 3b (N = 318) replicated these findings with a mixed-age adult sample. The ACBQ will allow researchers to explore the psychological antecedents and consequences of conspiracy thinking in young populations.     

Personality trait scores among occupationally active bullied persons and witnesses to bullying

There is little research on the personalities and emotional stability of persons who report being bullied or witnessing bullying at work. Men and women (N = 247) from 19 to 64 years of age and in manual labour completed a questionnaire concerning the psychosocial work climate, bullying and personality. Three groups were defined: bullied (N = 14), witnesses (N = 31) and non-bullied respondents (N = 202). The Swedish universities Scale of Personality was used to assess personality traits related to the three major dimensions of neuroticism, extraversion, and aggressiveness. Bullied persons had higher scores on all six scales within the neuroticism dimension as well as higher irritability (aggressiveness dimension) and impulsiveness scores (extraversion dimension), when compared with their non-bullied work colleagues. To conclude, bullied persons display a self-image that is dominated by mistrust and embitterment as well as irritability and impulsiveness. Accordingly, when dealing with bullying at work, the need for ego-supportive actions should be considered in conjunction with more organisational, collective oriented action.     

Exploring personality preferences in relation to psychological career resources among managerial staff in the Western Cape fast food industry

The study explored the relationship between individuals' personality preferences (as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Form M) and their psychological career resources (as measured by the Psychological Career Resources Inventory) and whether the personality types differed significantly in terms of their psychological career resources. The participants were a non-probability sample (N?=?81; females?=?74%, blacks?=?78%) of managerial-level staff from five fast food franchise restaurants in the Western Cape, South Africa. Quantitative statistical procedures were used to explore the association between the participants' personality preferences and psychological career resources. Findings suggest introverted and extraverted personality type preferences to be significantly associated with the participants' psychological career resources. Major differences were observed for the introverted sensing feeling perceiving (ISFP), extraverted sensing feeling judging (ESFJ), introverted sensing feeling judging (ISFJ), extraverted sensing thinking judging (ESTJ) and introverted sensing thinking judging (ISTJ) personality types in their relationship to the career preference of variety/creativity, need for career growth/development, their self/other skills and social connectivity.     

Collaborative narration of the past and extraversion

We propose that collaborative narration is a process in which narrative identity develops, and we examine individual differences in extraversion in such narration. Two studies are presented: retrospective and experience sampling episodes of collaborative narration, the first with self-defining memories, the second with everyday narration. Across both studies, extraversion was associated with an increased frequency in collaborative narration. This finding was not explained by the ‘talkativeness’ item in the extraversion measures. Further, more extraverted people shared their self-defining memories with more people and were more comfortable sharing than less extraverted people, the impact of extraversion was specific to mutual reminiscence in everyday narration, and mutual reminiscence was more enjoyable for those who are more extraverted than introverted. Implications from these data for understanding individual differences in identity and narrative development are discussed.     

When I and me are different: assimilation and contrast in temporal self‐comparisons

In two studies, we show that comparisons with past or possible future selves shape current self‐evaluation and that the direction of this influence is determined by one's current comparison focus. In Study 1, participants primed to focus on similarities versus dissimilarities were asked to remember an introverted or extraverted past self and then to evaluate their current level of extraversion. Participants who focused on similarities assimilated current self‐evaluations to the past self, whereas those who focused on dissimilarities contrasted current self‐evaluations away from the past self. In Study 2, participants imagined a possible future self that differed from their current self in terms of body weight. Participants who imagined a moderate weight change exhibited assimilation to the possible self, whereas those who imagined an extreme weight change exhibited contrast. These studies highlight the important role cognitive factors such as comparison focus play in shaping the consequences of temporal self‐comparisons. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Extraversion, introversion, and visual interaction.

20 extraverts and 20 introverts were selected from a population of college students on the basis of their responses to the Maudsley Personality Inventory. These 40 young women were interviewed by one confederate of each sex. Six trained judges recorded visual and speech behavior by viewing through a one-way mirror and watching videotaped records. Analysis showed that extraverted women engaged in longer gazing than the introverted ones. The extraverted women gazed longer during listening than did introverted women. The proportion of time spent in gazing while speaking was not associated with extraversion. Also, women spent a greater proportion of time looking at a female interviewer than at a male interviewer.     

Personality traits and affective states: Relationships with and without affect induction

Substantial evidence shows that extraversion is related to positive affect (PA) and neuroticism is related to negative affect (NA), and there are several possible explanations for these relationships. The current paper replicates these findings and examines relationships between the other Big Five traits with general positive and negative states (N = 257). Agreeableness was negatively related to NA, while conscientiousness and openness were positively related to PA. Next, affect was induced and extraversion and conscientiousness predicted changes in affect following an affect-induction (N = 262). The current findings support some theoretical understandings of broad personality traits and their relationships to general affect, and also suggests some refinements.     

Compliance in crisis: Concern,trust and distrustful complacency in the COVID-19 pandemic

Two studies tested a distrustful complacency hypothesis, according to which either concern or political trust would be enough to sustain law-abiding attitudes and compliance with health-protective policies during the COVID-19 pandemic; but the absence of both concern and trust would result in markedly lower support and compliance. Study 1 supported this hypothesis with NatCen nationally representative sample of Great Britain (N = 2413; weighted regression analyses), focussing on law-abiding attitudes. Study 2 (preregistered) replicated these findings with a representative sample (N = 1523) investigating support for COVID-19 policies and compliant behaviour. Participants who were less concerned about the consequences of the pandemic (for themselves and for others) and simultaneously less trustful of the government expressed weaker law-abiding attitudes and reported less compliance with COVID-19 restrictions. These findings have implications for policy and public health strategies in time of crisis.