Personality characteristics associated with susceptibility to false memories

This study examined whether certain personality characteristics are associated with susceptibility to false memories. Participants first answered questions from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in order to measure various personality characteristics. They then watched a video excerpt, the simulated eyewitness event. They were next encouraged to lie about the videotaped event during an interview. A week later, some participants recognized confabulated events as being from the video. Two personality characteristics in particular--the introversion-extroversion and thinking-feeling dimensions--were associated with susceptibility to false memories.     

Personality variables related to shyness

Shyness has been a very common Finnish characteristic as social skills are manifest. Shy people may have a good empathetic listening but self-disclosure, another aspect of empathetic communication, is missing. Shyness refers to poor social skills more than a personality trait, which would have a more genetic background, as Finns have been genetically isolated for a long time. Shy persons show a mediocre empathy (good empathetic listening and sensitivity but poor self-disclosure), weak self-esteem, weak narcissism, and sometimes more burnout.     

Personality characteristics and event related potentials (ERP)

Our investigation deals with high interindividual variability of Event-Related-Potentials (ERP). We tried to find out systematic causes of these variability. In a performance situation 36 Ss were asked to solve arithmetical tasks. They got a weak electric shock applied at one finger when the result was wrong (negative feedback), at another finger when it was correct (positive feedback). The electrical stimulus triggered the ERPs. Special personality characteristics related to "need-achievement" (processing of success and failure) "and anxiety" had influence upon ERPs. We found various differences between ERPs following positive as well as negative feedback (success and failure) that point to the suggestion that there exist differences in processing feedback information in persons with different personality traits mentioned above.     

Personality characteristics of counselors rated as effective or ineffective

A study of 320 counselors in four states revealed substantial and significant correlations between tested personality characteristics and rated job performances. The Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI) was used to discriminate counselors rated as highly effective, as average in effectiveness, or as ineffective on a 28-point Satisfaction with Performance Blank (SWPB). Effectiveness ratings were completed for each counselor by three supervisors. Rated counselor effectiveness was positively correlated with the Social and Artistic codes of the VPI and negatively correlated with Realistic and Conventional scores. A regression formula with a cross-validation procedure was used to explain the variance of the supervisory ratings. Employment level—elementary, middle, or high school—was not related to other factors studied. Sex, age, certification, and degree status were of no significance in predicting rated effectiveness. Highly rated counselors had a group Holland code of Social-Artistic-Investigative (SAI) whereas counselors rated as ineffective had a Realistic-Coventional-Enterprising (RCE) group code. Individual variations were uncommon.     

Personality and susceptibility to positive and negative emotional states

Gray's (1981) theory suggests that extraverts and neurotics are differentially sensitive to stimuli that generate positive and negative affect, respectively. From this theory it was hypothesized that efficacy of a standard positive-affect induction would be more strongly related to extraversion than to neuroticism scores, whereas efficacy of a standard negative-affect induction would be more strongly related to neuroticism scores. Positive and negative affect was manipulated in a controlled setting, and the effectiveness of the mood induction was assessed using standard mood adjective rating scales. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that neurotic Ss (compared with stable Ss) show heightened emotional reactivity to the negative-mood induction, whereas extraverts (compared with intraverts) show heightened emotional reactivity to the positive-mood induction. Results corroborate and extend previous findings.     

Sex differences in susceptibility to social influence

Sex differences in compliance and persuasiveness were examined while varying the sex-role relevance of the stimulus. Undergraduate students were asked to respond to opinion statements previously discussed by a fictitious group. Subjects read the group's unanimous opinion accompanying each statement and were told they would participate in a discussion with this group. Some subjects responded to statements about female sex-role relevant activities and others to statements about male sex-role relevant activities. Sex of influence source was manipulated by showing subjects all male or all female names of group members. Compliance was measured by the extent to which a subject's response approximated the group's opinion. The results show that males were more compliant than females when the stimulus statements concerned female sex-role-related activities and that females were more easily influenced when they responded to statements about male sex-role-related activities. Further, subjects were somewhat more easily persuaded by women on female sex-role-related activities and more influenced by men's opinions on issues relevant for males.In most of the social influence literature, alterations in a subject's behavior in an experimental situation has been termed conformity. However, conformity may involve either private acceptance or overt alterations in behavior without cognitive change (i.e., compliance). Throughout this article the term compliance refers to shifts in behavior toward an immediate and transitory social influence (Sherif & Sherif, 1969, p. 191).     

Personality factors related to black teenage pregnancy and abortion

48 pregnant adolescents who applied for therapeutic abortions (TAs) were compared with 55 adolescents who planned to have their babies (Terms) and 67 adolescents who were not pregnant (Controls) on the California Psychological Inventory (CPI). All the subjects were single, black, and ages 15-16. CPI results point to psychological differences with the Controls being most socialized, followed by the TAs, and then the Terms. Term girls seem to be experiencing a void and appear to be trying to fill it by assuming an adult role and having a baby; the TAs do not seem to have these same needs. In addition, those girls who became pregnant and described the relationship with the putative father as casual, appear on the CPI to have more daily problems, lack socialization, be less clear thinking, and have poor self-control. Pregnant girls who have good communication with their mothers showed no differences on the CPI from girls with poor communication with their mothers.     

Personality factors in older women's perceived susceptibility to diseases of aging

Personality correlates of older women's perceived susceptibility to breast cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis were examined in a community sample of 312 women aged 40-86. A latent factor of general perceived susceptibility to disease was shown to underlie disease-specific perceptions of susceptibility. Affect-related personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, optimism, worry, and self-deceptive enhancement) and internal and chance health locus of control predicted general perceived susceptibility. Perceived disease characteristics (e.g., perceived controllability, severity) and the use of cognitive heuristics (i.e., perceived similarity to those who contract each disease) also displayed marked consistency across the three distinct diseases. Finally, our results suggested that general beliefs about the characteristics of health threats and the use of cognitive heuristics may mediate the link between personality traits and perceived risk.     

Personality characteristics of successful applicants to the priesthood

This study investigated personality characteristics of successful pastoral candidates to a major Catholic religious order. Personality measures (i.e., MMPI-2 and 16PF) were administered to 21 male applicants between 1990 and 1994 who subsequently entered into religious life. Results suggest that these clergy applicants were generally well-adjusted, socially responsible, and interpersonally sensitive. However, results also suggest a tendency for defensiveness. Coping with perceived negative impulses (i.e., anger and hostility) may also be an issue for many. Implications for future research are offered.