A behavior genetic analysis of personality and loneliness

The phenotypic, genetic, and environmental correlations between the Big Five factors of personality and loneliness were examined. At the phenotypic level, loneliness had a strong significant positive correlation with neuroticism, significant moderate negative correlations with agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion, and a small positive correlation with openness. Both loneliness and personality were found to be heritable. Bivariate genetic analyses resulted in significant positive genetic correlations between loneliness and neuroticism and openness, and significant negative genetic correlations with agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion. Significant unique environment correlations were found between loneliness and four of the five personality factors (all negative except neuroticism) and a non-significant correlation with openness. The results suggest common genetic and unique environmental factors play a role in personality and loneliness.     

Comparison of EPI and psychoticism scales with measures of the five-factor model of personality

The need for a comprehensive model of personality traits acceptable to the entire community of personality researches has often been acknowledged. In this article, two such models are compared. Eysenck scales measuring neuroticism, extraversion, psychoticism and lie are correlated with self-report and peer-rating measures of the five-factor model—neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness—in a sample of adult men and women. Findings suggest that: (1) neuroticism and extraversion factors from the two systems match well; (2) sociability and impulsivity are distinguishable traits, but both fall within the broad domain of extraversion; (3) the EPI L scale measures aspects of several substantive traits rather than a response bias; (4) openness to experience is not well-represented in the Eysenck system; and (5) psychoticism corresponds most closely to the low poles of agreeableness and conscientiousness.     

Personality and Substance Use in Midlife: Conscientiousness as a Moderator and the Effects of Trait Change

Personality traits predict substance use in adolescence, but less is known about prospective substance use in middle age and beyond. Moreover, there is growing interest in how personality change and the multiplicative effects among personality traits relate to substance use. Participants included approximately 4000 adults aged 25-74 who participated in two waves of the Midlife in the US (MIDUS) study. Higher levels of neuroticism, extraversion, openness, and lower levels of conscientiousness and agreeableness predicted longitudinal substance use. Increases in neuroticism and openness predicted increased substance use while increases in conscientiousness and agreeableness predicted decreased substance use. Higher levels of conscientiousness moderated two of the other trait main effects. Personality, trait change, and interactions among traits reliably forecasted 10-year substance-use behaviors.     

Personality development in old age relates to physical health and cognitive performance: Evidence from the Berlin Aging Study II

We examine how late-life personality development relates to overall morbidity as well as specific performance-based indicators of physical and cognitive functioning in 1,232 older adults in the Berlin Aging Study II (aged 65–88 years). Latent growth models indicated that, on average, neuroticism and conscientiousness decline over time, whereas extraversion and openness increase and agreeableness remains stable. Higher morbidity and worse grip strength were associated with higher neuroticism. Lower grip strength was further associated with lower openness, attenuated increases in extraversion, decreases in agreeableness and accelerated declines in conscientiousness. Moreover, those with poor perceptual speed reported higher neuroticism and lower conscientiousness. We also found age- and gender-differential associations between physical health and cognitive performance with levels of and changes in personality.     

Personality development in emerging adulthood: integrating evidence from self-ratings and spouse ratings

The authors examined self-ratings and spouse ratings in a young adult newlywed sample across a 2-year interval. Rank-order stability correlations were consistently high and did not differ across the 2 types of ratings. As expected, self-ratings showed significant increases in conscientiousness and agreeableness--and declines in neuroticism/negative affectivity--over time. Spouse ratings yielded a very different pattern, however, showing significant decreases in conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, and openness across the study interval. Spouse ratings also showed evidence of a "honeymoon effect," such that they tended to be more positive than self-ratings at Time 1. This effect had dissipated by the 2nd assessment; in fact, the spouse ratings tended to be more negative at Time 2. Analyses of individual-level change revealed little convergence between self- and spouse-rated change, using both raw change scores and reliable change index scores. Finally, correlational and regression analyses indicated that changes in spouse ratings were significantly associated with changes in marital satisfaction; in contrast, changes in self-ratings essentially were unrelated to marital satisfaction. These results highlight the value of collecting multimethod data in studies of adult personality development.     

Reciprocal relationships between personality traits and psychological well-being

This study used an American sample collected over a period of approximately 2 decades (at 3 time points) to examine the temporal relationships between psychological well-being and personality traits (i.e., neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience). The random-intercept cross-lagged panel model was used to separate between-person and within-person sources of variation. Between-person correlations were comparable to those of previous studies. New insights were gained at the within-person level. There were reciprocal relationships between psychological well-being and openness and extraversion, suggesting the joint development of plasticity-related traits and well-being over time. The relationships between psychological well-being and conscientiousness and agreeableness were unidirectional, with psychological well-being preceding these traits. Despite a strong between-person association between neuroticism and psychological well-being, the two were not related at the within-person level.     

中学生压力生活事件、人格特点对压力应对的影响

本研究对329名中学生进行了问卷调查,试图探讨压力生活事件,人格特点和压力应对三者之间的关系.研究发现(1)中学生的压力生活事件主要来自于学习、父母、老师和同伴、环境、自我发展和时间6个方面,其中学习压力是中学生的主要压力;(2)中学生的人格可以用五因素来描述,即外向性、宜人性、谨慎性、开放性和情绪性;(3)中学生的应对压力方式主要有主动型应对和回避型应对;(4)人格五因素中的谨慎性、开放性和宜人性对主动型应对具有正向预测作用.年级变量和人格五因素中的外向性和开放性对回避型应对既有直接影响,又通过影响压力强度对回避型应对起间接作用.     

Personality and culture: a comparison of Francophones and Anglophones in Québec

The authors compared the personality characteristics of Québec Francophones (25 women, 25 men) and Anglophones (25 women, 25 men) aged 16-64 years. Each participant completed a French or English version of 3 personality inventories that measured (a) extraversion (2 scales), (b) neuroticism (2 scales), (c) psychoticism, (d) lying, (e) openness to experience, (f) conscientiousness, (g) agreeableness, (h) conservatism, and (i) altruism. Francophones scored higher than did Anglophones on psychoticism and on 1 measure of extraversion, and Anglophones scored higher than did Francophones on conservatism, but the 2 groups did not differ on the other personality traits. Men scored higher than did women on psychoticism, and women scored higher than did men on conscientiousness and agreeableness. Conservatism and altruism increased with age. The authors discuss the results in the context of cross-cultural theory and research on personality.     

Personality Correlates of Depressive Style in Autobiographies of Creative Achievers

This study compared neurotic and depressive personality characteristics in creative achievers versus eminent but non-creative achievers. Forty-eight subjects' (25 men, 23 women) autobiographies were assessed by trained raters on personality using the California Q-Set. Creative achievers included literary and visual artists whereas the control group consisted of political, military and social leaders. The Q-Set ratings were used to assess the five factors of personality (neuroticism, extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness). Neuroticism was further divided into subscales that assessed depressive style, impulsivity and anxiety. Results showed that creative achievers were rated significantly higher than controls on general neuroticism, as well as on depressive style and impulsivity. Creative achievers did not differ from controls in anxiety. It was also found that creative achievers were rated significantly higher than controls on openness to experience and agreeableness, but lower on conscientiousness. None of the effects for creativity was affected by subjects' sex.     

A longitudinal study into the link between adolescent personality and peer-rated likeability and adjustment: Evidence of gender differences

We explored the possibility that male and female adolescents respond differently to the personality traits of their male and female peers. Students (381 boys; 389 girls) completed personality measures in Grades 7 (Mean age 12.28) through 10, and completed peer-ratings of adjustment and likeability in Grades 9 and 10. Analyses indicated that girls’ adjustment ratings were influenced by boys’ level of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and Eysenckian psychoticism, whereas boys’ ratings were relatively uninfluenced by these characteristics in girls. Girls and boys liked extraversion in the opposite-gender more than they liked it in the same gender. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding peer relationships and gender differences.     

Personality characteristics that are valued in teams: Not always “more is better”?

This study investigates the relationships between personality traits and contributions to teamwork that are often assumed to be linear. We use a theory‐driven approach to propose that extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness have inverted U‐shaped relationships with contributions to teamwork. In a sample of 220 participants asked to perform a creative task in teams, we found that extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness were curvilinearly associated with peer‐rated contributions to teamwork in such a way that the associations were positive, with a decreasing slope, up to a peak, and then they became negative as personality scores further increased. We replicated the results concerning the non‐linear association between extraversion, conscientiousness and peer‐rated contributions to teamwork in a sample of 314 participants engaged in a collaborative learning exercise. Our results support recent claims and empirical evidence that explorations of personality–work‐related behaviours relationships should move beyond the linearity assumptions. We conclude by discussing the implications of our research for personnel selection.     

Personality traits of Russians from the observer's perspective

Data were collected by the members of the Russian character and personality survey from 39 samples in 33 administrative areas of the Russian Federation. Respondents (N = 7065) identified an ethnically Russian adult or college‐aged man or woman whom they knew well and rated the target using the Russian observer rating version of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, which measures neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness. Factor analyses within samples showed that the factor structure of an international sample combining data from 50 different cultures was well replicated in all 39 Russian samples. Sex differences replicated the known pattern in all samples, demonstrating that women scored higher than men on most of the neuroticism, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness facet scales. Cross‐sectional analyses demonstrated consistent age differences for four factors: Older individuals compared to younger ones were less extraverted and open but more agreeable and conscientious. The mean levels of traits were similar in all 39 samples. Although in general personality traits in Russians closely followed the universal pattern, some reliable culture‐specific effects were also found that future studies can help interpret. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Validity of Big Five personality judgments in childhood: a 9 year longitudinal study

In a 9 year longitudinal study over childhood, the Big Five personality traits were assessed at ages 4–6 by teacher Q‐sorts, at age 10 by parental Q‐sorts, and at age 12 by parental and friend ratings on bipolar adjective scales. The Big Five Q‐sort indices were based on definitions proposed by John, Caspi, Robins, Moffitt, and Stouthamer‐Loeber ( 1994 ) for adolescent boys. They were related to judgments and behavioural observations of inhibition and aggressiveness, and to antecedents and consequences of school achievement such as IQ and cognitive self‐esteem. Neuroticism and low extraversion correlated with social inhibition, low agreeableness and low conscientiousness with aggressiveness, and conscientiousness and/or culture/intellect/openness with antecedents and outcomes of school achievement. These correlations were consistently found throughout childhood. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Validation of the five-factor model of personality across instruments and observers

Two data sources--self-reports and peer ratings--and two instruments--adjective factors and questionnaire scales--were used to assess the five-factor model of personality. As in a previous study of self-reports (McCrae & Costa, 1985b), adjective factors of neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness-antagonism, and conscientiousness-undirectedness were identified in an analysis of 738 peer ratings of 275 adult subjects. Intraclass correlations among raters, ranging from .30 to .65, and correlations between mean peer ratings and self-reports, from .25 to .62, showed substantial cross-observer agreement on all five adjective factors. Similar results were seen in analyses of scales from the NEO Personality Inventory. Items from the adjective factors were used as guides in a discussion of the nature of the five factors. These data reinforce recent appeals for the adoption of the five-factor model in personality research and assessment.     

A meta‐analytic review of the Big Five personality factors and accident involvement in occupational and non‐occupational settings

Although a number of studies have examined individual personality traits and their influence on accident involvement, consistent evidence of a predictive relationship is lacking due to contradictory findings. The current study reports a meta‐analysis of the relationship between accident involvement and the Big Five personality dimensions (extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness). Low conscientiousness and low agreeableness were found to be valid and generalizable predictors of accident involvement, with corrected mean validities of .27 and .26, respectively. The context of the accident acts as a moderator in the personality–accident relationship, with different personality dimensions associated with occupational and non‐occupational accidents. Extraversion was found to be a valid and generalizable predictor of traffic accidents, but not occupational accidents. Avenues for further research are highlighted and discussed.     

Personality and student self-handicapping: A cross-validated regression approach

Researchers have suggested that self-handicapping is a function of personality. According to the Five Factor Model, personality can be understood in terms of openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Ross et al. (2002) found lower conscientiousness predicted higher self-handicapping. However, their study was limited by the use of concurrent data. As a result, the purpose of this study was to (1) replicate the findings of Ross et al. (2002) in predicting self-handicapping from conscientiousness and neuroticism, and (2) extend on those findings by cross-validating the prediction equation in a longitudinal sample. The results essentially replicated the findings of Ross et al. (2002), and demonstrated the relationship between personality and self-handicapping tendencies was stable over a one-semester timeframe.     

Selective residential mobility and social influence in the emergence of neighborhood personality differences: Longitudinal data from Australia

This study examined the role of selective residential mobility and differential personality development in the emergence of associations between personality and two neighborhood characteristics: urban–rural residence and neighborhood affluence. Participants were 19,665 individuals from the longitudinal Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) study with personality traits assessed in 2005, 2009, and 2013. Urban and more affluent neighborhoods were both characterized by higher openness to experience, extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness. Overall, selective residential mobility was more important for urban–rural differences whereas both selective residential mobility and social influence contributed to correlations with neighborhood affluence. Simulated data based on the regression models produced correlations that were very close to the empirical correlations, suggesting that the empirical correlations could feasibly emerge within a 30-year period.     

The five factor model of personality and alexithymia: A meta-analysis

The main objective of the study was to examine the relationship between the Five Factor Model of Personality and alexithymia. Data were collected from 25 studies, which included 30 independent samples, 1384 effect sizes, and 7440 participants. All analyses were conducted with random effects models. Greater neuroticism and lower extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were associated with higher cognitive alexithymia. Greater neuroticism and openness to experience were linked to lower affective alexithymia. Additionally, age moderated the relationship between the Five Factor Model of Personality and cognitive alexithymia, in that the association between neuroticism and alexithymia became stronger with age whereas the relations of extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness with alexithymia became weaker with age.