Defensive style and performance on objective personality measures

Two studies on the relations between various styles of defense and the power or validity of self-reports on objective personality questionnaires. The power of individual items on the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control scale to discriminate between subjects defined as internals or externals by a median-cut procedure using the total score was not affected by the presence Or absence of a projective defensive style. However, the presence of repressive tendencies did appear to restrict item power. Prediction from two achievement scales taken from Gough's California Psychological Inventory was not influenced by level of repression, was affected somewhat adversely by a projective style, and was most clearly contaminated by a rationalizing defense. It was proposed that the differential effects of defensive styles upon the validity of personality tests depended upon the convergence or divergence of the cognitive operations involved in the type of defense and in the type of personality measure.     

Conducting and interpreting canonical correlation analysis in personality research: a user-friendly primer

The purpose of this article is to reduce potential statistical barriers and open doors to canonical correlation analysis (CCA) for applied behavioral scientists and personality researchers. CCA was selected for discussion, as it represents the highest level of the general linear model (GLM) and can be rather easily conceptualized as a method closely linked with the more widely understood Pearson r correlation coefficient. An understanding of CCA can lead to a more global appreciation of other univariate and multivariate methods in the GLM. We attempt to demonstrate CCA with basic language, using technical terminology only when necessary for understanding and use of the method. We present an entire example of a CCA analysis using SPSS (Version 11.0) with personality data.     

Child personality and parental behavior as moderators of problem behavior: variable- and person-centered approaches

Parenting x Child Personality interactions in predicting child externalizing and internalizing behavior were investigated in a variable-centered study and a person-centered study. The variable-centered study used data from a 3-year longitudinal study of 600 children 7 to 15 years old at Time 1 and 512 children 10 to 18 years old at Time 2. Parents rated child personality (five factor model), negative control, positive parenting, and child problem behavior, whereas children rated parental behavior. Hierarchical moderated regression analyses showed significant Parenting x Child Personality (benevolence and conscientiousness) interactions, principally for externalizing behavior. The interactions were largely replicable across informants and across time. The person-centered study, which classified participants into 3 types, showed that negative parental control was more related to externalizing behavior for undercontrollers than for resilients. Negative parental control enhanced internalizing behavior for overcontrollers.     

Detection of dissimulation with the new generation of objective personality measures

This study investigated the effectiveness of two recently developed measures of psychopathology—the Basic Personality Inventory (BPI) and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial (Inventory-II) (MCMI-II) in detecting dissimulation (i.e., faking good and faking bad). Both personality measures have developed special ‘validity scales’ to discern dissimulating responses. Ninety-one undergraduate students completed the two personality scales under one of three instructional sets: fake good, fake bad, and honest. In general, the results indicated that both scales were effective in distinguishing the groups from one another. The MCMI-II was better at detecting fake bad responding, while the BPI appeared to be more effective in detecting fake good responding. These differences in identifying fake good and fake bad response styles can be attributed to the method in which the scales were constructed.     

Eating behavior and personality: an exploratory analysis

An explonatory study on a university student sample (N = 67) shows that scores on Restraint, Disinhibition and Hunger of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) of Stunkard and Messick (1985) are not associated with EPQ and MMPI personality dimensions. However, Restraint and EPQ Psychoticism load on the same Varimax-rotated factor and low predictability of TFEQ factor scores was found for some MMPI scales. Restraint and Disinhibition appeared significantly intercorrelated in the whole sample and in the sex-based subsamples. It is suggested that TFEQ scores are complementary to personality tests in the evaluation of eating behavior disorders.     

A search for parenting style: a cross-situational analysis of parental behavior

Cross-situational stability in parents' emotional warmth and guidance was studied by observing parents (N = 77, M age = 38 years) with their school-aged child in 2 dyadic problem-solving situations and in a family discussion concerning a moral dilemma. The observational data were coded by independent observers using dimensional ratings and dichotomous frequency counts as the 2 coding procedures. These procedures yielded a similar pattern of findings. Parents tended to behave consistently across situations, although the type of situation did affect the amount of emotional warmth and guidance manifested by the parent. Stability was further analyzed by means of structural equation modeling to test whether variance in parents' emotional warmth and guidance across situations was attributable to a generalized parenting style factor. A Parenting Style factor was identified that reflected the parents' child-centeredness; this factor explained, in part, parental behavior within each situation, although contextual factors also contributed to situation-specific variations from task to task.     

Predicting personality and behavior: a boundary on the acquaintanceship effect.

Recent research has shown that interjudge agreement in personality ratings increases with acquaintanceship. The present study sought to replicate and extend this finding by investigating the relation between acquaintanceship and behavioral prediction. A total of 138 undergraduate targets were videotaped while interacting with an opposite-sex partner in 3 situations. The targets also completed 5 personality measures. Results indicated that acquaintances' judgments predicted personality scores much better than did strangers' judgments, but acquaintances' and strangers' judgments did equally well at predicting behavior. Implications for research on the accuracy of personality judgments are discussed.     

Recalled parental bonding,current attachment,and the triarchic conceptualisation of psychopathy

The current investigation examined whether attachment functioning might mediate the effects of parenting on traits associated with psychopathy. Participants completed the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale, and the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure within a cross-sectional design. Whilst several recalled parenting variables demonstrated significant correlations with the psychopathy subscales, mediation analyses confirmed that the majority of these effects were mediated by current attachment anxiety and avoidance. Only paternal overprotection maintained a significant direct effect on levels of disinhibition. These findings provide support for the argument that attachment dysfunction may represent a potential mechanism through which parenting practices contribute to the emergence of psychopathy-related traits. Inferences regarding causality and mechanisms of effect are naturally constrained by the cross-sectional design of the current investigation, but the preliminary findings presented warrant further examination within prospective designs.     

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.     

Marriage and personality: a genetic analysis

There is substantial evidence that married people fare better than their unmarried peers on many life outcome variables. The authors asked whether self-selection might partially explain these benefits through genetic influences on personality contributing to propensity to marry. Using a population-based sample of 4,225 women and 2,869 men that included 2,527 complete twin pairs, the authors investigated the phenotypic associations between personality and propensity to marry, the heritability of propensity to marry, and the extent of genetic influence on the link between personality and propensity to marry. The results suggest that propensity to marry is heritable and that the phenotypic link between personality and propensity to marry is genetically influenced.     

Age patterns of childbearing: a canonical analysis

A cross-sectional study of maternal age-specific birthrates was conducted in an attempt to gain insight into age patterns of childbearing. The age specific fertility rates were considered as the dependent variable set. These 6 variables consisted of 1970 live births to women in the age groups 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, and 40-44. The age-specific fertility rates were calculated for each of the 338 New York City health areas that are the sampling units. The canonical analysis used is a multivariate method of exploring these patterns which provides a means for dealing with some of the difficult analytical problems encountered. The relationships of fertility patterns with sets of variables reflecting housing, income and occupation, education and labor force participation, marital patterns, and ethnicity are explored for New York City neighborhoods. 3 dimensions of childbearing emerged with high consistency across the variable sets - roughly describable as early, middle and late fertility. The 1st pattern - high early fertility and particularly teen-age childbearing - is identified with the poorest areas of the city. The income, occupation, education and unemployment figures in these areas are consistent with a minimal preceived penalty for early childbearing. The 2nd dimension - birthrates of women ages 25-34 - identifies another distinctive group of areas. Many low income women at this age continue to bear children at moderate rates; middle income women bear the children they postponed having in the earlier years. The late childbearing group seems best understood as attributable to religious and ethnically related differences among areas. The 1st dimension is the most important for the perspective of the impact on population growth.     

Investigating the interplay between adolescent personality,parental control,and externalizing problem behavior across adolescence

This study explored transactional associations among adolescent personality (i.e., conscientiousness, agreeableness), parental control (i.e., proactive, punitive, psychological control), and externalizing problem behavior (i.e., aggressive or rule-breaking behavior). A three-wave longitudinal study across a two-year time span provided questionnaire data from 1,116 adolescents (M_age Wave 1 = 13.79, 51% boys), 841 mothers, and 724 fathers that was used in random intercept cross-lagged panel models. At the between-person level, adolescent personality, parental control, and externalizing problem behavior were significantly associated. Concerning the within-person level, conscientiousness showed reciprocal associations with externalizing problem behavior (negative), with agreeableness (positive) and punitive control (negative). Our findings observed a reciprocity between adolescent personality and externalizing problem behavior, but also suggest a role for parental control in this interplay.     

Relationship of scores on two personality measures: creativity and self-image.

This study investigated the relationship between self-image and creativity in late adolescence. The multidimensional Offer Self-image Questionnaire was used to assess self-image while the How Do You Think Inventory was used to measure creativity. The results were similar to investigations indicating superior socioemotional functioning among gifted adolescents. More creatively scoring subjects (n = 65) exhibited better psychosocial functioning on six of the eleven self-image dimensions measured than the less creatively scoring subjects (n = 69). Concomitant with their more heightened self-assurance was subjects' expressed greater confidence in social competence. The findings are contrary to the profile that depicts creative individuals as socially and emotionally deficient.     

The wit: a personality analysis

Fifty-eight undergraduate psychology students were group tested on 12 variables thought to be related to the successful prediction of wit. In addition to a score on wit, scores on creativity, verbal fluency, need for play, need for impulsivity, self-confidence, dominance, exhibition, change, autonomy, personal adjustment, authoritarianism, and sex group were obtained. The results were analyzed in a stepwise multiple regression analysis. A significant Pearson product-moment correlation was obtained between wit and creativity (p < .01) and between wit and personal adjustment (p < .05). The multiple regression analysis indicated that creativity was the best single significant predictor of wit. Personal adjustment, in combination with creativity, provided the next highest significant contribution. The results are discussed and suggestions for further research are posited.