Integrating immigrant minorities: developing a scale to measure majority members' attitudes toward their own proactive efforts

The present study is based on the premise that the integration of ethnic minorities may involve more than the majority's expression of tolerance. In order to promote inclusion, the majority may have to play a more active role in the integration process. We describe the development and validation of a new psychometric scale which assesses majority members' attitudes toward their own proactive contribution to the integration of immigrants within three domains: cultural and structural efforts, and openness to diversity. The scale is investigated by analyses of internal structure and exploration of construct validity in relation to relevant social psychological and personality constructs in a sample of 486 Norwegian university students (28% male, mean age = 26.5, SD = 6.08). Factor analyses supported a unidimensional structure and the estimated reliability of an additive scale was satisfactory (Cronbach's α = 0.91). The scale correlated negatively with measures of right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation, and positively with global identity. It was weakly related to the personality traits agreeableness, intellect, extraversion, and conscientiousness. The potential utility of the scale in both applied and experimental social psychological studies are discussed.     

Understanding pro‐environmental intentions by integrating insights from social mobility,cosmopolitanism, and social dominance

To offer an integrative account bridging individuals’ sociocultural orientations with pro‐environmentalism, the current research tested the mediating and moderating relationships among pro‐environmental intentions and three person‐level factors: perceived social mobility, cosmopolitan orientation, and social dominance orientation (SDO). With a Singaporean college student sample (N = 220), we found support for the hypothesized second‐stage moderation model that perceived social mobility positively predicts cosmopolitan orientation, and in turn, cosmopolitan orientation is moderated by SDO to positively predict pro‐environmental intentions. Specifically, lower levels of SDO strengthen the pro‐environmental advantages of endorsing higher levels of cosmopolitan orientation. These findings add novel knowledge to the environmental psychology literature by advancing an integrative approach that demonstrates how the interplay of people's perceptions about the social, cultural, and group standing impacts their likelihood to engage in pro‐environmental actions. We discuss the implications that an egalitarian worldview toward other cultures, social groups, and human–nature relations might be the key to addressing the global challenge of climate change.     

Supporting immigrant cultural rights: The roles of deprovincialization and identity continuity

This research examines the role of deprovincialization, conceptualized in terms of a nuanced perspective on one’s in-group culture, for majority members’ support for immigrants’ cultural practices and expressive rights. In three studies using data from samples drawn from nationally representative panels in the Netherlands (additionally analyzed in an internal meta-analysis of N = 1,791), it was found that deprovincialization is a unique and robust predictor of support for immigrant rights, above and beyond prejudicial feelings, political orientation, level of education, gender, age, and religious affiliation. Furthermore, deprovincialization was found to be independent of national identification, which in previous research has been used as a proxy for deprovincialization. Additionally and in trying to conceptually replicate the pattern of findings (Studies 2 and 3), two different measures of perceived concern about the continuity of the in-group culture and identity were found to weaken the deprovincialization-support association. The findings go beyond existing research by focusing on the cultural openness understanding of deprovincialization and demonstrating the robust importance of how majority members understand their in-group for their support of immigrants’ practices and rights.     

Belief in a just world and social dominance orientation: Evidence for a mediational pathway predicting negative attitudes and discrimination against individuals with mental illness

Prejudice against individuals with mental illness stems from multiple factors, including the personality traits of those harboring the prejudiced attitudes. However, little is known about the personality processes (as opposed to static correlates) leading to negative attitudes and discrimination toward individuals with mental illness. The present research tested a mediational model in which negative attitudes against such people and resulting intentions to discriminate are distally rooted in just-world beliefs, which predispose people toward higher social dominance orientation, a well-known proximal personality predictor of general prejudice. Participants completed measures of behavioral intentions, attitudes toward individuals with mental illness, social dominance orientation, and belief in a just world. The proposed mediational model was supported, and an alternative causal model was not. These results illuminate the personality-process antecedents of attitudes toward individuals with mental illness and provide a foundation for research targeting interventions intended to reduce prejudice and discrimination against this population.     

Exploring the relationship between the Five-Factor Model of personality,social factors and self-reported delinquency

The ‘Big Five’ is one of the predominant models of personality structure but relatively little research has focussed on how the five factors might be related to self reported offending separately for males and females. This is problematic for understanding the relationship between personality and offending as females and males typically have different personality profiles and differ considerably in self-reported offending. In this research 720 adolescents (376 males and 344 females) completed a Big Five personality measure along with measures of self-reported offending, socioeconomic status and family structure. The results suggested that low agreeableness and low conscientiousness were independently related to the prevalence of self-reported offending for males and that low agreeableness was independently related to frequent male offending. Low conscientiousness was independently related to female offending, but so too were interactions between disrupted family and extraversion and disrupted family and openness. The interaction between extraversion and a disrupted family was also independently related to frequent female offending. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.     

The Contribution of Personality Traits,Motivation, Academic Risk-Taking and Metacognition to the Creative Ability in Mathematics

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which personality traits, motivation, academic risk-taking, and metacognition explain the mathematical creative ability of high school students. The participants were 217 9th-grade students that were exceptionally high achievers. The participants responded to a set of measures about personality traits, motivation, academic risk-taking, metacognition, and creative ability in mathematics. The results revealed that although openness to experience and consciousness were significantly correlated with creative ability in mathematics, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism were not correlated with the creativity scores. Moreover, intrinsic goal orientation followed by openness to experience was the most significant predictor of mathematical creative ability. Academic risk-taking was not significantly correlated with creative ability. Although knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition showed moderate correlations with creative ability in mathematics, they failed to predict creative ability.     

The Relation Between Different Facets of Creativity and the Dark Side of Personality

This study examined the relation between different facets of creativity and personality, focusing on the dark side of personality. In a sample of 247 students, psychometric measures for the assessment of the dark triad of personality (subclinical narcissism, Machiavellianism, subclinical psychopathy), personality organization (structural deficit: identity diffusion, primitive defenses, reality testing), and the conventional 5 Factor personality variables were administered. Creativity was operationalized via divergent thinking measures and via self-assessment creativity scales. Regression analyses revealed openness as strongest predictor for both self-estimated creativity and divergent thinking performance. Self-estimated creativity was also significantly predicted by narcissism and reduced reality testing. Correlational analyses further revealed that divergent thinking performance was weakly negatively correlated with Machiavellianism and subclinical psychopathy, but it was positively associated with openness and extraversion. According to our findings, facets of the bright side of personality (such as openness) seem to have a much stronger link to creativity than less desirable personality traits do.     

Individual Differences in Religion and Spirituality: An Issue of Personality Traits and/or Values

Personality, in terms of both strict personality traits (five factors) and their cultural adaptations (e.g., values), has systematically been found to predict religion. This article focuses on three issues that still remain unclear: predictiveness of personality facets versus the five factors; predictiveness of values versus personality; and similarities and differences between religiosity and spirituality in their associations with personality and values. We administered the NEO-PI-R, the Schwartz Value Survey, and religious measures to Spanish students (N = 256). The personality facets provided additional and subtler information than the five factors on individual differences in religion and spirituality. When the overlap between personality and values was controlled for, values were almost unique predictors of these differences. Spirituality shared with religion both a prosocial tendency (with even some intensification) and conscientiousness, but not the emphasis on conservation versus openness to change and to experience.     

Personality predicts innovation and social learning in children: Implications for cultural evolution

Innovation and social learning are the pillars of cultural evolution, allowing cultural behaviours to cumulatively advance over generations. Yet, little is known about individual differences in the use of social and asocial information. We examined whether personality influenced 7-11-year-old children's (N = 282) propensity to elect to observe others first or independently generate solutions to novel problems. Conscientiousness was associated with electing for no demonstrations, while agreeableness was associated with opting for demonstrations. For children receiving demonstrations, openness to experience consistently predicted deviation from observed methods. Children who opted for no demonstrations were also more likely than those opting for demonstrations to exhibit tool manufacture on an innovation challenge and displayed higher creativity, as measured by an alternate uses task. These results highlight how new cultural traditions emerge, establish and advance by identifying which individuals generate new cultural variants in populations and which are influential in the diffusion of these variants, and help reduce the apparent tension within the ‘ratchet’ of cumulative culture.     

Childhood cognitive ability,education, and personality traits predict attainment in adult occupational prestige over 17 years

This study explored a longitudinal data set of nearly 5000 adults examining the effects of childhood cognitive ability (measured at age 11), parental social class (measured at birth), and personality on current occupational prestige (all measured at age 50), taking account the effects of education and the previous occupational levels (both measured at age 33). Participants' levels of occupational attainment significantly went up from age 33 to age 50. Correlational analysis showed childhood cognitive ability, parental social class, education and occupation, and personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, emotional stability) were all significantly associated with current occupational prestige. The strongest correlates of current occupational levels were educational qualifications, followed by childhood cognitive ability, parental social class, and personality traits. Structural equation modelling showed that for the change of occupation over 17 years, the strongest predictor was education, followed by childhood intelligence. Personality traits (extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness) had modest but significant influence in the upgrading of occupational attainment over the period of time, and parental social status predicted occupational change mediated through education and initial occupational levels. Education and childhood intelligence are more powerful predictors of current occupational prestige than personality factors or family social background. The implications for policy making and equal opportunities for education are discussed.     

It’s security,stupid! Voters’ perceptions of immigrants as a security risk predicted support for Donald Trump in the 2016 US presidential election

We analyzed two datasets to determine the predictive validity of four explanations of support for Donald Trump during the 2016 US presidential election: (a) security concerns regarding immigrants, (b) economic concerns regarding immigrants, (c) cultural concerns regarding immigrants, and (d) social dominance orientation. Results of a two‐phase study (N = 354) suggested that perceiving immigrants as a security concern was predictive of increased support for and greater odds of voting for Donald Trump three weeks later. Perceiving immigrants as an economic threat predicted odds of voting for Donald Trump, but only among liberals and there was no evidence of cultural concern or social dominance orientation (SDO) predicting support for Donald Trump or odds of voting for Trump. A follow‐up analysis of the cross‐sectional ANES survey corroborated that security concerns were an important correlate of voting for Trump, but also that SDO was correlated with having previously voted for Donald Trump. While our two‐phase study has the benefit of prediction, the cross‐sectional ANES data does not—“predictors” in these data were collected up to two months post‐election.     

The Big Five personality traits,Big Two metatraits and social media: A meta-analysis

This article reported a meta-analysis of the relationships between social network site use and the Big Five (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) as well as the Big Two (plasticity and stability) personality meta-traits. A random effect meta-analysis model was used to calculate the meta-results of Big Five. Extraversion and openness were the strongest predictor of SNS activities (e.g. gaming, SNS interaction, etc.), while conscientiousness, neuroticism, and agreeableness only correlated with a few of the SNS activities. A meta-analytical structural equation model further demonstrated that plasticity was positively correlated with SNS activities, whereas stability was a negative predictor. Practical implications for social media industry and users were discussed.     

Extraversion,Openness to Experience,and Global Career Intention: The Mediating Role of Cultural Intelligence

Drawing from social cognitive career theory, this study asserts that the personality traits of extraversion and openness to experience are positively and significantly related to global career intention (GCI). Moreover, drawing from self‐efficacy theory, this study asserts that cultural intelligence mediates the relationship between these personality traits and GCI. Results from a study in Australia of 158 undergraduate students demonstrated that extraversion and openness to experience are positively and significantly related to GCI. Results also showed that cultural intelligence partially mediates the relationship between (a) extraversion and GCI and (b) openness to experience and GCI.     

The MMPI-2 as a predictor of symptom change following treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder

This study sought to examine the impact of personality factors on symptom change following treatment for 141 Vietnam veterans with chronic combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989). A series of partial correlation and linear multivariate regression analyses identified social alienation, associated with anger and substance use, as the most potent negative predictor of symptom change. Of the scales assessing personality disorder, Borderline Personality was identified as the strongest negative predictor of outcome. Regression analyses examining the most salient scales identified 5 items that contributed 14% of the variance in the prediction of change scores independently of the 21% accounted for by pretreatment PTSD severity.     

Spelling and Writing Self-efficacy of Indo-Canadian and Anglo-Canadian Early Adolescents

Most studies of academic self-efficacy have been conducted with culturally Western populations, with very few studies exploring the self-efficacy beliefs of South Asian or South Asian immigrant populations. This study examined the spelling and writing self-efficacy beliefs of 151 South Asian (Indo-Canadian Punjabi Sikh immigrants) and Anglo-Canadian early adolescents. Domain-specific self-efficacy was a strong predictor of spelling and writing performance for both cultural groups. Male Indo-Canadians scored significantly lower than female Indo-Canadians on most measures of performance and self-efficacy. The findings were situated in relevant cross-cultural self-efficacy research and the current multicultural social context.     

Contesting orientations,self-determined motivation,and sportspersonship: Further validation of the contesting orientations scale

ObjectivesTo examine the factorial validity of the Contesting Orientations Scale (COS) in a large sample of intercollegiate student-athletes, as well as to extend evidence of the COS’ concurrent validity by examining its relationship to autonomous and controlled motivations in sport. The ability of contesting orientations to predict sportspersonship over and above autonomous and controlled motivations was also examined.DesignCross-sectional and correlational.MethodsFive hundred and forty-four intercollegiate US athletes (57.2% male) from individual and team sports completed measures of contesting orientations, autonomous and controlled motivations, and sportspersonship.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the factorial validity of the COS, while correlational results supported its concurrent construct validity, with autonomous motivation associated with higher levels of partnership orientation and controlled motivation associated with higher levels of war orientation. In addition, sequential regression analyses supported the predictive utility of contesting orientations, with partnership orientation emerging as a significant positive predictor of four – and war orientation a negative predictor of three – dimensions of sportspersonship. Mediation analyses suggested that contesting orientations may partially mediate the relationship between autonomous and controlled motivations for some dimensions of sportspersonship.ConclusionsThe COS is a valid and reliable measure of contesting orientations. Partnership and war contesting orientations, moreover, add significantly to the prediction of sportspersonship over and above autonomous and controlled motivations. In practice, if the goal is to promote good sportspersonship, coaches and other adults involved in competitive sport should emphasize a partnership contesting orientation in addition to more autonomous forms of motivation.     

The Lazarus Project: a longitudinal study of spiritual transformation among substance abusers

This is a longitudinal study of spiritual transformation at the Lazarus Project (LP), a 12-month Pentecostal-Charismatic residency program for substance abuse. In 2006, we began administering to residents an assessment protocol consisting of psychological (depression, self-esteem, psychopathology, Big 5 personality markers) and religiosity (fundamentalism, religious orientation, spiritual well-being, mysticism) measures. Assessments were at: (T1) induction; (T2) six months; (T3) graduation; and (T4) one-year post-graduation. We also assessed a membership group from the sponsoring church using the same protocol. Analyses found that general change in graduate scores occurred from T1 to T2 and persisted to T3 and T4. Comparative analyses found that LP graduate score patterns generally agreed with those of LP dropouts at T1, but diverged at T2, becoming more similar to score patterns of church members. Using all measures, a regression analysis found that the personality marker of (less) openness was the most powerful predictor of resident dropout. The preliminary findings suggest that, among chronic substance abusers, the LP helps to facilitate conversion as a form of spiritual transformation that persists at least one-year post-graduation.     

Measuring adaptability demands of jobs and the adaptability of military and civilians

Jobs within the military and in civil society differ in character and requirements. It is assumed that differences in job types both within civil and military domains require different dimensions of adaptability competency. The present study investigates this assumption. The Dutch Adaptability Dimensions And Performance Test (D-ADAPT) was used to measure both the adaptability demands of jobs, and of self-assessed adaptability competency of employees. In addition, the predictive value of certain personality traits (openness, neuroticism, and conscientiousness) and other relevant personal characteristics (cognitive flexibility, learning goal orientation) on various adaptability dimensions was explored. Military personnel were found to estimate their adaptability competency as higher than civilians did. With respect to the civilian jobs, the adaptability demands varied across job types. This was not found in the set of military jobs, possibly due to a smaller variety of jobs included. This study also shows that a variety of personal characteristics predict different dimensions of adaptability. Cognitive flexibility was found to be the best predictor for adaptability in general. Openness turned out to be a good predictor within the civilian group, whereas neuroticism was a better predictor within the military group. Results of this study contribute to a better understanding of work adaptability and influencing personality characteristics. Practical implications for selection and training of personnel can be derived, based on the acquisition of adaptability competency that matches the type of job.     

Explaining Females’ Envy Toward Social Media Influencers

Social media influencers are online celebrities who exhibit their personal lives to many followers via social media. Media studies have analyzed influencers’ display of the luxurious life to which ordinary women can only aspire. Applying a quantitative method to previous findings, this study examined the psychological process through which social media use and personality traits affect females’ envy toward influencers through social comparison. Specifically, this study tested whether social media use variables (exposure to influencers’ social media, interest in specific content on influencers’ social media) and personality traits (public self-consciousness and self-esteem) are associated with the frequency of comparison of one’s life with that of influencers, which, in turn, predict envy toward them. A two-wave online survey was conducted in South Korea (N = 1,064 at Wave 1 and 782 at Wave 2) among female smartphone users aged 20–39. A path analysis revealed that all four independent variables at Wave 1 indirectly influenced envy at Wave 2 through social comparison at Wave 1, when envy at Wave 1 was controlled for. The findings extended the scope of social comparison theory and provided a critical view of influencers’ self-representation from a feminist perspective.