Individual differences and informal learning in the workplace

Informal learning is important in today's dynamic and competitive business environment. However, research on informal learning is limited and largely anecdotal. Based on theory and research on training and development and positive psychology, this study examined the influence of individual differences including the Big Five personality dimensions, generalized self-efficacy, and zest on informal learning. One hundred eighty managers from an organization that owns and operates casual theme restaurants completed online measures of individual differences and informal learning approximately one year apart. The results demonstrated that each of the individual differences had a significant relationship with informal learning. However, zest was the only significant predictor of informal learning when all of the individual differences were considered together. The implications of the results for research and practice are discussed.     

Characteristics of autobiographical memories and prospective imagery across a spectrum of hypomanic personality traits

Evidence of a strong causal relationship between mental imagery and emotion has informed psychological conceptualisations of disordered positive mood states (i.e., mania). Holmes et al.'s cognitive model of bipolar disorder asserts a prominent role for intrusive and affect-laden positive imagery of the past and the future in the amplification and maintenance of positive mood and associated manic behaviours. The aims of the current study were two-fold: (1) to test aspects of this model in a non-clinical population sampled for hypomanic personality traits and (2) to examine the phenomenological characteristics of positive autobiographical memories and imagery of the future. Undergraduate students (N = 80) completed a battery of self-report questionnaires and rated their positive and negative memories and images of the future on a number of dimensions. We found significant positive correlations between hypomanic tendencies and the (1) everyday experience and use of mental imagery, (2) experience of intrusive mental imagery of future events, (3) emotional intensity and sensory detail of positive but not negative autobiographical memories. Results are discussed in the context of their theoretical and clinical implications, and directions for future research are considered.     

基于易感人格的药物成瘾者工作记忆对执行控制功能的调节作用

为了解工作记忆在易感性人格对药物成瘾者执行控制功能和抑制性影响过程中的调节作用,采用BIS和SSS量袁以及连续操作测验（CPT）、2-back任务、威斯康星卡片分类任务（WCST）对150名药物成瘾者和100名年龄、性别及智商相匹配的非药物成瘾者实施冲动性人格、认知控制功能测试。结果发现在2-back任务正确率（工作记忆）高低不同的情况下,注意冲动性人格特质得分对执行控制功能会产生不同的影响。这说明工作记忆在冲动性人格对抑制性的影响中具有调节作用。     

Some Personality Predictors of Tolerance to Human Diversity: The Roles of Openness,Agreeableness, and Empathy

The aim of this study was to determine the most salient predictors of tolerance to human diversity. A total of 118 individuals (M = 32.93 years, standard deviation = 13.80) responded to dilemma‐like stories involving holding prejudicial beliefs (beliefs), talking about them (speech) and acting on them (acts). Participants also completed the openness and agreeableness scales from the Big Five Inventory and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Differences in tolerance judgements were found to be related to differences in personality characteristics. Results showed that openness and agreeableness were predictors of tolerance in the belief dimension, whereas the most salient predictor of tolerance in the speech and act dimensions was empathic concern, which also mediated the relationships between agreeableness and tolerance for these dimensions. These findings are not unexpected because holding intolerant beliefs is inconsistent with having an open mind, and intolerant speech and actions are inconsistent with pro‐social behaviour, of which tolerance is arguably one form.     

Chinese students in Japan: The mediator and the moderator between their personality and mental health

To clarify the influence of personality traits on the psychological acculturation of Chinese international students in Japan, the present study used three structuring questions: (a) What personality trait makes the students vulnerable to psychological distress? (b) What mediates between personality and psychological distress? (c) What buffers personality from psychological distress? The study examined personality traits (Harm‐Avoidance, HA; and Self‐Directedness, SD; two dimensions of the Temperament and Character Inventory), acculturation attitudes (integration, assimilation, separation, and marginalization), and the mental health (General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)‐30) of 253 Chinese students in Japan (17–30 years of age) using self‐report questionnaires. The hypotheses are: For the Chinese international students in Japan, (a) the individuals with high HA or low SD are more vulnerable to psychological distress; (b) the acculturation strategy mediates between personality (HA/SD) and mental health (GHQ); (c) social support can moderate the effect of personality on acculturation adaptation. The results show that the Chinese international students in Japan had higher GHQ scores compared to normative standards, and marginalization (a less adaptive strategy) was their second most preferred acculturation strategy, next to integration. Individuals with high HA or low SD were more likely to have a marginalization attitude and suffer from more psychological distress. The mediation effect of marginalization and the moderation effect of social support in life (SSL) between HA/SD and GHQ were confirmed. Most of the hypotheses were supported by the results. Explanations of these findings and their implication for acculturation adaptation are discussed.     

Type D personality and cardiac output in response to stress

Type D personality is predictive of adverse clinical outcome and psychological distress in cardiac patients. However, the mechanisms by which Type D affects health are largely unknown. This study (1) investigated the relationship between Type D and cardiovascular reactivity to experimentally induced stress and (2) tested the influence of Type D on subjective feelings of stress. Eighty four healthy young adults (50% males, mean (SD) age 22 (6.84) years), completed measures of Type D personality, stress arousal and a stress-inducing procedure involving a taxing mental arithmetic task. Cardiovascular measures were recorded throughout the experiment. Mixed measures ANOVA showed a significant main effect of Type D and a significant group by time effect of Type D on cardiac output in male participants. Type D males exhibit significantly higher cardiac output during the stressor phase compared to non-Type D males. However, there was no relationship between Type D and cardiovascular reactivity in females. In addition, Type D individuals exhibited significantly higher feelings of subjective stress compared to non-Type D's. These findings provide new evidence on Type D and suggest that Type D may affect health through increased cardiac output and higher subjective feelings of stress following acute stress.     

Personality and health habits

Abstract

Four hundred and fifty-five males and 523 females from a community sample participated in a study on the relationship between seven health practices (sleeping; breakfasting; snacking; being at good weight; smoking; alcohol consumption and physical activity) and seven personality factors (Neuroticism; Social Inadequacy; Rigidity; Hostility; Self-sufficiency; Dominance and Self-esteem).

It was found that the seven health habits did not constitute a homogeneous operationalization of a construct “positive lifestyle.” The intercorrelations between the different health practices were typically low. The results of MANOVAs and subsequent ANOVAs revealed small, but statistically significant differences between subjects reporting positive and those reporting poor health habits. The failure to find significant interactions with sex indicated that the results for males and females were generally similar. Neuroticism and hostility discriminated best between the groups with poor or good health behaviors. This held for sleeping, exercising, breakfasting daily and smoking. In addition, sporting people scored lower on social inadequacy and higher on self-esteem. Further, individuals who do not have a daily breakfast were more self-sufficient. Snacking individuals were generally less rigid and less dominant, but more hostile. In conclusion, most negative health habits were found to be associated with personality attributes which are intimately related to symptom reporting (neuroticism, hostility). Given the generally weak associations, it is concluded that, in order to obtain a more complete picture of the individual's psychosocial risk profile, lifestyle data should be collected together with information on the person's stress and his or her coping qualities.     

Neuroticism,conscientiousness and fruit consumption: Exploring mediator and moderator effects in the theory of planned behaviour

Integrating the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) with the five-factor model (FFM) of personality may provide insight into the cognitive and motivational mechanisms linking personality with health behaviour, but this issue has received very little attention regarding fruit consumption. Mediator effects of TPB concepts in the personality–fruit consumption link, as well as moderator effects of personality in the intention–fruit consumption link, were therefore investigated in the present study. Data on fruit consumption, TPB concepts and FFM dimensions were gathered among 405 respondents in face-to-face interviews using questionnaires. Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the mediator and moderator effects. The direct effect of conscientiousness on fruit consumption was mediated by attitude and perceived behavioural control, while no direct effect of neuroticism on fruit consumption was found. Neuroticism moderated the intention–fruit consumption relationship with the weakest relationship for those scoring high on neuroticism. Conscientiousness did not moderate the intention–fruit consumption relationship. TPB variables are mediators in the conscientiousness–fruit consumption link. Whether fruit consumption is intentional may be dependent upon the personality dimension neuroticism. Personality dimensions may be a useful addition to the TPB and should be considered in health behaviour change interventions.     

Interventions to prevent skin cancer: Experimental evaluation of informational and fear appeals

Abstract

Reports experimental and correlational analyses of intentional sunbathing in 82 female and 54 male suntanned adults at high-risk of skin cancer. Random assignment to high or low information conditions allowed evaluation of a widely-distributed American Cancer Society pamphlet. A crossed manipulation assigned subjects to a cancer fear/no fear condition. Personality variables served as correlational predictors of sunbathing attitudes, intentions, and information-seeking behaviors; skin cancer knowledge served as both a predictor and a dependent variable. Skin cancer knowledge, but not fear, emerged as a significant predictor of attitudes, intentions, and behaviors; and simple provision of information affected relevant knowledge. Contrary to the limits often encountered with health behaviors, specific cancer education appears to be somewhat effective in this domain, though indirectly. High risk-taking personalities were less likely to have or seek relevant information, suggesting the need to take into account individual predispositions and routes of knowledge acquisition when designing interventions.     

Type D personality and social relations in adults with diabetes: results from diabetes MILES – The Netherlands

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether individual differences in Type D personality (combination of negative affectivity (NA) and social inhibition (SI)) could explain heterogeneity in perceived social support and relationship adjustment (intimate partner relationship) among people living with diabetes.

Design: In the Diabetes MILES—The Netherlands survey, 621 adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (54% female, age: 56?±?14 years) completed measures of Type D personality (DS14), perceived social support and relationship adjustment. We used established DS14 cut-off scores to indicate Type D personality, high NA only, high SI only and reference groups.

Results: Participants from the Type D and NA only groups perceived lower levels of social support (Welch[3,259]?=?37.27, p?<?0.001), and relationship adjustment (Welch[3,191]?=?14.74; p?<?0.01) than those from the SI only and reference groups. Type D was associated with lower social support (lowest quartile; adjusted OR?=?8.73; 95%CI?=?5.05?～?15.09; p?<?0.001) and lower relationship adjustment (lowest quartile; adjusted OR?=?3.70; 95%CI?=?2.10?～?6.53; p?<?0.001). Type D was also associated with increased levels of loneliness.

Conclusion: Participants with Type D and participants with high NA only tend to experience less social support and less relationship adjustment. Type D personality was also associated with more loneliness. Experiencing lower social support and relationship adjustment may complicate coping and self-management in people with diabetes.