Does the Candidate Matter? Comparing the Voting Choice of Early and Late Deciders

Candidate personality traits have long been recognized as influential in the determination of voting choice. However, little is understood of how the perception of candidates' traits influences different categories of voters. Based on a large‐scale electoral‐panel survey (ITANES, ITAlian National Election Studies), the present study investigated whether the voting choice of early and late deciders differentially relied on candidate traits. Results showed that after considering the influence of ideology and economy assessment, candidate traits still influenced the voting choice of early deciders and, even more, of late deciders. However, while early deciders took into account both incumbent and challenger traits, late deciders mainly relied on incumbent traits. Political sophistication moderated this effect, with high‐sophisticated early deciders relying even more on the challenger, and low‐sophisticated late deciders relying even more on the incumbent. The distinction between incumbent and challenger is discussed as a key variable in explaining the role of candidate traits in the choice of voters differing as to voting decision time and political sophistication.     

Big-Five personality prospectively predicts Social Dominance Orientation and Right-Wing Authoritarianism

A full cross-lagged panel design examined the bidirectional effects of the Big-Five personality dimensions on Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) and Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) over 9 months (N = 190 undergraduates). Consistent with the Dual Process Cognitive-Motivational Model, SDO and RWA exhibited markedly different personality bases. Low Agreeableness predicted change in the motivational goal for group-based dominance and superiority (SDO), whereas Openness to Experience predicted change in the motivational goal for social cohesion and collective security (RWA). Extending previous longitudinal research, this study indicates that the effect of personality on ideology is unidirectional, as RWA and SDO did not predict reciprocal prospective change in broad-bandwidth personality. These findings are consistent with a model in which relatively stable broad-bandwidth personality traits shape ideological attitudes over even relatively short time periods, and not the reverse.     

竞争情境中的人格取向——理论建构及实证

尝试用新的视角——取向研究视角,对竞争情境中的人格进行整合研究,建构一种与社会情境结合更紧密,更具概括性的人格取向理论。人格取向理论的假设建构模型包括四种人格取向维度：社会取向,个人取向,积极取向和消极取向。根据理论模型编制竞争情境人格取向量表,以1399名被试为研究对象,运用探索性因素分析和验证性因素分析方法对该理论模型进行实证研究。结果证明了该理论建构的存在,理论建构中各维度的因素负荷和拟合指数良好,竞争情境人格取向量表具有良好的信度和建构效度,既可作为证明该理论建构的有效工具,亦可作为评估竞争情境人     

Comparability of Self‐Reported Conscientiousness Across 21 Countries

In cross‐national studies, mean levels of self‐reported phenomena are often not congruent with more objective criteria. One prominent explanation for such findings is that people make self‐report judgements in relation to culture‐specific standards (often called the reference group effect), thereby undermining the cross‐cultural comparability of the judgements. We employed a simple method called anchoring vignettes in order to test whether people from 21 different countries have varying standards for Conscientiousness, a Big Five personality trait that has repeatedly shown unexpected nation‐level relationships with external criteria. Participants rated their own Conscientiousness and that of 30 hypothetical persons portrayed in short vignettes. The latter type of ratings was expected to reveal individual differences in standards of Conscientiousness. The vignettes were rated relatively similarly in all countries, suggesting no substantial culture‐related differences in standards for Conscientiousness. Controlling for the small differences in standards did not substantially change the rankings of countries on mean self‐ratings or the predictive validities of these rankings for objective criteria. These findings are not consistent with mean self‐rated Conscientiousness scores being influenced by culture‐specific standards. The technique of anchoring vignettes can be used in various types of studies to assess the potentially confounding effects of reference levels. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fundamental Questions in Personality

The network perspective represents a novel contribution to personality theory by conceptualising personality traits as emerging from the mutual dependencies between fundamental and causal affective, behavioural, and cognitive components. We argue that incorporating a more nuanced biological and developmental perspective to causality and a more precise approach to affective, behavioural, cognitive and motivational components may serve to enrich the network perspective. Although the graphical approach to modelling personality is aesthetically pleasing, analytic techniques are not yet available to put network models to the (quantitative) test. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vocational identity trajectories: Differences in personality and development of well‐being

This person‐centred study investigated the longitudinal patterns of vocational identity development in relation to personality, the development of well‐being, gender, nationality and the attended school track among two cohorts of Swiss adolescents in 8th or 9th grade (N = 269) and in 11th or 12th grade (N = 230). The results confirmed the existence of four identity statuses, namely, achievement, foreclosure, moratorium and diffusion. Forty‐two per cent of students showed progressive patterns of identity development, while 37% remained in their identity status over time. Students with different statuses and status change patterns differed significantly in their personality traits. Higher neuroticism related to the emergence of identity exploration over time, while conscientiousness related to maintaining or achieving a sense of identity commitment in terms of achievement or foreclosure. Controlling for the effects of socio‐demographics and personality traits, students who reached or maintained a state characterized by identity clarity and commitment showed a relative increase in life satisfaction, while those entering a state of identity crisis or exploration showed a decrease in life satisfaction. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Compatibility of Personality and Social Identity Processes: The Effect of Gender Identity on Neuroticism

In an experimental study (N = 186), we examined the effect of identity (gender versus personal) on participants' self‐rated neuroticism and estimates of mean neuroticism for men and women. Self‐rated neuroticism was measured before and after the identity salience manipulation. Following self‐categorization theory, we predicted that identity salience would affect levels of self‐rated neuroticism and the estimates (perceptions) of mean neuroticism for each sex. From a personality perspective, we expected substantial correlations between pre‐manipulation and post‐manipulation neuroticism scores in both identity conditions. The relation between participants' self‐rated neuroticism and their estimates of mean neuroticism for their own sex was also examined. The effect of identity salience was unclear with regard to self‐rated neuroticism levels, whereas the manipulation had apparent effects on estimated mean neuroticism levels for men and women. Also, self‐rated neuroticism was found to predict estimates of mean neuroticism for men and women in the gender, but not personal, identity condition. Finally, in line with a personality perspective, the relative positions in self‐rated neuroticism were highly stable in both conditions. The findings indicate a compatibility of self‐categorization theory and personality perspectives and suggest that both are valuable to understand the changeability and stability of the self. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

善恶人格的特质差序

善恶问题是人们在社会生活中的重要话题, 在对他人进行知觉时, 人们首先关心的信息是什么, 是否会对不同类型善恶特质有所权衡?研究基于人格心理学视角, 通过4个研究对该问题进行了探讨。研究首先探究了人格的道德概念激活时善恶的差异, 并以代表性、好恶度、特质度和重要性为衡量指标分别考察了不同类型善恶特质的核心程度差异。结果发现, 善恶人格的特质差序体现在两个方面：(1)善恶人格间的差序, 在人格的道德范畴中, 存在善人格的优先效应; (2)善恶人格内的差序, “善”的核心由内到外为尽责诚信、仁爱友善与包容大度、利他奉献; “恶”的核心由内到外为凶恶残忍、背信弃义与污蔑陷害、虚假伪善。研究有助于进一步理解中国人的善恶观, 为善恶领域的探究提供了新思路。     

Psychometric properties of driver self-image inventory for Chinese drivers and its associations with personality and driving style

This study aimed to adapt the Driver Self-image Inventory (DSII, Taubman-Ben-Ari, 2008) to Chinese drivers and examine its relationship with personality traits and driving style. Six hundred forty drivers aged 18–55 years agreed to participate in this study. Measurements included the DSII, a personality scale and a validated Chinese version of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI). The results of exploratory factor analysis (n = 302) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 305) yielded a three-factor scale with satisfactory reliability. Significant gender differences were found on the DSII factors, with male drivers scoring higher on the impulsive driver factor and lower on the cautious driver factor than female drivers. The validity of the DSII was supported by significant associations between the DSII factors and personality traits, driving style and number of traffic violations and accidents in the previous 12 months. Moreover, drivers with traffic accidents scored significantly lower on the cautious driver factor and higher on the impulsive driver factor than those without traffic accidents. These findings indicate that the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the DSII are acceptable.     

The influence of personality and cognitive failures on distracted driving behaviors among young adults

Distracted driving is a major safety concern. This paper explores the role personality traits and self-reported cognitive failures play in the propensity towards distracted driving behavior (DDB) among young adults in the United States. Two independent time-separated studies (study 1 with 522 participants; study 2 with 314 participants) confirm the role of cognitive failures as a mediator between specific personality traits and DDB propensity among young adult drivers. The results of this study suggest drivers’ personality traits such as extraversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism have a direct impact on DDB propensity. In addition, there is evidence that cognitive failure mediates the relationship between these three personality traits and DDB propensity. Lastly, based on the results, agreeableness moderates the relationship between cognitive failure and DDB propensity. Together, these findings suggest that personality traits should be considered in conjunction with driver’s cognitive failure in explaining DDB propensity. Future research using a combination of self-reported, naturalistic and simulation studies may provide additional insight into the relationships between personality traits, cognitive failures, and the propensity towards DDB.