Meta-Motivation and the Big Five Personality Factors

Abstract

The present study aims to identify the five major factors of personality and their relationship to meta-motivation among university students. The two researchers used the correlational descriptive approach, and the study population consisted of 5260 male and female students pursuing a bachelor's degree from Palestine Technical University. The two researchers chose the sample by a simple random method, which consisted of 377 students split between 133 males and 244 females. The results showed that the extraversion factor, one of the five major personality factors, is the most prevalent factor among students of Palestine Technical University, whereas the neurotic factor is the least prevalent factor. They also showed a direct correlation between the five major factors (extraversion, openness, conscientiousness and all dimensions of meta-motivation), the existence of an inverse correlation between the neurotic factor and all dimensions of meta-motivation and the absence of a correlation between the compatibility factor and all dimensions of meta-motivation. The study recommends conducting field studies to enhance meta-motivation among university students while depending on the five major personality factors and forming the ideal personality for a university student.