Predicting vigilance by HEXACO model of personality

Abstract

In this study (N = 236, M age = 21.03, SD = 3.02) we were interested in how the personality traits from the HEXACO model would correlate with vigilance. We used the HEXACO-PI-R 60 items (Ashton & Lee, 2009) to measure six major personality dimensions: Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness. Vigilance was tested through the Mackworth Clock test (MCT; Mackworth, 1948),11MCT: Mackworth Clock Test. and several vigilance indicators were registered: correct responses (hits), misses, response time (RT) for the hits, false positives, sensitivity, and precision. Correlation analysis showed that Extraversion negatively correlated with hits and precision, while Conscientiousness positively correlated with hits, sensitivity, and precision, and negatively correlated with misses and false positives. Additionally, Honesty-Humility positively correlated with precision, and negatively correlated with false positives. Regression analyses replicated these findings, except that Honesty-Humility negatively correlated only with false positives. This study stresses the important role of personality in vigilance-related behavior and contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between the HEXACO model of personality and vigilance.