Morningness-eveningness Dimension Research Articles

On the moderating role of chronotype on the association between IQ and conscientiousness: the compensation effect occurs only in Evening-types

ABSTRACTSeveral studies show that intelligence and conscientiousness are negatively related. One of the most popular explanations of this effect is the compensation hypothesis. It posits that less intelligent people may become more conscientious to compensate for their relative lack of intelligence, whereas more intelligent individuals tend to rely on their cognitive effectiveness rather than organization or persistence. In the present study, we aimed to test a hypothesis that the morningness-eveningness dimension, an indicator of diurnal preferences, may act as a moderator of the association. We propose that Morning-types are conscientious regardless of their intelligence level, whereas the compensation effect is particularly marked among Evening-types. The study was conducted on a group of 383 individuals aged 18–69 years. Controlling for age and gender, we obtained a significant moderation effect, showing that magnitude of the negative association between intelligence and conscientiousness increases with eveningness. Bivariate associations between morningness-eveningness, intelligence and conscientiousness are also reported. Results suggest that it may be important to provide appropriate support to high-ability Evening-types in educational and work settings.

Validation of a Chronotype Questionnaire Including an Amplitude Dimension

The aim of this paper was to validate a French version of the Chronotype Questionnaire (Ogińska, 2011, Pers. Individ. Dif. 50:1039–1043), which represents an interesting novelty in the psychometric assessment of chronotype, because it comprises not only an assessment of the morningness-eveningness (ME) dimension, but also a distinctness (DI) dimension (i.e., amplitude), which represents the range of diurnal variation. In study 1, we aimed to confirm the structure of the Chronotype Questionnaire, with two different samples, young adults (n = 338, mean ± SD = 18.70 ± 1.12 yrs, 244 men and 94 women) and old adults (n = 477, mean ± SD = 55.92 ± 11.9 yrs, 168 men and 310 women). The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated a poor fit in both samples as well as in the whole sample, which could be due to some inconsistencies in the original instrument, above all in the distinctness dimension. We therefore decided to revise the Chronotype Questionnaire, keeping the ME dimension, but refining the DI dimension. In study 2, with a new sample of 197 participants (mean ± SD = 22.71 ± 2.23 yrs, 105 men and 92 women), we examined the factor structure of the revised scale containing 18 items. The resulting questionnaire contained 16 items (i.e., 8 items on each scale), with item factor loadings higher than .45. In study 3, we aimed to confirm the factor structure of the instrument developed in study 2 as well as to examine its convergent validity, with a new sample of 158 participants (mean ± SD = 55.92 ± 11.9 yrs, 97 men and 61 women). Results of the CFA showed that a good fit of the model could be obtained with 16 items in the questionnaire. The new questionnaire derived from the original Chronotype Questionnaire was from now on called the Caen Chronotype Questionnaire (CCQ). Convergence validity was obtained with the Horne and Östberg questionnaire and the ME scale of the CCQ, showing a negative significant relationship (r = −.82). The CCQ showed promising psychometric qualities, and further research should aim to combine it with physiological variables.

Morningness–eveningness, use of stimulants, and minor psychiatric disorders among undergraduate students

Morningness-eveningness dimension in humans have been indicated to influence social behavior and individual health. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the morningness-eveningness dimension with behavioral and health aspects in a sample of undergraduate students. We assessed demographic data; the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to evaluate sleep quality; the Morningness/Eveningness Questionnaire to determine morningness-eveningness, and the Self-Reporting Questionnaire to assess minor psychiatric disorders. A total of 372 students (66.7% females), on average 21.6 years old, participated in this study. Among them, 92.2% did not smoke, 58.9% engaged in physical activities, and 19.7% were night-shift workers. In regard to morningness-eveningness, 55.9% of the participants were intermediate between evening (39.5%) and morning (4.6%) types. Poor sleep quality (OR = 1.89), minor psychiatric disorders (OR = 1.92), and tobacco consumption (OR = 3.65) predominated among evening types. Evening types were predominantly males (OR = 1.72). This study suggests that evening types are more vulnerable to sleep and psychiatric disturbances, and tend to smoke more than morning types.

Effects of neuroticism, extraversion, circadian type and age on reported driver stress

Studies have examined effects of various personality variables, including extraversion and neuroticism, as well as age, on driver stress. However, the effect of the morningness-eveningness dimension (circadian type) on reported driver stress among commuters has not been investigated. This study aimed to assess the influence of circadian type as well as extraversion, neuroticism and age on driver stress. Participants were 101 Australian university administrative staff who completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised, the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, and also morning and evening driving diaries as a state measure of driver stress each weekday for one week. Two standard multiple regressions assessed whether neuroticism, extraversion, circadian type and age predicted reported driver stress for morning and evening drives. Neuroticism, circadian type, and age predicted reported driver stress in the mornings but age mainly predicted driver stress in the evenings. A repeated measures ANOVA isolated differences between circadian types for weekday mornings and evenings. Reported driver stress differed for day of week and time of day according to circadian type. The three-way interaction suggested that driver stress is influenced by circadian type and that factors influence driver stress differentially between mornings and evenings. Circadian type appears to influence when driver stress affects individuals.

Morningness-eveningness dimension: is it really a continuum?

Abstract Several self-evaluation instruments have been developed for identifying the individual circadian typology. The use of these instruments suggests the idea that the morningness-eveningness dimension could be considered as a continuum between two extremes. Aim of the present work is to support such an idea by means of external criteria. A sample of 222 subjects was administered the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). Six typologies were considered: definitely morning, moderately morning, intermediate-morning, intermediate-evening, moderately evening, and definitely evening. Body temperature, and subjective alertness readings were collected at 08:00, 14:00, and 23:00 in counterbalanced order. As regards subjective alertness a significant interaction (ANOVA) between circadian typology and time of day was found. At 08:00 the recorded values of subjective alertness gradually increased starting from the definitely evening extreme typology to the definitely morning one, vice-versa at 23:00. These results seem to support the idea that the morningness-eveningness dimension could be considered as a continuum between two extremes: morning-evening preference. Nevertheless, this is especially true for subjective alertness. Suggestions about how to use the MEQ are put forward.

Morningness–eveningness across two student generations: would two decades make a difference?

Abstract The majority of morningness–eveningness questionnaires measure differences in preferred time of various daily activities. This study measured differences in actual habits during a 24-h period by means of the Student Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (SMEQ) developed by [ Sverko, B., Vidacek, S., & Kaliterna, L.J. (1979)]. Osobine licnosti I svakodnevne navike života [Personality characteristics and daily habits]. Revija za psihologiju, 9 , 49–58.) . Data on actual daily habits were collected in the 1998 student generation ( n =189) and compared to those of the generation examined in 1977 ( n =128) that were published by Sverko et al. (1979) . The aims of the study were to examine psychometric properties of the SMEQ as well as to see if two student generations, 21 years apart, differed in their results on the questionnaire. Cronbach alpha coefficients were identical for both generations (0.77). Discrimination value of the items has not changed significantly, except on four questions. The results on the SMEQ were distributed normally in both generations and no significant differences were found between the mean values of the two groups. The results of the study testify to a high stability of the SMEQ as well as to stability of the morningness–eveningness dimension across two generations.

The relationship between morningness–eveningness, time-of-day, speed of information processing, and intelligence

Abstract Morningness–Eveningness refers to individual differences in circadian phase position of spontaneous sleep–wake rhythms and to subject alertness. There is some evidence indicating that performance on cognitive tasks may be influenced by Morningness–Eveningness and time-of-day. Given the potential importance of such a finding for the assessment of cognitive ability we conducted a study assessing the relationship between Morningness–Eveningness, time-of-day, and performance on the Multidimensional Aptitude Battery IQ (MAB-IQ) and Inspection Time (IT) task. Twenty male and 50 female participants classified according to their scores on the Morningness–Eveningness dimension ( Horne & Ostberg, 1976 ) were administered the MAB and IT tasks in the morning (0900 h) and in the late afternoon (1500 h). No significant effect of time of testing, and Morningness–Eveningness was observed except for the Spatial subtest of the MAB. Morning Type-participants performed significantly worse in the morning session in Spatial subtest and better in the late afternoon session and Evening Type-participants performed significantly better in the morning than in the late afternoon session. These results do not support the hypothesis that there is a reliable relationship between Morningness–Eveningness, time-of-day and cognitive ability.

Morning and evening types: stress-related personality aspects

A group of 232 adult subjects was administered the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire to assess their individual circadian typology and a battery of questionnaires of personality and psychological and psychosomatic disorders (Beck Depression Inventory; Bortner Type A Scale; Eysenck Personality Questionnaire; Jenkins Activity Survey; Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire; Strelau Temperament Inventory). Significant correlations between circadian typology scores and data relative to personality, psychosomatic disorders, and stress-prone behaviour were found. Evening types reported psychological and psychosomatic disturbances more frequently and intensively than morning types, and showed more problems in coping with environmental and social demands. The relevance of the morningness-eveningness dimension for research on stress and cardiovascular diseases is discussed.

The relationships between morningness-eveningness, ageing and personality

In an attempt to study the relationship between ageing and personality and the morningness-eveningness dimension two experiments were carried out. In experiment I, an Italian version of the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) was administered to 435 Ss ranging in age from 20 to 79 yr, and divided in to six age groups. In comparison with younger people older S tended to display greater Morningness-Eveningness scores. These results suggest that ageing relates to a shifting toward morningness. In Experiment II the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and the MEQ were administered to 233 Ss (20–29 yr). Morning-types had significantly higher N scores and tended to be insignificantly more introverted. Evening-types had significantly higher N scores and tended to be insignificantly more extraverted. The present findings are consistent with reports of a tendency for morning-types to be introverted and for evening-types extraverted. However, they do provide some evidence of individual differences on the neuroticism and psychoticism dimensions of personality between the two diurnal types.

Individual differences in human circadian rhythms

Research into individual differences in circadian rhythms is reviewed, particularly morningness-eveningness. It was hypothesised that extraverts would be inclined towards eveningness and introverts towards morningness. Forty-eight subjects took regularly their oral temperature. Peak times were identified from smoothed temperature curves. Results showed that extraverts had a peak time insignificantly later than introverts. Re-grouping of the data into the morningness-eveningness dimension, based upon the results of a self assessment questionnaire, showed that evening types had significantly later peak times than morning types. Morningness-eveningness was not significantly correlated with extraversion-introversion, although there was a trend. No significant differences were found for sleep lengths with either groupings, or for sleep-wake habits within extraversion-introversion. Morning types retired and arose significantly earlier than evening types. Although sleep-wake habits and extraversion-introversion help to determine peak times there are other contributor factors to peak time which appear to be partly covered by the questionnaire.