Personality Traits Research Articles

The influence of students’ personality traits and their parents’ parenting style on Romanian students’ performance in science subjects from secondary to doctoral level

ABSTRACT With the exponential growth of technological innovation, new positions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are emerging. Employees face new job demands, requiring more technical and mathematical capabilities than before. Educating the population in science subjects is becoming increasingly important, as is making science subjects available to students and identifying factors influencing the development of logical thinking, the basis of STEM subjects. This paper focuses on identifying significant relationships between students’ personality traits, their parents’ parenting style and students’ performance in STEM subjects in high school and college, within Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems framework. Using a questionnaire with standardized constructs, we surveyed Romanian students from a technical university and found that certain personality traits and parenting styles are significant mainly for the student’s performance in STEM subjects in high school, and these significant relationships differ for female students, compared to male students, possibly as a result of local cultural gender views. Our society aims to increase the participation of general public and female students in STEM majors and jobs, and our study informs the audience on how a student’s microsystem can nurture or hinder the development of logical thinking, as the basis of cognitive skills and performance in STEM fields.

Secrets to why consumers skip ads: The moderating role of personality traits

ABSTRACT In an era where online video advertising is paramount for engaging audience attention, YouTube emerges as a leading platform, drawing a vast spectrum of viewers. Despite its reach, the efficacy of video ads is often compromised by viewer tendencies to skip or avoid content perceived as irrelevant, intrusive, or irritating. This investigation delves into the nuanced personalities of individuals predisposed to dismissing YouTube video advertisements. Our comprehensive analysis uncovers a significant correlation between the perception of ad irrelevance and intrusiveness and the inclination to skip ads. Furthermore, we reveal that conscientiousness and neuroticism intensify the adverse effects of perceived irrelevance and intrusiveness on ad avoidance behaviors. In contrast, traits such as extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience mitigate these negative perceptions, suggesting a complex interplay between personality and ad reception. This study not only elucidates the dynamics of viewer engagement with online video ads but also offers valuable insights for advertisers aiming to tailor content more effectively to diverse audience segments.

Personality and Psychoneuroimmunology: A Systems Biology Perspective.

Research in psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) underscores the intricate connections within the "whole mind-body system." Personality plays a pivotal role, with specific traits linked to stress influencing neural behavior and psychophysiological disorders. Gene expression networks associated with personality affect neuronal plasticity, epigenetic processes, and adaptive behaviors, highlighting the importance of systems biology mechanisms. Systemic inflammation correlates with key personality traits. Understanding the roles of inflammatory and oxidative biomarkers in personality traits and disorders can help identify diagnostic and therapeutic targets for various diseases. Neurobiological features contribute to our understanding of personality disorders and related conditions. Personality traits are linked to distributed neuroendocrine networks, particularly the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, rather than localized brain areas. Correlations have also been identified between personality traits and thyroid hormones. Disrupted hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis functions may be associated with disease severity, depression, and distress, highlighting the need for comprehensive endocrinological and psychopathological evaluations. The gut-brain axis influences personality traits, emotions, stress, and social behaviors. Altered gut microbiota is common in psychiatric conditions, suggesting potential treatments targeting the microbiota. Chronic stress impacts cognitive functions and correlates with personality and mental health, emphasizing the need for comprehensive, multi-dimensional patient profiles for effective prevention and therapy. A biopsychosocial model integrating personality traits will advance personalized and systems medicine.

Personality, Aging, and Alzheimer's Disease: Implications for Psychoneuroimmunology and Personalized Medicine.

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) advancements may revolutionize personalized medicine by identifying systemic biomarkers that enhance diagnosis and treatment. Inflammatory pathways connect personality traits with cognitive performance, aging-related disorders, and mortality risks. Studies have demonstrated the critical interactions between personality and various biological systems like the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The gut-brain axis also affects behaviors and psychological states in older adults, with specific gut microbiota influencing cognition, mood, and personality. These findings underscore the practical implications of understanding personality-biology interactions. They can support preventive and personalized medicine for aging-associated disorders. Specifically, personality changes are prevalent in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, impacting clinical management and caregiver stress. Non-cognitive factors, such as personality traits and psychiatric symptoms, may serve as early markers of AD. Traits like high Neuroticism and low Openness can predict initial AD stages, often before a formal diagnosis. Personality alterations in AD are also linked to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and vascular imaging biomarkers, which can track AD pathology and serve as predictors. Dynamic personality assessment can aid in timely diagnosis, monitoring progression, and evaluating treatmentsof AD. Understanding personality traits is crucial for predicting burnout, lifespan, and intervention success. Integrating personality and PNI biomarkers into patient profiles will support the development of personalized and systems medicine.

Predictors of explicit and implicit anthropomorphism in house facades.

Anthropomorphism describes the tendency to endow objects with human characteristics, with some individuals being more inclined to do this than others. In an ambiguous environment, this phenomenon can offer guidance. This study investigates the relationship between self-reported attribution and evoked anthropomorphism when viewing house facades. Data was collected from three countries (Germany, Denmark, Canada; N = 305). Implicit house anthropomorphism was measured using the Global Vectors for Word Representation method. Explicit anthropomorphism was assessed using the Individual Differences in Anthropomorphism Questionnaire (IDAQ) and a specific House Anthropomorphism Score (EHAS). No significant relationship was found between implicit and explicit house anthropomorphism. Individual IDAQ scores were significantly associated with EHAS across all participants, regardless of country. Additionally, a high degree of agreement in explicit ratings between countries suggests that cultural differences are rather negligible. When objects are given human personality traits and people interact with them because emotions are triggered, it is important to understand which aspects elicit positive and reactive behaviors. In particular, houses, which have high psychological significance as objects of self-expression, might contribute to well-being, so research in this area can provide important knowledge for urban design and architecture.

The relationship between neuroticism as a personality trait and mindfulness skills: a scoping review

IntroductionIn recent decades, researchers have assessed the relationship between mindfulness and personality traits, including neuroticism, a known target in mental health associated with the development of mental health disorders and physical illnesses. The main aim of mindfulness practice is to help individuals develop the ability to regulate and accept their experiences, emotions, and thoughts. Therefore, it could be suggested that mindfulness may be useful in reducing the expression and negative experience of neuroticism. The aim of our review was to assess the relationship between neuroticism and mindfulness.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review of the literature in December 2023, using the databases PubMed and PsycINFO.ResultsForty-nine studies were included in the review, with four common themes identified: (i) mental health, (ii) cognitive outcomes, (iii) physiological symptoms, and (iv) mindfulness-based interventions. Across most of the studies, mindfulness negatively correlated with neuroticism, supporting the idea that mindfulness may be useful in reducing neuroticism and its negative effects on mental and physical health.DiscussionWhile several limitations were identified, the overall results are promising. Future research in this area should focus on overcoming the current limitations to provide a better understanding of the relationship between mindfulness and neuroticism.

Do you love traveling to the beach or mountain? Predicting personality traits and choice behaviour

ABSTRACT Several personality-predicting tools are being used by managers in their strategic decision-making process. The most common are the Big Five model and the Myers – Myers-Briggs Type Indicator model, respectively. This study deviates and tests a novel personality prediction model. Specifically, it utilizes the TF-IDF (Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency) algorithm as a feature extraction method to map personality traits based on consumers’ textual data from the Kaggle MBTI Personality Type dataset. This study uses realistic data gathered from traveller reviews and comments on hotel stays from TripAdvisor’s widely recognised platform to predict different personality traits and their travel destination preferences, i.e. beach or mountain. The contribution of this study lies in the identification of multiple dimensions of peoples’ personality traits and their relationship with their preferences for travel locations. This proposed trait classification mechanism can assist marketing managers in effectively carrying out customer segmentation, setting realistic goals, and optimizing marketing strategies.

Comparison of psychological personality tests and their potential use in translation studies

Psychological tests are widely used to assess personality traits and cognitive abilities. However, their potential application in translation studies remains largely unexplored. This overview article aims to compare psychological tests used in identifying personality traits and cognitive abilities that may enhance translators' skills. Personality tests can reveal psychological factors that may be crucial for effective translation. The psychological dimensions are often overlooked despite the acknowledged importance of linguistic and cultural proficiency in translation studies. Emotional responses and personality traits significantly impact translators' decisions and performance, highlighting the need for further research. Implementing tests like the MBTI, DISC, Big Five, and HEXACO Personality Inventory can offer valuable insights. Understanding translators' personality traits can enable strategies for improvement and enhance overall translation outcomes. Bridging the gap in research regarding psychological dimensions is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of translators' behaviors and improving translation quality.

Prodromal symptoms of a first manic episode: a qualitative study to the perspectives of patients with bipolar disorder and their caregivers'.

Diagnosing bipolar disorder (BD) is challenging, and adequate treatment is of major importance to minimalize the consequences of the illness. Early recognition is one way to address this. Although in clinical research the prodromal phase of BD is gaining interest, the perspective of patients with BD and their caregivers on prodromal symptoms is still lacking. The aim of this study is to gain insights in prodromal symptoms of patients with BD and their caregivers before the onset of a first manic episode. A qualitative research method was used to investigate prodromal symptoms one year prior to a first manic episode. In-depth interviews were conducted with patients with BD type I and their caregivers. Only patients with a first manic episode in the previous five years were included. The prodromal symptoms from patients' and caregivers' perspectives could be clustered into seven themes, with underlying subthemes: behavior (increased activity, destructive behavior, disinhibited behavior, inadequate behavior, changes in appearance), physical changes (changes in sleep, physical signals, differences in facial expression), communication (reciprocity, process, changes in use of social media), thought (process and content), cognition (changes in attention and concentration, forgetfulness), emotions (positive emotions, more intense emotions, mood swings), and personality (more pronounced manifestation of existing personality traits). Patients with bipolar I disorder and their caregivers described subsyndromal manic features one year prior to a first manic episode. In addition, they recognized mood lability, physical changes and more pronounced manifestation of existing personality traits. The results of this study confirm the presence of a prodromal phase. In clinical practice, monitoring of prodromal symptoms of BD can be useful in patients with depression, especially those with a familial risk of BD.

Correlation of higher right-wing authoritarianism and lower social dominance orientation with greater subjective well-being in China.

The associations between authoritarian personality and subjective well-being remains understudied, especially in China. In addition, as Chinese individuals and Chinese organizations generally attach importance to authority, exploring the matching effect of individual authoritarian personality and organizational culture (OC) can provide information for career selection, talent recruitment and university enrollment. The present study aimed to test associations between authoritarian personality traits (right-wing authoritarian, RWA; social dominance orientation, SDO) and subjective well-being (SWB; including positive affect, PA; negative affect, NA; and life satisfaction, LS) at the general and component-specific levels and the possible moderating role of OC (military or nonmilitary universities) on the associations in Chinese culture for the first time. A total of 6,580 Chinese students from military and nonmilitary universities were surveyed using the Right Wing Authoritarianism Scale, Social Dominance Orientation Scale, Campbell Index of Well-being, Patient Health Questionnaire, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. A higher score on RWA, but lower on SDO, correlated with greater SWB at both the general level and the component-specific levels. The links of RWA/SDO and positive factors (PA/LS) of SWB as well as latent SWB were moderated by the OC (being in military or nonmilitary universities). Specifically, these correlations were stronger for military than for civilian students. Further, although the moderating roles of OC existed in all three subgroups (sex, age, and socioeconomic status [SES] level), the negative link between OC and latent SWB existed in the male, younger, and high-SES individuals, while this link was not significant in female, older, and low-SES ones. The present study extends the findings of the moderating roles of organizational culture on the positive RWA-SWB relationship and the negative SDO-SWB relationship in oriental cultural contexts.

The Effects of Personality Traits, Environmental Attitudes, and Demographic Factors on Green Party Support in Canada

Abstract By appealing to public concern over environmental issues, Green parties have emerged to gain secure positions in several party systems. However, in Canada, we know very little about why people support the Green Party. This research note draws upon the Canadian Election Study (CES) to explore the ways in which demographic factors, personality traits and individual environmentalism impact vote choice. Theorizing Green Party support as a form of pro-environmental behaviour, we build a model that tests the impact of demographic factors and personality traits as mediated through environmental attitudes. It finds that, while pro-environmental policy attitudes are the strongest predictor of Green Party support, several demographic factors and personality traits—specifically conscientiousness, openness to experience, agreeableness and extraversion—have an effect.

Strong-ties and weak-ties rationalities: toward a mental model of the consequences of kinship intensity

There is growing evidence of the connection between variations in kinship intensity and cross-cultural differences in psychological traits. Contributing to this literature on kinship intensity, we put forward a mental model to explain the enduring connection between ancestral niche and psychological traits. Our model posits that two primary orientations or dispositions—strong-ties and weak-ties rationalities—have co-evolved with our ancestral niches to perpetuate—by internalizing and reproducing—the social structure (such as preferences for certain attitudes, values, and beliefs) of the ancestral niche. The findings from 1,291 participants across four societies—China, India, Taiwan, and the United States—support our hypothesis that strong-ties (weak-ties) rationalities, when activated, will endorse strong-tie (weak-ties) values and beliefs. This proposed model contributes to the toolbox of cultural and cross-cultural psychology in a twofold sense: First, in addition to the index of kinship intensity, it offers a measure of kin-based rationality as another predictor of psychological traits; second, it renders intelligible the niche and rationality disconnect prevalent in the globalizing era.

The effect of foreign language enjoyment on willingness to communicate among Chinese EFL students: conscientiousness as a mediator

IntroductionAn increasing body of research has explored the predictive effect of personality traits and affective factors on EFL learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC). However, more is needed to know about how the sub-facets of individual personality traits influence WTC in the classroom context. Therefore, drawing on positive psychology, this study aims to bridge this gap by examining these roles in a mediation model of WTC incorporating FLE and conscientiousness.MethodsTo this end, 244 Chinese EFL undergraduates from two distinct universities participated in an online survey, completing a composite questionnaire of the three constructs. The bootstrapping technique was employed to test the proposed relationships.ResultsThe findings indicated a positive correlation between both FLE and conscientiousness with WTC. Additionally, conscientiousness significantly mediated the relationship between FLE and WTC, supporting a partial mediation effect. Also, FLE had a direct influence on conscientiousness. These results may have some notable implications for EFL educators.DiscussionThe adoption of a holistic approach that emphasizes affective factors alongside acknowledging individual differences among learners could enhance students’ willingness to communicate in English.

Anxiety and Associated Factors Among Chinese Preschool Teachers

In China, preschool teachers significantly influence the development of young children aged 3–6 years. Understanding their mental health and its associated factors is imperative to informing policies, optimizing their mental well-being, and supporting their job performance. This study aimed to investigate the factors contributing to anxiety symptoms among preschool teachers. A sample of 393 Chinese preschool teachers (279 women, 114 men), aged 21–56, completed online questionnaires collecting their sociodemographic and work-related information and assessing anxiety symptoms, interpersonal difficulties, personality traits, perceived stress, resilience, and inner strength. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses identified significant predictors of anxiety symptoms. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms among the studied cohort was found to be 12.2%. Statistically significant factors that positively correlated with anxiety symptoms included objective work-related stress (B = 0.149, p < 0.001), interpersonal difficulties (B = 0.921, p < 0.001), perceived stress (B = 0.108, p = 0.001), and neuroticism (B = 0.071, p = 0.002). These findings highlight the urgent need for measures to reduce work-related stress and anxiety. However, when negative mental health factors were included, the effect of positive psychological factors became nullified. Positive mental health might have a moderating role in a negative mental health outcome such as anxiety. Therefore, further research is required to understand the impact of positive mental health factors more clearly.

When Supervision is Abusive: What Explains it and What are the Consequences?

Currently, people spend most of their daytime at work, therefore, it is essential that organisations offer their employees benefits that go beyond the salary, because people value their psychological well-being, which contributes to the quality of life in the workplace and a good work life balance. It is also important to note that interpersonal relationships at work are significant when it comes to organisational well-being. Relationships between subordinates and supervisors must be healthier and trustable relationships. When the opposite occurs, we are faced with abusive supervision with a negative influence on employees' well-being. This study focus on the relationship between supervisors and subordinates. In order to analyse the impact of a supervisor's attitudes on the relationship with their subordinates, it matters to understand that these attitudes are influenced by their personality traits. The aim of this study is to realise how different personality traits of the supervisor, namely those related to the dark triad, contribute to the development of abusive supervision that will affect the employees’ psychological well-being at work. To develop this study, a survey was applied to a sample of 232 employees from different Portuguese organisations, to measure the dark triad, abusive supervision and psychological well-being at work, respectively. After analysing the results using structural equations, it was possible to conclude that psychopathy and machiavellianism, which are two of the dark triad concepts, influence the supervisor's behavior, and further lead to an abusive supervision. Abusive supervision negatively influences the employees’ psychological well-being at work. The greater the abusive supervision, the greater the negative emotions felt by employees at the workplace, and therefore, the employees’ psychological well-being is lower. This study also highlighted differences in the way men and women perceive abusive supervision, concluding that, although men perceive more abusive supervision than women, they present fewer negative emotions than women. Finally, some conclusions, limitations and possible future research were drawn.

Operationalisation of post-COVID condition case definition in a comprehensive research protocol.

Post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) is a prevalent and high-burden sequela of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Because of the complexity of its manifestations, PCC case definition currently lacks standardisation and reproducibility. We aimed to devise a simple screening tool to boost reproducibility and comparability of PCC case definition across PCC studies, and to provide a framework in which to reliably identify suspected PCC cases. We also developed a comprehensive assessment protocol based on the most frequently reported PCC characteristics. Within a European multi-centre study and based on the conclusions of a previous systematic review, we devised a checklist to assess the presence of PCC-associated symptoms and their temporal relationship with COVID-19. The checklist was developed to include three symptom cores (cognitive, psychiatric, and general). For each symptom, onset is assessed within 3 months after COVID-19 resolution and persistence for at least 2 months. Any symptom fulfilling this criterion is sufficient to prompt suspicion of PCC. At least one symptom is required in the cognitive or psychiatric domains to suspect PCC with neuropsychiatric involvement. Our protocol features an extensive neuropsychological evaluation and self-administered scales for mood, anxiety, stress-related symptoms, sleep disorders, quality of life, disability, mental health, and personality traits; scales for quantitative assessment of fatigue and headache are also included. Consistent identification of PCC cases is crucial to correctly include patients in research and clinical studies. We propose a simple, reproducible, and flexible screening tool and a proposal for a comprehensive assessment that could be employed to enhance standardisation and comparability.

Running, walking, and cross-country skiing: how to shape adolescents’ personalities through physical activity?

Adolescence is crucial for personality development, and sports play a significant role. This study investigates the impact of various sports on the personality traits of junior high and high school students in Shandong Province, focusing on neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Utilizing data from the “Database of Youth Health,” we employed Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) and Generalized Structural Equation Modeling (GSEM) to analyze the effects of physical activity on personality development. Findings reveal that walking significantly enhances openness and decreased neuroticism, while jogging/running substantially improves extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Cross-country skiing, however, negatively impacts all assessed personality traits. In addition, the importance of gender differences in the relationship between physical activity and personality development was revealed. The results offer insights for promoting adolescent personality development through targeted sports activities.

Grazing and food addiction: Associations between varied patterns of overconsumption and addictive-like eating.

Food addiction (FA) research has primarily concentrated on binge eating as a symptom of this condition. However, FA may encompass various overeating behaviours, including compulsive grazing - the repetitive consumption of small amounts of food with loss of control. This study extends our previous research by including a clinical sample to investigate whether compulsive grazing exists in a population with higher prevalence and severity of FA. It also examines whether weight or sex moderates the severity or frequency of FA. Adults between the ages of 20 and 50 years with obesity were recruited from a weight-management clinic (n=437). Participants completed an online questionnaire to assess various eating behaviours (binge eating, compulsive grazing, reward-based eating) and related personality measures (impulsivity, addictive personality traits). Multiple and logistic regression modelling were used with the Yale Food Addiction Scale symptom count and diagnosis as the dependent variables, respectively. A chi-square test of independence and an analysis of variance were used to determine sex differences. Compulsive grazing was a significant factor in FA diagnosis and symptom severity, confirming earlier work. Binge eating was a significant factor in FA symptom severity. Additionally, females from a weight-management clinic sample were more likely to receive an FA diagnosis than females from the general population. No sex differences were found in males or in the symptom score option for FA. These findings suggest that various compulsive overeating patterns encompass FA. Individuals with obesity and co-morbid FA may require specialized treatments, which may benefit from sex-specific differentiations.

Opinion Leaders in Organizational Change Processes: Insights from a Large-Scale Quantitative Survey to Identify, Characterize, and Classify Influential Employees within a Multinational Corporation

ABSTRACT The successful implementation of change processes requires efficient and effective communication. While previous research has explored various aspects of change communication, the role of opinion leaders – individuals who are more influential than others within their networks – has been largely overlooked. These opinion leaders could play a key role in driving the successful implementation of organizational change. This study aims to investigate the characteristics and potential existence of distinct types of opinion leaders within the context of an organizational change process. We conducted a quantitative online survey (n = 4,114) in a multinational corporation undergoing a significant change initiative. The findings reveal that opinion leadership is influenced by several factors: opinion leaders often hold leadership positions, possess strong personality traits, and maintain cross-hierarchical and cross-functional networks characterized by intense relationships. They also demonstrate high expertise related to the change process and exhibit strong commitment and positive attitudes towards it. Additionally, the study identified 300 opinion leaders and, through cluster analysis, categorized them into four types: ‘The Expert Leader,’ ‘The Emerging Opinion Leader,’ ‘The Cross-Functional Connector,’ and ‘The Department Influencer.’ These types vary in their network sizes, structures, and experiences. MAD statement In a rapidly evolving world, effective change communication is essential for building resilient and forward-thinking organizations. While research has acknowledged the pivotal role of communication in driving change, the significant influence of opinion leaders in this process has received limited attention. These individuals can be key to ensuring that organizational transformations are not only successful but also inclusive and sustainable in their impact. By understanding how to identify and engage opinion leaders in substantial change initiatives, organizations can develop more effective communication strategies that foster innovation, adaptability, and long-term success, ultimately contributing to more equitable, responsible, and successful organizational transformations.

Youth Employment Challenges and Opportunities in Pakistan: An Econometric Analysis

The involvement of young people in Pakistan's job market is the subject of this dissertation. This work highlights two main benefits of the research conducted using micro data. First, it breaks out the labor market behaviors of teenagers in Pakistan by age group. Then, using econometric approaches, it explains what variables influence youth work chances in Pakistan. According to the research, several young people start working at a young age, which may affect their future productivity and income. At the beginning of their professions, young people frequently have a higher unemployment rate; nevertheless, this number decreases with time. In addition, there were notable disparities in the labor market outcomes for male and female teenagers based on area. Unemployment rates for young women are higher than those for young men in several regions of the nation. Although young people in Baluchistan are more prepared to enter labor than their counterparts in other regions, the study's main conclusion shows that their employment prospects are poorer. Several characteristics, the findings of a logistic regression analysis demonstrate that the job chances of youth in Pakistan are highly impacted by age, gender, marital status, emigration, geography, educational achievement, and family characteristics. In addition, studies show that Pakistani teenagers are a heterogeneous group, reflecting a wide variety of personal traits and perspectives on employment that are influenced by their home context. Policymakers should see Pakistani youth as something other than a monolithic entity. Unemployment is a problem in Pakistan due to several factors.