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The personality configuration of mentors and mentees is important in understanding mentoring outcomes. While the best mentors appear to have higher degrees of agreeableness and conscientiousness, entrepreneurs generally score lower on agreeableness and have higher degrees of narcissism, a personality trait that could be detrimental to mentoring. We investigated the interaction of narcissism with two traits from the Big Five Inventory, namely agreeableness and conscientiousness, to see how this interaction influenced learning from the relationship of mentee entrepreneurs. Our findings suggest that mentee narcissism negatively influences learning, and mentor agreeableness mitigates the negative effects on mentee learning. These findings show certain beneficial personality configurations in entrepreneurial mentoring and provide elements to consider in managerial practice when pairing mentors and mentees in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a task or goal is hard to think about or do, people can infer that it is a waste of their time (difficulty-as-impossibility) or valuable to them (difficulty-as-importance). Separate from chosen tasks and goals, life can present unchosen difficulties. Building on identity-based motivation theory, people can see these as opportunities for self-betterment (difficulty-as-improvement). People use this language when they recall or communicate about difficulties (autobiographical memories, Study 1; "Common Crawl" corpus, Study 2). Our difficulty mindset measures are culture-general (Australia, Canada, China, India, Iran, New Zealand, Turkey, the United States, Studies 3–15, N = 3,532). People in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic (WEIRD)-er countries slightly agree with difficulty-as-improvement. Religious, spiritual, conservative people, believers in karma and a just world, and people from less-WEIRD countries score higher. People who endorse difficulty-as-importance see themselves as conscientious, virtuous, and leading lives of purpose. So do endorsers of difficulty-as-improvement—who also see themselves as optimists (all scores lower for difficulty-as-impossibility endorsers). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent intervention research has shown that personality traits can be modified through psychological interventions. However, it is unclear whether reported effects represent changes in the trait domain or only some facets or items. Using data (N = 552) from a recent intervention trial, the present study examined the effects of a digital-coaching intervention on self- and observer-reported personality facets and items. We focused on participants who wanted to decrease in Negative Emotionality, increase in Conscientiousness or increase in Extraversion. We used measurement invariance testing to examine which level of the trait domain hierarchy changed during the intervention. For the self-reports, we found some heterogeneity in the effects on all three trait domains, but most notably Extraversion and Conscientiousness. Specifically, participants reported to increase strongly on sociability (Extraversion), and moderately on productiveness and organization (Conscientiousness), but not on the other facets of these trait domains. Observers generally reported small but non-significant changes, with no scalar invariance violations except for Extraversion. Overall, this suggests considerable heterogeneity in intervention-related personality change that can be overlooked if only focusing on the trait domain level. We discuss the relevance of measurement invariance testing and measurement approaches for personality development and intervention research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper responds to calls from teacher-student feedback research looking for options on how to improve student performance. In Study 1, we first observe the relationship between student conscientiousness, midterm-performance, feedback-seeking behaviors, and final semester grades. Second, in Study 2, we test whether using an active learning method helps students improve grades regardless of their individual differences. Specifically, we test how the implementation of a face-to-face instructor-student performance review at midterm can be beneficial for performance improvement by allowing students who would otherwise not seek additional feedback or clarity to discuss performance completely. Structural equation modeling and mean difference tests are used to test empirical relationships between personality, behavior, and performance. Comparisons between groups that did and did not include a midterm review supports the hypothesis that interactive mid-term performance reviews improve class grades. Regression analysis supports that performance reviews improve grades even after controlling for individual differences. This active learning technique has both immediate and long-term benefits. In addition to grade improvement, mid-term reviews allow students to experience how to conduct professional performance reviews and receive and use feedback more effectively. The discussion offers simple advice on how midterm reviews can occur even within remote classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unprecedented scale of the climate crisis has led to a questioning of conventional approaches to sustainability in management education, centred around business case for sustainability narratives. Such critique gives rise to serious questions around how we approach teaching the universality of the climate crisis, species extinction and biodiversity loss differently. Working with Freire's stress on the political role of the educator, action rooted in the concrete and the interconnections he establishes between pedagogy and political organisation, our contribution is to connect these interventions with Haraway's call to stay 'with the trouble' and generate Communities of Compost – that is, collective more than human communities of multi-species flourishing. In doing so, we propose threading together ecocentric and political economy approaches in management education, to present an alternative to corporate sustainability solutionism and to politically rethink scalar mismatches – that is when problems and proposed 'solutions' to the climate crisis apply to different sets of relations. As a way of addressing this, we develop pedagogical practices around Haraway's multi-species Communities of Compost and combine this with the political movement of La Via Campesina – focusing on its campaigns for agroecology and food sovereignty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although previous research has shown that both trait and state conscientiousness are positively associated with a wide range of positive life and work outcomes, some studies indicate that acting in a conscientious way is effortful, and that behaving outside one's conscientiousness related comfort zone (i.e., acting counterhabitual) may lead to cognitive or affective cost. Because these costs are not likely to be evident immediately, we examine how within-person fluctuations in conscientiousness relate to within-person fluctuations in emotional exhaustion, resource depletion, and negative affect, not only concurrently, but also in a delayed fashion and cumulated over time. In two experience sampling studies, we found that higher levels of conscientiousness are concurrently related to lower levels of emotional exhaustion, resource depletion, and negative affect. When looking at delayed effects, no conclusive evidence was found for affective or cognitive costs of (counterhabitual) conscientiousness. Finally, analyzing cumulative effects revealed that repeated negative deviations from one's typical level of conscientiousness were positively associated to exhaustion, depletion, and negative affect, while repeated positive deviations were negatively associated with depletion and unrelated to exhaustion and negative affect. Altogether, our findings suggest that self-rated conscientious behavior is generally beneficial, even if this behavior goes against one's typical behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive ability is the most powerful predictor of academic achievement. However, increasing attention is being paid to the role of personality traits in students' academic achievement. Results indicate incremental effects beyond cognitive ability, especially for conscientiousness. Investigating the interplay of conscientiousness and cognitive ability can increase understanding of students' academic achievement and learning. This study examined whether there are interaction effects of a synergistic or compensatory nature. We applied the approach of integrative data analysis, using four highly powered data sets with a total of 18,637 upper secondary school students in Germany to investigate this research question across four different achievement measures and three educational domains (i.e., school subjects). We used an integrative approach and pooled the results across the four samples to obtain an average estimate of the hypothesized interaction effects. Findings support a small synergistic interaction, indicating that conscientiousness moderates the association between cognitive ability and achievement. This means conscientiousness can enhance the positive effects of cognitive ability. In conclusion, results highlight the role of the type of academic measure used and the domain investigated in understanding how personality and achievement are related, providing evidence of the interplay between effort-related traits such as conscientiousness and cognitive ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined the relationships between attentional control (AC) and the Big Five personality traits. Older and younger adults (M age = 38.62 years; Range = 18–90) completed a battery of behavioral attention tasks consisting of Stroop color naming, antisaccade, and operation span, which were designed to assess inhibition, goal maintenance, and working memory processes as a comprehensive assessment of AC. Participants then completed a set of personality scales including the NEO-FFI short form. Regression analyses revealed that Big Five personality scores were not related to the AC composite, but individual task relationships were found. Specifically, participants reporting greater Conscientiousness showed improved Stroop performance, but a Conscientiousness benefit did not extend to the other AC measures. No relationships emerged between other Big Five traits and AC. This work suggests potential cognitive benefits for Conscientiousness in older and younger adults and highlights a fruitful integration of personality and basic cognitive processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has demonstrated consistently that personality and perceived stress, independently, are essential factors for university adjustment among university freshmen; however, little is known about the associations between personality, perceived stress, and adjustment together. Our primary goal was to explore the predictive utility of perceived stress for explaining university adjustment among university freshmen (N = 290). We also tested the moderating role of personality traits and this research was embedded within a Big Five model of personality including the sixth trait for Turkish context, 'Negative Valence'. Results addressed that only conscientiousness and negative valence moderated the perceived stress and adjustment association. Students high on negative valence and/or conscientiousness tended to experience the detrimental effect of perceived stress on university adjustment more due to their personality. These results suggested that personality might be an important factor to include in adjustment fostering interventions for freshmen at universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three common mainstream scale construction practices are based on both a faulty conception of concepts and on erroneous logical/statistical assumptions: (a) two states of affairs (or item responses designating same) correlating means that they are indicative of the same concept; (b) one and the same concept cannot designate both of two mutually incompatible states of affairs (or item responses designating same); and (c) using measures consisting of a cloud of correlated, but not necessarily conceptually coherent, variables entitles one to report results about a target concept (e.g., "conscientiousness") even though their referent is not real-world instantiations of this concept, and even though the resulting construct routinely fails to capture anything close to established consensual usage of this target concept, thus resulting in potentially misleading conclusions. Finally, and more positively, existing research methods and findings that capture the actual concepts that people employ when they think and act in their worlds, several of which are described in the article, are argued as vastly preferable ways to establish concept meanings for incorporation into psychometric measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study extends the general understanding of the antecedents of academic dishonesty by examining what can happen when students are treated unjustly by teachers, a phenomenon referred to as teacher injustice. Based on Conservation of Resources theory (CoRT), the study investigates the mediating role of classroom connectedness and the moderating role of trait conscientiousness in the teacher injustice–academic dishonesty relationship. Self-report data were collected in three waves from Pakistani secondary school students to test the moderated-mediation model. Findings demonstrate that teacher injustice is positively related to academic dishonesty through classroom connectedness and that conscientiousness buffers the negative effects of teacher injustice on classroom connectedness. Given the results, this study suggests certain potentially effective measures to educational institutions to control the incidence of teacher injustice and cultivate conscientiousness in students. It also hopes to inspire future research, and advance education management theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown significant associations between self-rated health and personality. However, these results are inconsistent. This study explored whether the Big Five (BF) personality factors would predict self-rated general physical health. A volunteer convenience sample (601 men; 720 women) of undergraduates at Alexandria University responded to a single item of Self-Rated Physical Health (SRPH) and the Arabic Big Five Personality Inventory (ABFPI). Men obtained significantly higher mean scores than did women for SRPH, Extraversion, Openness, and Conscientiousness; whereas women had a significantly higher mean score than did men for Neuroticism. SRPH was significantly correlated with all the BF scores except for Agreeableness in women. A principal components analysis extracted two components and labeled "Adjustment" and "Healthy extraversion versus neuroticism". Predictors of SRPH were Openness and low Neuroticism and for men Conscientiousness and low Neuroticism for women. The present results replicate some previous findings and support the role of personality for predicting subjective physical health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creativity of adolescents is the basis for our country to cultivate innovative talents. We aimed to examine the association between mindfulness and adolescents' creativity and inner mechanisms and the mediating role of mind-wandering in these associations. Moreover, the moderating role of conscientiousness and agreeableness was examined. Questionnaire-based data were collected from 916 adolescents in the form of decentralized or centralized testing, and SPSS software was used for empirical analysis. We found that mindfulness was positively associated with creativity, and mind-wandering mediated the relationship between mindfulness and creativity. In addition, conscientiousness and agreeableness moderated the relationship between mindfulness and mind-wandering. The results indicated that mindfulness is well suited for the development of adolescents' creativity. In addition, this study suggests that a high level of mindfulness can inhibit mind-wandering and promote creativity, especially in high conscientiousness and agreeableness, which has important implications for promoting the development of creativity among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two studies were conducted to further the understanding of daily experiences of perseverance and passion and the influences of personality traits (e.g., grit and conscientiousness) and contextual factors. Study 1 applied the experience sampling method (n = 116; observations = 5,187) and found that perseverance of effort (PE) predicted passion when controlling for conscientiousness. Study 2 used the day reconstruction method (n = 468; observations = 1,872) and found that both PE and consistency of interest (CI) had effects, although CI was a stronger predictor than PE. In both studies, PE was moderated only by instrumentality of the activity, whereas CI was moderated only by perceived difficulty. We also found mediating effects of instrumentality, (lower) perceived difficulty, and (fewer) intrusive thoughts on the pathways between traits and perseverance and passion. These results deepen our knowledge on why and how perseverance-related traits impact daily experiences of perseverance and passion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined the relationship between personality traits, social support perceptions, academic self-efficacy and the adjustment to university. Participants were 992 university students (615 [62%] female, 377 [38%]) male. Results showed that social support, conscientiousness, extraversion and at low levels agreeableness predicted friendship adjustment, while academic self-efficacy and conscientiousness predicted academic adjustment. Academic self-efficacy, social support, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness traits were determined to affect prediction of general adjustment to university. The significance and limitations of the results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research to date has shown longitudinal changes in conscientiousness during early and middle adolescence, but most studies have been conducted in Western countries. The present study aimed to examine the pattern of mean-level conscientiousness change at the transition into early adolescence among a Chinese sample using curve of factors (CUFFS) models. Four waves of data from 661 Chinese children aged 8 years old at baseline in the China Family Panel Studies were used. Parents were asked to rate their children's level of conscientiousness every 2 years. On average, mean-level conscientiousness showed a decelerating increase. Girls had higher average conscientiousness levels than boys, but they did not differ in change patterns. The inconsistency between the current study and previous research indicates that conscientiousness development may depend, in part, on cultural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher attrition is a global concern. Because motivation drives a teacher to persist in their teaching career and affects their effectiveness, persistence among pre-service teachers is important. This exploratory study (N = 55) of college of education students at a university in metropolitan Seoul, South Korea, using survey data, used (a) independent samples t-test to determine reasons for persisting and (b) correlation analysis among demographics and five persistence factors: Academic Integration, Social Integration, Supportive Service Satisfaction, Degree Commitment, and Academic Conscientiousness to understand persistence to a teaching career. The main motivation, job security, moderately correlated with two persistence factors while general interest in the subject and English proficiency positively associated with all persistence factors. The higher students assessed their English proficiency, the more they did not wish to become a teacher because of "salary." More frequent and earlier teaching practicums and capitalizing on the Halo Effect are discussed for positive results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Team members may vary in the degree to which they are self-motivating, diligent, and organized, but effects of such conscientiousness diversity are poorly understood. We propose that conscientiousness diversity effects depend on the team leader's knowledge about managing negative affective responses—that is emotion regulation knowledge. Data of two time-lagged team studies show that for teams with leaders with lower emotion-regulation knowledge, conscientiousness diversity was negatively associated with team satisfaction (Study 1 and 2), team cohesion and information elaboration (Study 2), which in turn influenced team performance (Study 2). These negative relationships reversed in teams with leaders with higher emotion-regulation knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Examine the association between personality measures and perceived mental fatigability. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis in N =1670 men, age 84.3±4.1 years. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the covariate adjusted association between personality measures (conscientiousness, optimism, goal reengagement, and goal disengagement) and perceived mental fatigability (measured with the validated 10-item Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale, PFS). Results: One standard deviation lower conscientiousness (β=−0.91, p <.0001) and optimism (β=−0.63, p <.0001), and higher goal reengagement (β=0.51, p =.01) scores were independently associated with higher PFS Mental scores adjusted for age, cognitive function, self-reported health status, depressive symptoms, sleep disturbance, physical activity, and goal disengagement. Discussion: Lower conscientiousness, optimism, and higher goal reengagement were linked with more severe perceived mental fatigability in older men. Personality traits may potentially contribute to early risk assessment for fatigability in later life. Future work should be longitudinal in nature and include personality assessments to confirm the temporality of the relationships observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the possible psychophysiological links between conscientiousness and perceived physical symptoms by examining the mediating role of life events stress and the moderating role of resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Participants participated in the collection of questionnaire data and physiological data (N = 396). Results showed life events stress mediated the association between conscientiousness and perceived physical symptoms, and the indirect effect was only significant among individuals with lower resting RSA. Findings indicate that low resting RSA as a risk-amplifying physiological marker may magnify the relationship that low conscientiousness affects physical symptoms by increasing life events stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although dreams are very private, dreaming has also social components, i.e., dreams are shared quite often. We studied the frequency of how often the dreamer deliberately contacted another person because s/he dreamed about this person, as this might intensify the waking-life bonds with this person. Overall, 2929 participants completed the dream survey, and a subsample also completed a Big Five Personality inventory. The findings indicate that 37% of the participants contacted other persons because they dreamed about them. Dream recall frequency, attitude towards dreaming, younger age, and female gender was associated with contacting the person(s) dreamed of. Moreover, extraversion was also related to the frequency of contacting the person(s) dreamed of – similar to the relationship found for dream sharing frequency and extraversion. However, the association with low conscientiousness is a new finding. It would be very interesting to test whether this social behavior (contacting another person) motivated by dreams strengthens the social bonds between the dreamer and the contacted person(s) and thereby provide support for the Social Simulation Theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While there is still hunger in the world, a significant amount of food is wasted, which harms the environment. This study focuses on food waste at the consumer level and investigates the role of personality traits on food-waste-aversion. Focus of the Article: Segmentation with personality traits for food waste reduction campaigns. Research Question: Is there a link between personality traits and food-waste-aversion? Are there any associations among consumers' levels of food-waste-aversion, frugality, conscientiousness, and religiosity? Importance to the Social Marketing Field: Segmentation is a neglected marketing tool in designing campaigns against food waste. This study identifies possible market segments of social marketing campaigns against food waste. In addition, associations among food-waste-aversion and personality traits of conscientiousness, frugality, and religiosity are shown in this study. Methods: This study adopts a cross-sectional research design. A convenience sample of 301 consumers in Turkey is surveyed via an online questionnaire. Results: Results of Chi-Square Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID) analysis indicate five distinct consumer segments, namely frugal believers, frugal seculars, conscientious individuals, casual females, and casual males. Moreover, positive associations (p < 0.001) among food-waste-aversion and personality traits of conscientiousness, frugality, and religiosity are shown. Recommendations for Research or Practice: This study provides a segmentation procedure with the trait perspective. Frugality, conscientiousness, and religiosity traits can play an essential role in food waste reduction. Targeting individuals with communications fit with their personality is likely to increase the success of food waste reduction interventions. Limitations: Due to a lack of behavioral data, this study investigates food waste at the attitudinal level. Further study could use behavioral measures. In addition, the majority of participants in the survey are Muslim. In order to validate research findings across different cultures, it should be carried out in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the relation of group formation on outcomes of a 4-week online course for prospective students. Group formation was experimentally manipulated based on predefined criteria, personality traits conscientiousness and extraversion. As research questions, groups were considered advantageous if they were formed (a) heterogeneously in extraversion, and (b) homogeneously in conscientiousness. As a result, no uniform outcome was identified. Most variance could be explained on group level, but no significant main effect for experimental grouping was found. Significant interaction between both main effects hint that the results do not provide final answers, but guidance for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the coping strategies of mature female students whilst studying a Foundation Programme at a Business School. In recent years, research has focussed less on the problems that confront adult learners and more on how they exercise personal agency and cope with the multifarious challenges of combining study with part-time employment and a home life. In particular, interest has focussed on the personality and how specific traits are associated with performative success. This paper reports on two aspects of personality that appear in the literature: conscientiousness and resilience as these are associated with the exercise of personal agency. The research reports on interviews with five mature female students, three of whom are mothers with caring responsibilities. The findings were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and provide insight into the exercise of successful personal agency. This paper also offers a model of how to conceptualise the support for mature students with their complex and varied needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used data (N = 928) from ORANJ BOWL, a six-wave panel of adults (aged 50–74 at baseline) to address the association between personality and successful aging at two points in time, 8 years apart. Regressions examined the associations between Wave 2 neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness and Wave 3 subjective success, functional ability, pain, and chronic conditions. Models tested personality traits independently and then simultaneously, with interactions. Confirmatory analyses used Waves 5/6 data. All traits but openness were individually associated with successful aging at both time points. When testing traits simultaneously, only neuroticism and extraversion were consistently associated with subjective success, with an interaction at Waves 2/3. Neuroticism (Waves 2/3) and conscientiousness (Waves 5/6) were associated with functional ability. Neuroticism was associated with pain (Waves 2/3). Personality was not associated with chronic conditions. These analyses set up future work examining relationships between change in personality and change in successful aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trisecting and cross-tabulating (TACT) two related variables shows what their correlation means for individual people. For example, knowing an individual's conscientiousness (lowest, medium or highest third among other people) improves the accuracy of predicting their health by 1.4, their child's conscientiousness by 4.2, and their job performance by 7.2 percentage points, compared to the random-guess accuracy of 33.3%. There's a 35% probability that they will score differently in a few years and a 50% probability that their partner would rate their conscientiousness differently. For typical correlations in psychology, about 40% of individuals with a low or high value in one variable have a similar value in the other variable, while medium values carry almost no predictive information. Hence, correlations' intuitive interpretations like "someone high in x is likely to be high in y" are almost always incorrect. An R package is provided for calculating and visualising TACT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have examined the association between personality and job performance; however, this relationship remains to be elucidated within the context of COVID-19 fear and intention to quit. Therefore, we aimed to develop a structural equation model (SEM) by exploring the effects of personality on job performance through COVID-19 fear and intention to quit. Accordingly, 447 employees participated in the study and completed the Job Performance Scale, the Scale of Intention to Quit, the COVID-19 Fear scale, and the Big Five Inventory. It was revealed that extroversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism predicted job performance via COVID-19 fear, as well as intention to quit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive and noncognitive skills are key indicators of educational success and merit. However, even when accounting for inequalities in skill formation by family socioeconomic status (SES), a wide SES-gap in college enrolment remains. According to the compensatory advantage hypothesis, SES-gaps in educational transitions are largest among cognitively weak students, but little is known on mechanisms. It has long been argued that noncognitive traits such as effort and motivation might be at least as important as cognitive skills over the status-attainment process, and these skills might interact by being complements or substitutes. Thus, I test whether advantaged students substitute low cognitive skills in test scores by high returns to conscientiousness—rated by teachers— in the transition to academic secondary schools. I draw data from the German National Educational Panel Study to study a cohort of students from Grades 1 to 5, when early tracking is enforced. I estimate linear probability models with school fixed-effects and moderation. To account for measurement error, I also use composite latent skills across elementary education. I report three main findings: (a) High-SES students at the same level of cognitive and noncognitive skills than low-SES schoolmates are more likely to attend the academic track bridged to college; (b) in line with the compensatory hypothesis, these SES-inequalities are largest among low cognitive performers; (3) cognitively weak students from high-SES families get the highest educational returns to conscientiousness in comparison to high cognitive performers or low-SES peers, validating the skill substitution hypothesis. These findings challenge the liberal conception of merit as the sum of ability plus effort in assessing equal opportunity in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the effects of within-person personality variability has mainly focused on the consequences for subjective well-being. Drawing on a resource-based approach, we extend this field to the work domain, expecting that since deviating from one's average trait level is resource intensive, it should relate negatively to behaviors that require the investment of additional resources, such as organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), while it should relate positively to behaviors that replenish one's resources, such as counterproductive work behavior. Using two personality dimensions that are predictive for work-performance (conscientiousness and core self-evaluations), and a new variability index that is not confounded by the mean, we find an effect of personality variability on negative performance outcomes (counterproductive work behavior), while no relation is found with positive forms of extra-role performance (organizational citizenship behavior). These results were replicated across three separate experience sampling studies, confirming that, while within-person personality variability is related to performance, those relationships are relatively weak and they do not hold for every performance facet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the status of within-person state variability in neuroticism and conscientiousness as individual differences constructs by exploring their (a) temporal stability, (b) cross-context consistency, (c) empirical links to selected antecedents, and (d) empirical links to longer term trait variability. Employing a sample of professionals (N = 346) from Australian organisations, personality state data together with situation appraisals were collected using experience sampling methodology in field and repeatedly in lab-like settings. Data on personality traits, cognitive ability, and motivational mindsets were collected at baseline and after two years. Contingent (situation contingencies) and non-contingent (relative SD) state variability indices were relatively stable over time and across contexts. Only a small number of predictive effects of state variability were observed, and these differed across contexts. Cognitive ability appeared to be associated with state variability under lab-like conditions. There was limited evidence of links between short-term state and long-term trait variability, except for a small effect for neuroticism. Some evidence of positive manifold was found for non-contingent variability. Systematic efforts are required to further elucidate the complex pattern of results regarding the antecedents, correlates and outcomes of individual differences in state variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical and cognitive symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) correlate with unemployment cross-sectionally. Prospective studies, rarely published, have not accounted for personality traits such as Conscientiousness. Methods: In a 3-year study of 70 people with MS (PwMS) and 25 healthy controls (HCs), we evaluated employment status using online interviews capturing hours worked, negative work events, employee relations, and accommodations. Deteriorating employment status (DES) was defined as reduced employment (full-time to part-time or negative work events). In PwMS, we explored workplace accommodations, disclosure of disease status, and physical/psychological predictors of DES (e.g. Conscientiousness). Results: At follow-up, DES was 0% in HCs and 25.7% in MS, and 62.7% of work-stable PwMS used at least one work accommodation, most frequently, flexible hours. At baseline, DES-PwMS had lower education (p = 0.009), lower Conscientiousness (p < 0.001), more fatigue (p = 0.033), and performed worse on Symbol Digit Modalities Test (p = 0.013), Brief Visuospatial Memory Test—Revised (p = 0.041), and Nine-Hole Peg Test (p = 0.046) relative to work-stable. The model predicting DES was significant (χ2(7) = 30.936, p < 0.001) and baseline Conscientiousness accounted for more variance in DES (p = 0.004) than other factors. Higher Conscientiousness PwMS were more likely to disclose their condition at work (p = 0.038). Conclusion: Accommodations for low Conscientiousness, flexible hours, and physical/cognitive rehabilitation may prevent DES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on studies of person-team fit and theory of team-member exchange, we examined the effect of fit versus misfit between a team member's conscientiousness and his/her team's composition of conscientiousness on the member's knowledge sharing. We hypothesized that person-team conscientiousness fit would lead to more knowledge sharing because a member who fits his/her team with respect to conscientiousness tends to have similar achievement striving with the team and low exchange cost. Using the method of polynomial regression in two studies in different regions and research settings, we obtained consistent results that person-team conscientiousness fit is positively associated with a team member's knowledge sharing. We further found that internal team environment moderates the relationship between person-team conscientiousness fit and knowledge sharing such that it makes the relationship weaker. Our study demonstrated that to better understand the effect of personality on knowledge sharing in teams, it is beneficial to simultaneously consider the interplay among member personality, team personality, and team contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conscientiousness and sense of purpose consistently predict health, wellbeing, and health behavior. However, it remains an open question whether they are unique or overlapping predictors of health and wellbeing. The current study considered this question using the MOSAiCH study, a nationally representative sample of 2305 Swiss adults (M: 52.33 years old; SD = 17.36). Participants reported on sense of purpose and conscientiousness, in addition to multiple health, wellbeing, and health behavior indicators (e.g. dietary practices, activity engagement, health conditions, psychological concerns, and doctor visits). Results found conscientiousness and sense of purpose were moderately associated with multiple health, wellbeing, and health behavior indicators. Bifactor modeling was employed to test the incremental validity of conscientiousness and sense of purpose, when accounting for their shared variance. The specific factor for purpose predicted outcomes even when accounting for conscientiousness. However, conscientiousness had little incremental validity over the general factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the impact of prison officers' time on the job on changes in two personality factors, conscientiousness and agreeableness. The results confirmed the hypotheses that after four years of work, there was a clear interaction effect and significant difference between prison officers and the control group regarding the personality factors examined. A downward trend in conscientiousness and agreeableness was indicated, contrary to the trend that characterized the employees in the control organizations. These findings suggest a unique personality change among prison officers as a result of their work, which could have a negative effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of novel coronavirus, which is declared as a 'Global Pandemic' by the World Health Organization (WHO), has affected around 210 countries and India is not an exception. It is an unprecedented 'public health emergency' and therefore, it is important that individuals should not fall into a prolonged depression or any other unhealthy psychological condition. Being concerned about the population at risk, the current study thus investigates how Big Five personality model can help in building emotional resilience during pandemic conditions. The current study thus investigates a sample of 254 adults at Delhi, selected through purposive sampling. Cluster analysis and stepwise regression analysis were conducted to establish the relationship and identify the significant personality traits required for building emotional resilience. The cluster analysis showed three main personality types (resilient, overcontrollers, and emotionally dysregulated) and further stepwise regression showed that individuals high on conscientiousness, openness and neuroticism were found to be associated with more change in emotional resilience. The findings thus achieved are a step towards psychological health of the individuals at risk. Additionally, the results of the study may be added to the psychological first aid (PFA) guide as reference point. Bearing in mind the potential for future research, it is recommended that longitudinal studies should be conducted, and the relationship should also be examined in the presence of other variables such as culture, life stressors and gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Western societies, conscientiousness is associated with better health. Here, we tested whether this pattern would extend to East Asian, collectivistic societies. In these societies, social obligation motivated by conscientiousness could be excessive and thus health-impairing. We tested this prediction using cross-cultural surveys of Americans (N = 1,054) and Japanese (N = 382). Biomarkers of inflammation (interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein) and cardiovascular malfunction (systolic blood pressure and total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio) were adopted to define biological health risk (BHR). Among Americans, conscientiousness was associated with lower BHR. Moreover, this relationship was mediated by healthy lifestyle. In contrast, among Japanese, the relationship between conscientiousness and BHR was not significant. Further analysis revealed, however, that conscientiousness was associated with a greater commitment to social obligation, which in turn predicted higher BHR. These findings suggest that conscientiousness may or may not be salubrious, depending on health implications of normatively sanctioned behaviors in varying cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the development of calling is still in its infancy and rarely focused on how calling changes during a major career transition. The current study examined the developmental trajectories of calling and their relation with personality (i.e., conscientiousness, proactive personality) in the transition from university to work with a three-wave longitudinal study with 340 Chinese graduating university students. Results based on growth mixture modeling indicated three developmental trajectories of calling: high and stable calling (23% of sample), high but decreasing calling (74%), and low and increasing calling (3%). Moreover, higher conscientiousness related to a higher chance of being classified into the high and stable calling trajectory. These findings add notable insights to the literature by exploring the previously neglected developmental trajectories of calling and their association with personality in the transition from university to work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the associations between personality traits and psychological and behavioural responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Personality was assessed in January/February 2020 when the public was not aware of the spread of coronavirus in the USA. Participants were reassessed in late March 2020 with four sets of questions about the pandemic: concerns, precautions, preparatory behaviours, and duration estimates. The sample consisted of N = 2066 participants (mean age = 51.42; range = 18–98; 48.5% women). Regression models were used to analyse the data with age, gender, education, race, and ethnicity as covariates. Consistent with the preregistered hypotheses, higher neuroticism was related to more concerns and longer duration estimates related to COVID-19, higher extraversion was related to shorter duration estimates, and higher conscientiousness was associated with more precautions. In contrast to the preregistered hypotheses, higher neuroticism was associated with fewer precautions and unrelated to preparatory behaviours. Age moderated several trait-response associations, suggesting that some of the responses were associated more strongly in older adults, a group at risk for complications of COVID-19. For example, older adults high in conscientiousness prepared more. The present findings provide insights into how personality predicts concerns and behaviours related to the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the motivational bases of conscientiousness would be crucial for disentangling competing explanations about the processes underlying this trait. Thereby, building on the results of a previous investigation identifying 21 goal classes connected to conscientiousness, we performed three studies aimed at clarifying the full spectrum of goals and motives underlying this trait. In Study 1 (N = 299), we conceptually replicated the original associations between goal classes and conscientiousness poles, and we identified nine goal classes that individuals ascribe to conscientious profiles more than to other profiles. In Study 2 (N = 329), we examined the associations between the subjective importance of conscientious and unconscientious goal classes and personality traits, as well as the role of goals for the desire to change one's conscientiousness. In Study 3 (N = 432), we developed a 72‐item assessment of nine goal classes and explored their connections with the most important facets of conscientiousness, self‐control, future orientation, and the consideration of future consequences, using network analysis. We discuss the relevance of our results for research on conscientiousness and its underlying processes. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Conscientiousness is a core personality trait with favorable prognosis in neuropsychiatric disease. Objective: We aimed to determine whether baseline Conscientiousness predicts future brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS) after accounting for demographic and basic clinical characteristics. Methods: Trait Conscientiousness, clinical features, and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) were obtained at baseline. Lateral ventricle volume (LVV) was measured longitudinally. In a retrospective general linear mixed effects model, data from 424 patients were analyzed (mean 6 time-points, up to 15 years). Results/Conclusion: We observed significant age and Conscientiousness by time-from-baseline interactions indicating that younger age and higher Conscientiousness are associated with reduced progression of brain atrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. An increasing number of studies support a mediating influence of personality on video-game preferences and player experiences, and in particular, traits associated with playfulness, such as extraversion. Educational institutions, however, tend to reward serious personality traits, such as conscientiousness. Aim. To discern how students respond to Game-Based Learning (GBL) in the classroom, and to understand if and how conscientiousness mediates GBL, we performed a field study at a leading university of technology in northeast China. Method. In May 2019, 60 bachelor and executive students in public-administration studies consecutively played two digital serious games, TEAMUP (multiplayer) and DEMOCRACY3 (single player). Data accrued through surveys with pregame measurements of personality (conscientiousness), mediating factors (motivation, player experience), learning effectiveness (cognitive and non-cognitive learning), and GBL acceptance. Results. Analysis showed a strong overall learning effect for both games. Conscientiousness significantly related to cognitive learning in both games and noncognitive learning in the multiplayer game only. Conscientiousness also significantly related to player experiences in the multiplayer game. Furthermore, the conscientiousness facet of perfectionism was a dominant factor in player experience and learning. We discuss the findings in light of several aspects around GBL that require more attention and research, especially that, alongside other factors, conscientiousness may be an important dimension to consider in the design and implementation of GBL in education, and GBL can have a positive role in the modernization of education in non-Western countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance on achievement tests is characterized by an interplay of different individual attributes such as personality traits, motivation or cognitive styles. However, the prediction of individuals' performance from classical self‐report personality measures obtained during large and comprehensive aptitude assessments is biased by, for example, subjective response tendencies. This study goes beyond by using behavioural data based on two different types of tasks, requiring different conscientious‐related response behaviours. Moreover, a typological approach is proposed, which includes different behavioural indicators to obtain information on complex personality characteristics. © 2020 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unhealthy behaviors are strongly associated with chronic diseases, disabilities, or mortality. Identifying the predisposing factors that influence on self-care healthy habits will improve an early detection of high-risk groups. Four hundred and sixty-six Spanish young people aged 18–25 years were assessed. Global perceived health self-care was predicted by Value of health and Conscientiousness, both in females (R 2 = 0.185; F = 29.661; p < 0.001) and males (R 2 = 0.154; F = 17.849; p < 0.001). The results have shown gender differences in health self-care habits. Health promotion policies should include specific health consciousness-based strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research indicates that it might be possible to change personality traits through intervention, but this clinical research has primarily focused on changing neuroticism. To date, there are no established, proven techniques for changing other domains of personality, such as conscientiousness and openness. This research examined the effects of a two‐week smartphone‐based intervention to either change one facet of conscientiousness (i.e. self‐discipline) or one facet of openness to experience (i.e. openness to action). Two intervention studies (total N = 255) with two active intervention groups for mutual comparisons were conducted. Results of self‐reports and observer reports showed that people who wanted to become more self‐disciplined were less self‐disciplined at pretest. Similarly, people who wanted to become more open to action were less open to action at pretest. The results showed that people who chose the self‐discipline intervention showed greater increases in self‐discipline, and people who chose the openness to action intervention showed greater increases in openness to action compared with the other group. Changes were maintained until follow‐up two and six weeks after the end of the intervention. Future work is needed to examine whether these personality changes are enduring or reflect temporary accentuation as a result of participation in the intervention. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive functions are (EF) top‐down control processes involved in regulating thoughts, ignoring distractions, and inhibiting impulses. It is widely believed that these processes are critical to self‐control and, therefore, that performance on behavioural task measures of EF should be associated with individual differences in everyday life outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to test this assumption, focusing on the core executive function facet of inhibition. A sample of 463 undergraduates completed five laboratory inhibition tasks, along with three self‐report measures of self‐control and 28 self‐report measures of life outcomes. Results showed that although most of the life outcome measures were associated with self‐reported self‐control, only one of the outcomes was associated with inhibition task performance at the latent‐variable level, and this association was in the unexpected direction. Furthermore, few associations were found at the individual task level. These findings challenge the criterion validity of lab‐based inhibition tasks. More generally, when considered alongside the known lack of convergent validity between inhibition tasks and self‐report measures of self‐control, the findings cast doubt on the task's construct validity as measures of self‐control processes. Potential methodological and theoretical reasons for the poor performance of laboratory‐based inhibition tasks are discussed. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have suggested that some personality traits are associated with better team functioning when team members are homogeneous, whereas other personality traits improve team functioning when team members are heterogeneous. This article extends these ideas to team innovation and examines (a) how team variance in extraversion, agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness relates to innovation in teams; and (b) how these relationships dynamically evolve over time. Our study included 704 surveys completed by 243 team members in 32 teams, at three time points. Results revealed that teams with less variance in extraversion showed higher levels of team innovation. For agreeableness and openness, we did not find main effects of team heterogeneity on team innovation. For teams with low heterogeneity in agreeableness, however, team innovation decreased over time. Team variance in conscientiousness was negatively associated with team innovation. Our findings provide support that team personality plays a role for innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) exhibit cognitive decline over several years. Baseline differences may put people at greater risk for such decline. Objective: To characterize rates of longitudinal cognitive decline and investigate baseline clinical predictors. Methods: We report a retrospective analysis of 531 MS patients whose data were gleaned from a multi-study database, aggregated over 16 years. Linear mixed effects modeling was applied to estimate the average rate of decline on Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) performance and to predict rates of decline using baseline clinical variables. Results: Participants exhibited an average estimated decline of 0.22 SDMT raw-score points/year (95% confidence interval (CI) (−0.32, −0.12)). We observed a significant main effect of time from baseline (t = −2.78, p = 0.006), test form (t = 2.13, p = 0.034), disease course (t = 2.91, p = 0.004), age (t = −2.76, p = 0.006), sex (t = −2.71, p = 0.007), subjective cognitive impairment (t = −2.00, p = 0.046), premorbid verbal intelligence (t = 5.14, p < 0.001), and trait Conscientiousness (t = 2.69, p = 0.008). A significant interaction emerged for Conscientiousness and time from baseline (t = 2.57, p = 0.011). Conclusion: Higher baseline trait Conscientiousness predicts slower rates of longitudinal cognitive decline in MS. This relationship, the average rate of decline, and practice effects can inform future research and clinical treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 25 years of research suggests an important link between perfectionism and personality traits included in the five-factor model (FFM). However, inconsistent findings, underpowered studies, and a plethora of perfectionism scales have obscured understanding of how perfectionism fits within the FFM. We addressed these limitations by conducting the first meta-analytic review of the relationships between perfectionism dimensions and FFM traits (k = 77, N = 24,789). Meta-analysis with random effects revealed perfectionistic concerns (socially prescribed perfectionism, concern over mistakes, doubts about actions, and discrepancy) were characterized by neuroticism ( r c + =.50), low agreeableness ( r c + = −.26), and low extraversion ( r c + = −.24); perfectionistic strivings (self-oriented perfectionism, personal standards, and high standards) were characterized by conscientiousness ( r c + =.44). Additionally, several perfectionism–FFM relationships were moderated by gender, age, and the perfectionism subscale used. Findings complement theory suggesting that perfectionism has neurotic and non-neurotic dimensions. Results also underscore that the (mal)adaptiveness of perfectionistic strivings hinges on instrumentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While those adorned with tattoos have historically belonged to deviant subpopulations, tattoos today are certainly more widespread. With this mainstreaming of tattoos, the question arises whether the deviant stereotype persists and extends to today's workplace. To address this issue, the present study examined the relationships between tattoos and organizational and interpersonal workplace deviance with a sample of 518 individuals employed in restaurant settings. Whether or not an employee was merely tattooed was not related to either form of deviance. However, greater tattoo number was associated with greater organizational deviance. In addition, the results suggest that being adorned with "darker" tattoos was related to both types of deviance, although the effect sizes were not large. The significant findings held even after controlling for the employees' agreeableness and conscientiousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the differential roles that career decision-making self-efficacy and the Big Five traits of neuroticism, extroversion, and conscientiousness may play in relation to career decision status and decisional difficulty. Following assumptions of the social cognitive model of career self-management, we hypothesized that the relations of the personality traits to level of decidedness and choice/commitment anxiety (CCA), a key source of indecision, would be mediated by self-efficacy. We also examined the possibility that the traits could function to moderate the relation of self-efficacy to the dependent variables. Employing a sample of 182 undergraduates, we found support for a mediational model in which each of the personality traits relates to self-efficacy which, in turn, predicts CCA and decidedness. In addition, conscientiousness was found to moderate the relation of career decision-making self-efficacy to CCA, and extroversion moderated the relation of self-efficacy to decidedness. We consider the findings in relation to the social cognitive model and discuss their implications for future research and career decision-making interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]