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Psychological Science Oct 2023There is robust evidence that people with higher incomes tend to have higher self-esteem, but little is known about how changes in income and self-esteem are related...
There is robust evidence that people with higher incomes tend to have higher self-esteem, but little is known about how changes in income and self-esteem are related within individuals. Some theories predict that increased earnings lead to higher self-esteem, others that increased self-esteem leads to higher earnings, and still others that there should be no within-person associations between these variables. We tested these theories in 4-year longitudinal data from more than 4,000 adult participants from a Dutch representative sample. Results indicated significant between-person associations between income and self-esteem, consistent with prior research. Within-person effects suggested that increases in self-esteem are a function of previous increases in income more than the other way around. These links held when analyses controlled for employment status, and they generalized across gender, age, and educational background. Overall, the findings provide evidence for theories that consider self-esteem as both a source and a consequence of personal earnings.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Self Concept; Income; Employment; Gender Identity; Interpersonal Relations
PubMed: 37732970
DOI: 10.1177/09567976231185129 -
Hormones and Behavior Jun 2024Sex/gender differences in personality associated with gender stereotyped behavior are widely studied in psychology yet remain a subject of ongoing debate. Exposure to...
Sex/gender differences in personality associated with gender stereotyped behavior are widely studied in psychology yet remain a subject of ongoing debate. Exposure to testosterone during developmental periods is considered to be a primary mediator of many sex/gender differences in behavior. Extensions of this research has led to both lay beliefs and initial research about individual differences in basal testosterone in adulthood relating to "masculine" personality. In this study, we explored the relationships between testosterone, gender identity, and gender stereotyped personality attributes in a sample of over 400 university students (65 % female assigned at birth). Participants provided ratings of their self-perceived masculinity and femininity, resulting in a continuous measure of gender identity, and a set of agentic and communal personality attributes. A saliva sample was also provided for assay of basal testosterone. Results showed no compelling evidence that basal testosterone correlates with gender-stereotyped personality attributes or explains the relationship between sex/gender identity and these attributes, across, within, or covarying out sex assigned at birth. Contributing to a more gender diverse approach to assessing sex/gender relationships with personality and testosterone, our continuous measure of self-perceived masculinity and femininity predicted additional variance in personality beyond binary sex and showed some preliminary but weak relationships with testosterone. Results from this study cast doubt on the activational testosterone-masculinity hypothesis for explaining sex differences in gender stereotyped traits and within-sex/gender variation in attributes associated with agency and communality.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Testosterone; Personality; Gender Identity; Young Adult; Adult; Stereotyping; Adolescent; Masculinity; Saliva; Femininity; Self Concept; Sex Characteristics
PubMed: 38652981
DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105540 -
European Heart Journal. Cardiovascular... Oct 2023
Topics: Humans; Cardiovascular Diseases; Neuroticism; Biological Specimen Banks; Personality; United Kingdom
PubMed: 37523776
DOI: 10.1093/ehjci/jead185 -
Journal of Psychiatric Research Dec 2023Personality traits have been associated with cognitive functioning and risk of cognitive decline. Fewer studies have investigated how personality facets are associated...
BACKGROUND
Personality traits have been associated with cognitive functioning and risk of cognitive decline. Fewer studies have investigated how personality facets are associated with cognition in large cohorts with a prospective design.
METHODS
The association between eight personality facets and cognition (speed measures reflecting psychomotor speed and visual attention; hit rate measures reflecting visual learning and working memory) was analyzed in middle-aged adults from the Lifelines cohort (N = 79911; age 43 ± 11 years).
RESULTS
High hostility, high vulnerability, low excitement seeking, and low competence were associated with worse cognitive performance on all tasks. Impulsivity-related facets had weak and differential associations, with self-discipline negatively associated with accuracy and deliberation negatively associated with speed. These associations remained largely unchanged when accounting for lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity). The associations with cognition were stronger in older people for impulsiveness, deliberation, and hostility, while stronger in younger people for excitement seeking, self-discipline, and vulnerability.
CONCLUSION
In a large population-based sample with a broad age range, the associations of personality facets with cognitive functioning had small effect sizes, were independent of lifestyle factors, and varied with age and among facets within the same personality domain. These findings highlight the importance of developmental stages and facet-level research in personality-cognition associations.
Topics: Adult; Middle Aged; Humans; Aged; Cohort Studies; Personality; Personality Disorders; Cognitive Dysfunction; Cognition
PubMed: 37875035
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.10.034 -
BMC Psychiatry Mar 2024Personality disorders (PDs) are associated with an inferior quality of life, poor health, and premature mortality, leading to heavy clinical, familial, and societal... (Review)
Review
Personality disorders (PDs) are associated with an inferior quality of life, poor health, and premature mortality, leading to heavy clinical, familial, and societal burdens. The International Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11) makes a thorough, dramatic paradigm shift from the categorical to dimensional diagnosis of PD and expands the application into adolescence. We have reviewed the recent literature on practical implications, and severity and trait measures of ICD-11 defined PDs, by comparing with the alternative model of personality disorders in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), by mentioning the relevance in forensic and social concerns, and by referencing the developmental implication of life span, especially in adolescence. Study results strongly support the dimensional utility of ICD-11 PD diagnosis and application in adolescence which warrants early detection and intervention. More evidence-based research is needed along the ICD-11 PD application, such as its social relevance, measurement simplification, and longitudinal design of lifespan observation and treatment.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; International Classification of Diseases; Quality of Life; Personality Disorders; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Mortality, Premature; Personality
PubMed: 38454364
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05640-3 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2023It is believed that personality traits have an impact on the propensity to change and maintain favorable lifestyle habits. This issue has been raised by multiple...
BACKGROUND
It is believed that personality traits have an impact on the propensity to change and maintain favorable lifestyle habits. This issue has been raised by multiple studies, however, none of them appeared to focus on population under severe psychological stress. The aim of the present study was to investigate the link between personality traits and health-related behaviors and measures such as dietary intake of specific food products, physical activity, body-mass index and the use of cigarettes in medical students facing a stressful event.
METHODS
The study included a cohort of third-year medical students from the Medical University of Lodz, Poland, facing a stressful subject exam during the first COVID-19-related lockdown. At baseline, personality traits were evaluated with the use of the Polish version of the Big Five Inventory-Short questionnaire. Then, consumption of selected food products was monitored with the use of seven-day electronic dietary record. Also, some other health-related data was collected (body-mass index, physical activity and the use of cigarettes). General Linear Modeling techniques, logistic regression and exploratory factor analysis were applied to analyze the data.
RESULTS
Four hundred and forty-four students completed the study. A two-factor pattern of food consumption was discovered by the exploratory factor analysis in the study group (34% of the variance explained). Higher conscientiousness, but not the other personality traits, was found to be significantly associated with generally healthier lifestyle manifested by higher consumption of vegetables, wholegrain products, fruits and nuts (adjusted beta 0.16, 95%CI 0.06 to 0.26, pη = 2.3%, = 0.0015) and lower cigarette smoking (adjusted odds ratio 0.84, 95%CI 0.75 to 0.94, = 0.0020), but insignificantly with physical activity and body-mass index.
CONCLUSION
Severely stressed medical students expressing high conscientiousness tend to present healthier behaviors. Therefore, interventions aimed at improving lifestyle habits in students with low conscientiousness might be useful.
Topics: Humans; Students, Medical; Personality; Health Behavior; Diet; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 37900039
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1256883 -
American Journal of Orthodontics and... Dec 2023Despite its influence on occupational performance and team dynamics, there has been little research into the personality of dental professionals. Existing research does...
INTRODUCTION
Despite its influence on occupational performance and team dynamics, there has been little research into the personality of dental professionals. Existing research does not typically use the prevailing five-factor model of personality. We aimed to measure the personality of dental professionals in the United Kingdom and investigate differences among groups.
METHODS
The sample (n = 906) comprised dental nurses (n = 475), general dental practitioners (GDPs) (n = 182), orthodontists (n = 201), and oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMFSs) (n = 48). Recruitment was via email and social media. The questionnaire collected data on demographic variables and contained the Big Five Inventory, a validated self-report personality test. Participants scored on extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness neuroticism, and openness. A one-way analysis of variance and post-hoc tests with Bonferroni correction were used to identify significant differences in personality between occupations. Hierarchical multiple regression determined the influence of occupation over and above demographic variables.
RESULTS
On a 5-point scale, orthodontists had a mean conscientiousness score 0.23 points higher than GDPs (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10-0.36). Dental nurses had a mean conscientiousness score 0.28 points higher than GDPs (95% CI, 0.17-0.39). Dental nurses had a mean agreeableness score 0.16 points higher than orthodontists (95% CI, 0.05-0.27) and 0.30 points higher than OMFSs (95% CI, 0.10-0.50). For neuroticism, orthodontists had a mean score 0.21 points lower than dental nurses (95% CI, 0.06-0.36), and OMFSs had a mean score 0.43 points lower than dental nurses (95% CI, 0.16-0.70). GDPs had a mean neuroticism score 0.43 points higher than OMFSs (95% CI, 0.14-0.71; P = 0.001). Differences were small to moderate in size (d = 0.35-0.45) and occupation was associated with personality after accounting for demographic variables.
CONCLUSIONS
The personalities of dental nurses, GDPs, orthodontists, and OMFSs differed. Occupation was associated with differences in personality after accounting for demographic characteristics.
Topics: Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentists; Professional Role; Personality; Surveys and Questionnaires; Personality Inventory
PubMed: 37676218
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2023.06.021 -
Social Cognitive and Affective... Jun 2024Understanding how the human brain maps different dimensions of social conceptualizations remains a key unresolved issue. We performed a functional magnetic resonance...
Understanding how the human brain maps different dimensions of social conceptualizations remains a key unresolved issue. We performed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study in which participants were exposed to audio definitions of personality traits and asked to simulate experiences associated with the concepts. Half of the concepts were affective (e.g. empathetic), and the other half were non-affective (e.g. intelligent). Orthogonally, half of the concepts were highly likable (e.g. sincere) and half were socially undesirable (e.g. liar). Behaviourally, we observed that the dimension of social desirability reflected the participant's subjective ratings better than affect. FMRI decoding results showed that both social desirability and affect could be decoded in local patterns of activity through distributed brain regions including the superior temporal, inferior frontal, precuneus and key nodes of the default mode network in posterior/anterior cingulate and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Decoding accuracy was better for social desirability than affect. A representational similarity analysis further demonstrated that a deep language model significantly predicted brain activity associated with the concepts in bilateral regions of superior and anterior temporal lobes. The results demonstrate a brain-wide representation of social knowledge, involving default model network systems that support the multimodal simulation of social experience, with a further reliance on language-related preprocessing.
Topics: Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Brain; Female; Young Adult; Adult; Brain Mapping; Social Perception; Social Desirability; Personality; Knowledge
PubMed: 38804694
DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsae032 -
Psychological Medicine Jul 2023A joint, hierarchical structure of psychopathology and personality has been reported in adults but should also be investigated at earlier ages, as psychopathology often...
BACKGROUND
A joint, hierarchical structure of psychopathology and personality has been reported in adults but should also be investigated at earlier ages, as psychopathology often develops before adulthood. Here, we investigate the joint factor structure of psychopathology and personality in eight-year-old children, estimate factor heritability and explore external validity through associations with established developmental risk factors.
METHODS
Phenotypic and biometric exploratory factor analyses with bifactor rotation on genetically informative data from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort (MoBa) study. The analytic sub-sample comprised 10 739 children (49% girls). Mothers reported their children's symptoms of depression (Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire), anxiety (Screen for Anxiety Related Disorders), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder inattention and hyperactivity, oppositional-defiant disorder, conduct disorder (Parent/Teacher Rating Scale for Disruptive Behavior Disorders), and Big Five personality (short Hierarchical Personality Inventory for Children). Developmental risk factors (early gestational age and being small for gestational age) were collected from the Medical Birth Registry.
RESULTS
Goodness-of-fit indices favored a factor model with three residual latent factors interpreted as negative affectivity, positive affectivity, and antagonism, whereas psychometric indices favored a one-factor model. ADE solutions fitted best, and regression analyses indicated a negative association between gestational age and the factor, for both the one- and four-factor solutions.
CONCLUSION
Correlations between normative and pathological traits in middle childhood mostly reflect one heritable and psychometrically interpretable factor, although optimal fit to data required less interpretable residual latent factors. The association between the factor and low gestational age warrants further study of early developmental mechanisms.
Topics: Adult; Female; Child; Humans; Male; Psychopathology; Personality Disorders; Personality; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; Risk Factors
PubMed: 36762420
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291723000077 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Individuals vary in how they move their faces in everyday social interactions. In a first large-scale study, we measured variation in dynamic facial behaviour during...
Individuals vary in how they move their faces in everyday social interactions. In a first large-scale study, we measured variation in dynamic facial behaviour during social interaction and examined dyadic outcomes and impression formation. In Study 1, we recorded semi-structured video calls with 52 participants interacting with a confederate across various everyday contexts. Video clips were rated by 176 independent participants. In Study 2, we examined video calls of 1315 participants engaging in unstructured video-call interactions. Facial expressivity indices were extracted using automated Facial Action Coding Scheme analysis and measures of personality and partner impressions were obtained by self-report. Facial expressivity varied considerably across participants, but little across contexts, social partners or time. In Study 1, more facially expressive participants were more well-liked, agreeable, and successful at negotiating (if also more agreeable). Participants who were more facially competent, readable, and perceived as readable were also more well-liked. In Study 2, we replicated the findings that facial expressivity was associated with agreeableness and liking by their social partner, and additionally found it to be associated with extraversion and neuroticism. Findings suggest that facial behaviour is a stable individual difference that proffers social advantages, pointing towards an affiliative, adaptive function.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Facial Expression; Adult; Social Interaction; Young Adult; Personality; Interpersonal Relations; Social Behavior; Adolescent; Middle Aged
PubMed: 38871925
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62902-6