Age changes in personality traits and their heritabilities during the adult years: evidence from Australian Twin Registry samples

Short versions of four Eysenck personality scales had been included in questionnaires given to several adult samples from the Australian Twin Registry, comprising altogether some 5400 pairs. Means and regressions with age are compared for three samples at average ages of 23, 37, and 61 years, and for two samples of retested individuals, one tested twice at average ages of 29 and 37 years, and one tested three times at average ages of 45, 56, and 62 years, For both males and females the trends for Psychoticism (P), Extraversion (E), and Neuroticism (N) were generally downward with age, and for Lie (L), upward. However, in the longitudinal sample between ages 56 and 62 the trends for P, E, and I stopped or reversed, although N continued downward. Heritabilities were reasonably stable across age for P, E, and N, and the effects of shared environments negligible, but L showed some influence of shared environment as well as genes in all but the oldest age group. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison between Eysenck's and Gray's models of personality in the prediction of motivational work criteria

Impulsivity based on Gray's [Gray, J. A. (1982) The neuropsychology of anxiety: an enquiry into the function of the septo-hippocampal system. New York: Oxford University Press: (1991). The neurophysiology of temperament. In J. Strelau & A. Angleitner. Explorations in temperament: international perspectives on theory and measurement. London. Plenum Press]. physiological model of personality was hypothesised to be more predictive of goal oriented criteria within the workplace than scales derived From Eysenck's [Eysenck. H.J. (1967). The biological basis of personality. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thompson.] physiological model of personality. Results confirmed the hypothesis and also showed that Gray's scale of Impulsivity was generally a better predictor than attributional style and interest in money. Results were interpreted as providing support for Gray's Behavioural Activation System which moderates response to reward. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparison between three and five factor models of Pakistani personality data

The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R), the Eysenck Personality Profiler Short Version (EPP-S), and the Big Five Inventory (BFI-V4a) were administered to 135 postgraduate students of business in Pakistan. Whilst Extraversion and Neuroticism scales from the three questionnaires were highly correlated, it was found that Agreeableness was most highly correlated with Psychoticism in the EPQ-R and Conscientiousness was most highly correlated with Psychoticism in the EPP-S. Principal component analyses with varimax rotation were carried out. The analyses generally suggested that the five factor model rather than the three-factor model was more robust and better for interpretation of all the higher order scales of the EPQ-R, EPP-S, and BFI-V4a in the Pakistani data. Results show that the superiority of the five factor solution results from the inclusion of a broader variety of personality scales in the input data, whereas Eysenck's three factor solution seems to be best when a less complete but possibly more important set of variables are input. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of the Eysenck personality profiler

In this two part study, 811 participants completed the Eysenck Personality Profiler (EPP) and the Honey and Mumford Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ) and 263 adults completed the EPP and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). As predicted there were many significant correlations which add to the concurrent validity of the EPP. When the overlap of the EPP with the MBTI and LSQ is compared with the overlap of the NEO-PI with the MBTI and LSQ (derived from Furnham, 1996a,b) it appears that the EPP has greater similarity with the LSQ, but the NEO-PI has greater similarity with the MBTI. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Moderating effect of ear preference on personality in the prediction of sales performance

This study examined the relationship between ear preference, personality, and performance ratings on 203 telesales staff. Social desirability scores were a significant predictor of two relatively independent sets of supervisor ratings (actual performance and developmental potential) in interaction with ear preference. It was found that the social desirability scale was a significant positive predictor for staff preferring a right ear headset, but a negative predictor for staff preferring a left ear headset. These results were interpreted in terms of different strategies used to achieve successful sales.

The genetic and environmental relationship between the interpersonal sensitivity measure (IPSM) and the personality dimensions of Eysenck and Cloninger

A shortened version of the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) developed to predict depression prone personalities was administered in a self-report questionnaire to a community-based sample of 3269 Australian twin pairs aged 18-28 years, along with Eysenck's EPQ and Cloninger's TPQ. The IPSM included four sub-scales: Separation Anxiety (SEP); Interpersonal Sensitivity (INT); Fragile Inner-Self (FIS); and Timidity (TIM). Univariate analysis revealed that individual differences in the IPSM sub-scale scores were best explained by additive genetic and specific environmental effects. Confirming previous research findings, familial aggregation for the EPQ and TPQ personality dimensions was entirely due to additive genetic effects. In the multivariate case, a model comprising additive genetic and specific environmental effects best explained the covariation between the latent factors for male and female twin pairs alike. The EPQ and TPQ dimensions accounted for moderate to large proportions of the genetic variance (40-76%) in the IPSM sub-scales, while most of the non-shared environment variance was unique to the IPSM sub-scales. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Personality and the genetic risk for alcohol dependence

The extent to which the genetic risk for alcohol dependence (AD) and conduct disorder (CD) and their common genetic risk overlap with genetic factors contributing to variation in dimensions of personality was examined in a study of 6,453 individuals from 3,383 adult male and female same-sex and unlike-sex twin pairs from the Australian Twin Registry. The associations between the personality dimensions of positive emotionality, negative emotionality, and AD and CD risk were modest. whereas the associations between behavioral undercontrol and AD and CD risk were substantially higher. Genetic influences contributing to variation in behavioral undercontrol accounted for about 40% of the genetic variation in AD and CD risk and about 90% of the common genetic risk for AD and CD. These results suggest that genetic factors contributing to variation in dimensions of personality, particularly behavioral undercontrol. account for a substantial proportion of the genetic diathesis for AD and most of the common genetic diathesis for AD and CD among both men and women.

Aggregated personality, climate and demographic factors as predictors of departmental shrinkage

The present study investigated how demographic, personality, and climate variables act to predict departmental theft. Participants in the current field survey were 153 employees from 17 departments across two stores. The results of confirmatory factor analyses supported the construct validity of the Big Five Inventory (John, Donahue, & Kentle, 1991) and the Occupational Climate Questionnaire (Furnham & Gunter, 1997) in UK work settings. The results of regression analysis indicate that the variability in departmental theft is accountable in terms of a linear combination of demographic, personality, and climate factors. We concluded that an expanded theoretical perspective (utilizing demographic, personality, and climate variables) explained more variance than might otherwise be expected from any single perspective. Indeed, climate, personality, and demographic variables operated legitimately at the departmental level. Finally, we explained aggregated personality as a form of social interaction which is the by-product of individual differences.

Mapping Gray's model of personality onto the Eysenck Personality Profiler (EPP)

The aim of this study was to determine how well Gray's model of personality [Gray, J.A. (1982). The neuropsychology of anxiety: an enquiry into the functions of the septo-hippocampal system. Oxfords: Oxford University Press, Gray, J.A. (1987). The psychology of fear and stress. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press], as measured by the Gray Wilson Personality Questionnaire (GWPQ), can provide a full description of personality as measured by the primary scales of the Eysenck Personality Profiler (EPP) and the type scales of the short version or the EPQ-R. Factor analysis of the GWPQ the Anxiety and linpulsivity scales of the EPP and the Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ) showed that the GWPQ seemed to measure general activation and inhibition factors, but not the finer features of Gray's theory. When the GWPQ scales were regressed against each scale of the EPP., it was round that they generally provide only a reasonable explanation of the EPP primary scales. It is concluded that the GWPQ measures general propel-ties of Gray's model, that the linpulsivity and Anxiety scales of the EPP also scent related to the GWPQ scales, and that Gray's model of personality provides only a partial explanation of personality in general. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do personality factors predict job satisfaction?

Two studies investigated the relationships between personality traits and aspects of job satisfaction. In Study 1, job applicants (n=250) completed the Eysenck Personality Profiler and the Work Values Questionnaire (WVQ), which requires respondents to rate various work-related facets according to the extent to which they contribute to their job satisfaction. These facets were combined into two composites (hygiene and motivator) based on previous research. The three personality superfactors accounted for a small percentage of the variance in importance ratings (about 5%). In Study 2, employees (n=82) completed a measure of the 'Big Five' personality traits and the Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (JSQ), which assesses both what respondents consider as important in their work environment as well as their satisfaction with their current job. Importance ratings were again combined into two composites while job satisfaction ratings were factor analyzed and three factors, differentiated along hygiene versus motivator lines, emerged. Personality traits again accounted for a small percentage of the total variance both in importance ratings and in levels of job satisfaction. It is concluded that personality does not have a strong or consistent influence either on what individuals perceive as important in their work environment or on their levels of job satisfaction. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

How important is personality in neurological patient' quality of life perception?

In the last decades, the value of research on neurological patients’ quality of life (QOL) has become unquestionable. In this context, most studies focus on the relationship between patients’ QOL and their sociodemographic and/or clinical and/or modifiable psychosocial characteristics. They give us information regarding the sociodemographic and clinical profile most prone to low QOL reports and also on ways to improve patients’ QOL (e.g., targeting their selfesteem). Nevertheless, little is known about the role nonmodifiable psychosocial variables can have on patients’ QOL perception. Consequently, the aim of the present study is to explore the relationship between QOL and personality in neurological patients.

Personality, emotion and mood simulation in decision making

In this paper is proposed the integration of personality, emotion and mood aspects for a group of participants in a decision-making negotiation process. The aim is to simulate the participant behavior in that scenario. The personality is modeled through the OCEAN five-factor model of personality (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Negative emotionality). The emotion model applied to the participants is the OCC (Ortony, Clore and Collins) that defines several criteria representing the human emotional structure. In order to integrate personality and emotion is used the pleasure-arousal-dominance (PAD) model of mood.