scholarly journals Testing the Information–Seeking Theory of Openness/Intellect

2020 ◽  
pp. per.2271
Author(s):  
Hayley K. Jach ◽  
Luke D. Smillie
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Value Of Information ◽  
European Association ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Recent Theory ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
New Information ◽  
Uncertainty Intolerance ◽  
Reward Value ◽  
Domain Level

Why are open people open? A recent theory suggests that openness/intellect reflects sensitivity to the reward value of information, but so far, this has undergone few direct tests. To assess preferences for information, we constructed a novel task, adapted from information–seeking paradigms within decision science, in which participants could choose to see information related to a guessing game they had just completed. Across two studies (one exploratory, n = 151; one confirmatory, n = 301), openness/intellect did not predict information seeking. Our results thus do not support a straightforward version of the theory, whereby open individuals display a general–purpose sensitivity to any sort of new information. However, trait curiosity (arguably a facet of openness/intellect) predicted information seeking in both studies, and uncertainty intolerance (inversely related to openness/intellect) predicted information seeking in Study 2. Thus, it is possible that the domain–level null association masks two divergent information–seeking pathways: one approach motivated (curiosity) and one avoidance motivated (uncertainty intolerance). It remains to be seen whether these conflicting motivations can be isolated and if doing so reveals any association between information–seeking and the broader openness/intellect domain. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals Testing the Information-Seeking Theory of Openness/Intellect

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayley Jach ◽  
Luke Smillie
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Value Of Information ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Recent Theory ◽  
Decision Science ◽  
New Information ◽  
Uncertainty Intolerance ◽  
Reward Value ◽  
Domain Level

Why are open people open? A recent theory suggests that openness/intellect reflects sensitivity to the reward value of information, but so far this has undergone few direct tests. To assess preferences for information, we constructed a novel task, adapted from information-seeking paradigms within decision science, in which participants could choose to see information related to a guessing game they had just completed. Across two studies (one exploratory, n = 151; one confirmatory, n = 301), openness/intellect did not predict information-seeking. Our results thus do not support a straightforward version of the theory, whereby open individuals display a general-purpose sensitivity to any sort of new information. However, trait curiosity (arguably a facet of openness/intellect) predicted information-seeking in both studies, and uncertainty intolerance (inversely related to openness/intellect) predicted information-seeking in Study 2. Thus, it is possible that the domain-level null association masks two divergent information-seeking pathways, one approach-motivated (curiosity), and one avoidance-motivated (uncertainty intolerance). It remains to be seen whether these conflicting motivations can be isolated, and if doing so reveals any association between information-seeking and the broader openness/intellect domain.

scholarly journals The neural encoding of information prediction errors during non-instrumental information seeking

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Brydevall ◽  
Daniel Bennett ◽  
Carsten Murawski ◽  
Stefan Bode
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Prediction Error ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
Event Related Potential ◽  
Recent Theory ◽  
Prediction Errors ◽  
Neural Encoding ◽  
New Information ◽  
Human Participants

ABSTRACTIn a dynamic world, accurate beliefs about the environment are vital for survival, and individuals should therefore regularly seek out new information with which to update their beliefs. This aspect of behaviour is not well captured by standard theories of decision making, and the neural mechanisms of information seeking remain unclear. One recent theory posits that valuation of information results from representation of informative stimuli within canonical neural reward-processing circuits, even if that information lacks instrumental use. We investigated this question by recording EEG from twenty-three human participants performing a non-instrumental information-seeking task. In this task, participants could pay a monetary cost to receive advance information about the likelihood of receiving reward in a lottery at the end of each trial. Behavioural results showed that participants were willing to incur considerable monetary costs to acquire early but non-instrumental information. Analysis of the event-related potential elicited by informative cues revealed that the feedback-related negativity independently encoded both an information prediction error and a reward prediction error. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that information seeking results from processing of information within neural reward circuits, and suggests that information may represent a distinct dimension of valuation in decision making under uncertainty.

Personality in Action: Assessing Personality to Identify an ‘Ideal’ Conscientious Response Type with Two Different Behavioural Tasks

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 808-825
Author(s):  
Gabriela Gniewosz ◽  
Tuulia M. Ortner ◽  
Thomas Scherndl
Keyword(s):  
European Association ◽  
Cognitive Styles ◽  
Personality Characteristics ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Subjective Response ◽  
Response Type ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Typological Approach ◽  
Related Response

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

scholarly journals Does Cooperation in the Laboratory Reflect the Operation of A Broad Trait?

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
William H.B. McAuliffe ◽  
Daniel E. Forster ◽  
Eric J. Pedersen ◽  
Michael E. McCullough
Keyword(s):  
European Association ◽  
Dictator Game ◽  
Bifactor Model ◽  
Trust Game ◽  
General Factor ◽  
Valid Measure ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Economic Games ◽  
Social Settings ◽  
Self Assessments

The Dictator Game, a face valid measure of altruism, and the Trust Game, a face valid measure of trust and trustworthiness, are among the most widely used behavioural measures in human cooperation research. Researchers have observed considerable covariation among these and other economic games, leading them to assert that there exists a general human propensity to cooperate that varies in strength across individuals and manifests itself across a variety of social settings. To formalize this hypothesis, we created an S–1 bifactor model using 276 participants’ Dictator Game and Trust Game decisions. The general factor had significant, moderate associations with self–reported and peer–reported altruism, trust, and trustworthiness. Thus, the positive covariation among economic games is not reducible to the games’ shared situational features. Two hundred participants returned for a second session. The general factor based on Dictator Game and Trust Game decisions from this session did not significantly predict self–reported and peer–reported cooperation, suggesting that experience with economic games causes them to measure different traits from those that are reflected in self–assessments and peer–assessments of cooperativeness. © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology

Information Seeking Motivation Scale development: a self-determination perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. 1034-1052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Dubnjakovic
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Information Need ◽  
Measurement Instruments ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Motivation Scale ◽  
Current Sample ◽  
Situational Motivation ◽  
Domain Level

Purpose Using self-determination motivation theory as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this paper is to examine information seeking motivation at the domain level in higher education setting. Design/methodology/approach Confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the Information Seeking Motivation Scale – College Version (ISMS – C). Findings ISMS – C was validated in the information seeking context. Consistent with self-determination theory (SDT), the results imply that students approach research tasks for both controlled and autonomous reasons. Research limitations/implications All constructs representing extrinsic and intrinsic motivation on a continuum were confirmed. However, amotivation proved difficult to define with the current sample. Additional studies need to be conducted in higher education setting in order to confirm its existence. Practical implications Given that the situational motivation is contingent on domain-level motivation, the ISMS – C scale can be helpful in promoting lasting intrinsic information seeking motivation at that level. Originality/value Consistent with the subjectivist orientation in information sciences which aims to account for cognitive and affective forces behind information need, ISMS constructed in the current study is one of the first measurement instruments to account for a spectrum of information seeking motivations at the domain level.

SOFT MEASUREMENTS AND SOFT CALCULATIONS ARE THE WAY TO MATHEMATIZE THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSONALITY

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (11) ◽  
pp. 5-23
Author(s):  
Alexander V. Spesivtsev ◽  
◽  
Sergey A. Spesivtsev ◽  
Vasily A. Spesivtsev ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Fuzzy Probability ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Probability Models ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Individual Personality ◽  
New Information ◽  
Deterministic Methods ◽  
Stable Family

Isites for the introduction of the fuzzyprobabilistic approach in the construction of mathematical models in personality psychology. The specificity of this field of psychology lies in the impossibility of constructing effective mathematical models by deterministic methods, including statistical ones. The fact is that statistical methods are intended for processing a variety of initial data and are used successfully in social psychology, which describes the trends of a certain phenomenon of a group of people «in general and in the middle», but are not applicable to an individual personality. The main position of the authors is the need to use the knowledge and experience of highly qualified specialistspsychologists who practice direct counseling of clients to solve personal psychological problems. The proposed apparatus for constructing fuzzy probability models is presented in the form of an algorithm that describes all the necessary steps – from working with an expert to interpreting models and using them to obtain qualitatively new information about the client's psychological state. The application of the fuzzyprobability approach is illustrated by the example of the synthesis of a mathematical model for assessing and predicting the psychological state of a woman's readiness to create a stable family

Episode 3: Personality Structure and Change (Transcript)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emorie D Beck
Keyword(s):  
European Association ◽  
Historical Perspective ◽  
Personality Structure ◽  
Personality Psychology

This is a show on the science of how people are different from one another, where these differences come from, how they develop, and why they matter. The podcast's hosts are Lisanne de Moor, René Mõttus, and Rebekka Weidmann, three personality researchers. It is a collaboration of the European Journal of Personality and the European Association of Personality Psychology (EAPP), and sponsored by EAPP. www.personalitypsychologypodcast.com. In this episode, we hear a presentation by Emorie Beck on her research on nomothetic and idiographic approaches to personality structure and change, couched in a historical perspective.

Objections to the HEXACO Model of Personality Structure—and why those Objections Fail

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 492-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael C. Ashton ◽  
Kibeom Lee
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
European Association ◽  
Personality Structure ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Personality Research ◽  
Target Article ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Dimensional Models ◽  
Hexaco Model

The six–dimensional HEXACO model of personality structure and its associated inventory have increasingly been used in personality research. But in spite of the evidence supporting this structure and demonstrating its advantages over five–dimensional models, some researchers continue to use and promote the latter. Although there has been little overt, organized argument against the adoption of the HEXACO model, we do hear sporadic offerings of reasons for retaining the five–dimensional systems, usually in informal conversations, in manuscript reviews, on social media platforms, and occasionally in published works. In this target article, we list all of the objections to the HEXACO model that we have heard of, and we then explain why each objection fails. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals Searching for Prosociality in Qualitative Data: Comparing Manual, Closed–Vocabulary, and Open–Vocabulary Methods

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 903-916
Author(s):  
William H.B. McAuliffe ◽  
Hannah Moshontz ◽  
Thomas G. McCauley ◽  
Michael E. McCullough
Keyword(s):  
Support Vector Machine ◽  
European Association ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Support Vector Machine Classifier ◽  
Goal Pursuit ◽  
Training Sample ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Self Presentation ◽  
Personal Strivings

Although most people present themselves as possessing prosocial traits, people differ in the extent to which they actually act prosocially in everyday life. Qualitative data that were not ostensibly collected to measure prosociality might contain information about prosocial dispositions that is not distorted by self–presentation concerns. This paper seeks to characterise charitable donors from qualitative data. We compared a manual approach of extracting predictors from participants’ self–described personal strivings to two automated approaches: A summation of words predefined as prosocial and a support vector machine classifier. Although variables extracted by the support vector machine predicted donation behaviour well in the training sample ( N = 984), virtually, no variables from any method significantly predicted donations in a holdout sample ( N = 496). Raters’ attempts to predict donations to charity based on reading participants’ personal strivings were also unsuccessful. However, raters’ predictions were associated with past charitable involvement. In sum, predictors derived from personal strivings did not robustly explain variation in charitable behaviour, but personal strivings may nevertheless contain some information about trait prosociality. The sparseness of personal strivings data, rather than the irrelevance of open–ended text or individual differences in goal pursuit, likely explains their limited value in predicting prosocial behaviour. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology

On Post–Apocalyptic and Doomsday Prepping Beliefs: A New Measure, Its Correlates, and the Motivation to Prep

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 506-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam K. Fetterman ◽  
Bastiaan T. Rutjens ◽  
Florian Landkammer ◽  
Benjamin M. Wilkowski
Keyword(s):  
Social Dominance ◽  
European Association ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Projective Test ◽  
Television Shows ◽  
Societal Relevance ◽  
Political Events ◽  
Popular Television ◽  
Do So

Post–apocalyptic scenarios provide the basis for popular television shows, video games, and books. These scenarios may be popular because people have their own beliefs and visions about the apocalypse and the need to prepare. The prevalence of such beliefs might also hold societal relevance and serve as a type of projective test of personality. However, there are no quantitative accounts of post–apocalyptic or prepping beliefs. As such, we conducted seven studies ( Ntotal = 1034) to do so. In Studies 1 and 2, we developed a post–apocalyptic and prepping beliefs scale, explored its correlates, and confirmed its structure and psychometric properties. In Study 3, we attempted to activate a ‘prepper’ mindset and further explore the correlates of the new scale. In Studies 4 and 5, we investigated covariations in daily feelings, thoughts, and events, and prepping beliefs. In Studies 6a and 6b, we compared scores from ‘real’ preppers and to a non–prepping group. Overall, we found that post–apocalyptic concerns and prepping beliefs are predictive of low agreeableness and humility, paranoia, cynicism, conspiracy mentality, conservatism, and social dominance orientation. We also found that increased belief in the need to prep is associated with God–belief, negative daily experiences, and global political events. © 2019 European Association of Personality Psychology

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document