Test-retest reliability of the HEXACO-100—And the value of multiple measurements for assessing reliability

Despite the widespread use of the HEXACO model as a descriptive taxonomy of personality traits, there remains limited information on the test-retest reliability of its commonly-used inventories. Studies typically report internal consistency estimates, such as alpha or omega, but there are good reasons to believe that these do not accurately assess reliability. We report 13-day test-retest correlations of the 100- and 60-item English HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (HEXACO-100 and HEXACO-60) domains, facets, and items. In order to test the validity of test-retest reliability, we then compare these estimates to correlations between self- and informant-reports (i.e., cross-rater agreement), a widely-used validity criterion. Median estimates of test-retest reliability were .88, .81, and .65 (N = 416) for domains, facets, and items, respectively. Facets’ and items’ test-retest reliabilities were highly correlated with their cross-rater agreement estimates, whereas internal consistencies were not. Overall, the HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised demonstrates test-retest reliability similar to other contemporary measures. We recommend that short-term retest reliability should be routinely calculated to assess reliability.

Sensitive attitudes and adherence to recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic: Comparing direct and indirect questioning techniques

During the COVID-19 pandemic, different behavioral measures were imposed to curb the spread of the virus. In a pre-registered study based on a quota-representative sample of adult Danish citizens (N = 1,031), we compared the prevalence estimates of self-reported handwashing, physical distancing, and attitudes towards the behavioral measures between people surveyed with a direct and an indirect questioning approach (i.e., the crosswise model). Moreover, we investigated two possible predictors for the sensitive attributes, namely (1) empathy for people vulnerable to the virus and (2) Honesty-Humility from the HEXACO Model of Personality. We also examined the interaction of both predictors with the questioning format. Results indicate that participants reported greater adherence to handwashing and physical distancing guidelines when asked directly rather than when asked indirectly. The overall attitudes regarding the behavioral measures did not differ between the questioning formats. Furthermore, empathy for people vulnerable to COVID-19 was negatively linked to nonadherence regarding handwashing and physical distancing, whereas Honesty-Humility was negatively linked to nonadherence regarding physical distancing.

HEXACO and Dark Triad Personality Traits as Predictors of Male Attractiveness in Different Relationship Contexts

This study aimed to further investigate the perceived attractiveness of the Dark Triad (DT) personality in different types of relationships (i.e. friendship, short-term and long-term relationship) controlling for basic personality traits from the HEXACO model. The participants were 167 female students (M = 20.82 years, SD = 1.54) who rated personality and attractiveness of a man with highly expressed DT characteristics (n = 91) or a low-scoring DT character (n = 76) presented in a vignette. In line with recent findings, we observed a high negative correlation between the Honesty-Humility factor and DT personality (r = -.88, p < .001). As hypothesized, there was a significant difference in attractiveness ratings for the two characters in the context of different interpersonal relationships, with high DT character rated as significantly more attractive than the low DT character in the context of short-term mating. Furthermore, the hierarchical regression analysis showed that DT personality had a unique contribution in predicting attractiveness in the context of short-term relationship, after controlling for the basic personality traits.

On the Comparability of Basic Personality Models: Meta-Analytic Correspondence, Scope, and Orthogonality of the Big Five and HEXACO Dimensions

Models of basic personality structure are among the most widely used frameworks in psychology and beyond, and they have considerably advanced the understanding of individual differences in a plethora of consequential outcomes. Over the past decades, two such models have become most widely used: the Five Factor Model (FFM) or Big Five, respectively, and the HEXACO Model of Personality. However, there is no large-scale empirical evidence on the general comparability of these models. Here, we provide the first comprehensive meta-analysis on (a) the correspondence of the FFM/Big Five and HEXACO dimensions, (b) the scope of trait content the models cover, and (c) the orthogonality (i.e., degree of independence) of dimensions within the models. Results based on 152 (published and unpublished) samples and 6,828 unique effects showed that the HEXACO dimensions incorporate notable conceptual differences compared to the FFM/Big Five dimensions, resulting in a broader coverage of the personality space and less redundancy between dimensions. Moreover, moderator analyses revealed substantial differences between operationalizations of the FFM/Big Five. Taken together, these findings have important theoretical and practical implications for the understanding of basic personality dimensions and their assessment.

Does perfectionism lead to well-being? The role of flow and personality traits

Perfectionism is a personality trait that plays an important role in understanding human behavior and functioning. There has been a focus on the negative aspects and outcomes of perfectionism, and less is known about whether and how perfectionism relates to adaptive characteristics of personality and normal functioning. We investigated associations between different aspects of perfectionism and psychological well-being in two studies by determining the role of dispositional flow and personality traits in this relationship. In Study 1, participants completed questionnaires for perfectionism, psychological well-being and flow. In Study 2, personality traits from the HEXACO model of personality were additionally measured. We found that psychological well-being had a positive correlation with conscientious perfectionism and a negative correlation with self-evaluative perfectionism. Flow mediates the relationship between conscientious perfectionism and psychological well-being. There was no correlation between self-evaluative perfectionism and dispositional flow. After controlling for relevant personality traits, dispositional flow remains the mediator between conscientious perfectionism and psychological well-being, but the relation becomes negative. Implications for the understanding of how different components of perfectionism are related to psychological well-being and how flow experience contributes to this relationship are discussed.

Proneness to psychotic-like experiences as a basic personality trait complementing the HEXACO model - A preregistered cross-national study

The goal of the study is to investigate the relationship between the HEXACO personality model and Disintegration – representing a broad spectrum of psychotic-like experiences and behavioral tendencies that are reconceptualized as a personality trait. In this pre-registered study, we predicted that the Disintegration factor would separate from HEXACO.The replicability of the factorial structures of HEXACO and Disintegration subcomponents are investigated across the three national samples (X, Y, and Z), matched on key socio-demographic variables. Exploratory Structure Equation Modeling (ESEM) is used to study the invariance of the hypothesized seven-factor structure. Support for the metric invariance of the seven-factor structure based on HEXACO and Disintegration subcomponents/facets across the three nations was found. The disintegration factor lied clearly outside the HEXACO personality space with each of its nine subcomponents. The disintegration factor appeared to be the most robust among the seven across the samples and units of measurement (facets and items). A broad spectrum of psychotic-like experiences/behavioral tendencies relevant in understanding and explaining many aspects of everyday and long-term (mal)adaptations – as expected - is not captured by the HEXACO model.

AN EXPLORATIVE STUDY REGARDING THE RELATIONS BETWEEN DARK TRIAD AND HEXACO MODEL OF PERSONALITY

"Despite their diverse origins, the personalities composing this Dark Triad share several features. To varying degrees, all three entail a socially malevolent character with behavior tendencies toward self-promotion, emotional coldness, duplicity, and aggressiveness (Paulhus & Williams, 2002). Subclinical narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy are referred to as the Dark Triad due to their socially undesirable nature, similar phenotypical behaviors (e.g., manipulation), positive intercorrelations of their scales, and conceptual similarities (e.g., ego-centricity) (Rauthmann, 2012). A narcissistic person is described in terms of a high vanity, constantly seeking attention and admiration, with a sense of superiority or authority. Most often he or she manifests manipulative and exhibitionist behaviors. Machiavellianism is a tendency to be cynical, pragmatic, emotionally detached in interpersonal relations but, at the same time a good organizer and having long-term strategically thinking. Psychopathy presents as cardinal features: impulsiveness, emotional detachment, manipulative antisocial behavior. In the current study 126 participants (24 males and 102 females), ages ranged between 18 and 26 years old (M=19.30, SD=1.11), were invited to fill in the following measures: MACH IV (Christie & Geis, 1970), Narcissistic Personality Inventory NPI-16 (Ames, Rose & Anderson, 2006), Self-Report Psychopathy scale – version III (Paulhus, Neumann, & Hare, 2009) and HEXACO-PI-R (Lee & Ashton, 2018). Results showed significant negative correlations between psychoticism and four of the six HEXACO factors, namely Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. Similarly, narcissism is negatively related to Honesty-Humility and Agreeableness, and positively with Extraversion. Machiavellianism showed a positive correlation with Honesty-Humility, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. Findings of the current study should be extended in more diverse samples (e.g., better female-male ratio) and also including measures for the Light Triad of personality, thus providing new insights into the positive, growth-oriented personality traits."

COVID-19 Pandemic, Personality and Geriatric Population: Proposed Pragmatism

Elderly people are the most sensitive and delicate part of society who must bear the major burn of disruptive social behavior of human being amidst the 2019 coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Our aim was (1) to find out the root of disruption of societal integrity and self-centeredness by analyzing spokes of HEXACO; 2) to delineate its possible relationship with the formation of Neuroticism and eventually Psychopathy, and 3) to search for the potential ways to get rid of this darkness. Human civilization is experiencing unique psychosocial problems through emerging COVID 19. Depression, panic buying, herd behavior, yellow journalism, “infodemic” spreading through social media, immense sufferings of marginalized people, children and elderly, a surge of addictive behavior, racism, domestic violence, rape, divorce, financial constraints, and stigmatization, all possibly stem from a constellation of different negative human behaviors which probably originate from negative deflection of components of HEXACO model of personality towards the genesis of the dark triad. COVID-19 and surge of the dark triad in form of Neuroticism, Narcissism and Machiavellianism are causing major mental health threat. Cultivations and practice of positive emotions and triumph of honesty, humility and humanity are utmost desirable to save Earth and its habitants from the cruel claws of this pandemic.