Psycho-lexically based Openness to Experience

We investigated whether NEO-PI-R Openness to Experience (Costa & McCrae, 1992) and its six facets could be identified in the natural trait lexicon. To represent the NEO-PI-R Openness, a list of 113 items was selected from a lexically derived trait list developed for the eight-factor trait model of De Raad and Barelds (2008). We used ratings from two samples. The first (N=271) filled out the lexical Openness scales, the NEO-PI-R Openness scales, and scales measuring the eight-factor model. From the second sample (N=1,466), ratings were used to analyze the lexical Openness scales. Correlations between the eight-factor scales and the two sets of Openness scales indicated that Openness scales are fairly covered by the eight factors, except for the Ideas and Values facets of the NEO-PI-R. The lexical Openness scales correlated well with the NEO-PI-R Openness scales. Openness to Experience and its six facets were identified in the natural trait lexicon, but exploratory factor analyses did not support the six-facet structure of the NEO-PI-R Openness, neither did they lead to a similar six-facet structure across samples. Moreover, it did not consistently support a proposed two-facet structure emphasizing internal openness (fantasy, aesthetics) and external openness (ideas, change).

Predicting future happiness on the basis of personality traits and values

Personality traits and values are known to be some of the best predictors for happiness, but what is yet to be investigated is whether these also can account for beliefs in future happiness. Using an Mturk sample (N = 317), personal future happiness and global future happiness (the future of the world) were regressed on personality traits (Big Five) and values (Schwartz's 10 Values). The results showed that personality and values predicted beliefs in personal future happiness, but not global future happiness. Personality also accounted for twice the variance compared to values. These findings confirm the well-established literature on personality and happiness.

Alternative four-factor structure of the Mini-IPIP in Thailand

This paper reports on the first study of the structure of the Mini-IPIP in Thailand. A modified version was used that included additional Honesty-Humility items. A four-factor structure was found in a Southern Thai community sample (N=212), that did not match previously reported factor structures. When using a separate student sample (N=201), the structure was partially replicated. Two socially oriented dimensions (Social Approach versus Social Withdrawal; Traditional Affiliation), Neuroticism, and a broad Egotism factor capturing low Humility and low Conscientiousness items, emerged. The trait structure in this non-Western sample shows some meaningful divergence from standard five-factor models, suggesting possible cultural modulation of basic personality descriptions.

Are reinforcement sensitivity personality constructs and attentional control important predictors of restrictive disordered eating?

The revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (rRST) perspective on personality suggests that a neuropsychological behavioural inhibition system (BIS), behavioural approach system (BAS), and a fight-flight-freeze system (FFFS) produce the key personality traits involved in approach and avoidance behaviours. This perspective on personality can be used as a framework for understanding psychopathology. Self-report research on rRST suggests that restrictive disordered eating relates to elevated BIS sensitivity, elevated FFFS sensitivity, and possibly dysfunctional BAS sensitivity. Disordered eating can also relate to reduced trait mindfulness, which is a broadly defined construct. Trait mindfulness is positively correlated with attentional control (AC) which is a more specific component of our cognitive architecture that incorporates attentional focusing and attentional shifting processes. It is unknown how BIS and AC interact to predict restrictive disordered eating. We tested how self-reported BIS, BAS, and FFFS sensitivity, AC, and trait mindfulness relate to restrictive disordered eating in 464 healthy participants, and 177 participants with a history of psychiatric disorder. We provide new evidence that elevated restrictive disordered eating relates to reduced self-reported AC abilities (in addition to elevated BIS, and elevated FFFS sensitivity). We illustrate that the combination of high BIS and low AC predicts high levels of restrictive disordered eating (but not in all participants), whereas low BIS and high AC predicts lower levels of restrictive disordered eating (but not in all participants). We discuss how understanding the relationship between personality and attentional control can inform the design of future intervention studies.

When you are talking to yourself, is anybody listening? The relationship between inner speech, self-awareness, wellbeing, and multiple aspects of self-regulation

This correlational study of 433 adults (260 college students and 173 Mechanical-Turk workers) examined how the selfreported functions and experienced phenomenology of habitual inner speech (action guidance, problem solving/search, memory/attention regulation, emotion regulation, evaluate/motivate, other voices, inner dialogue, condensed speech) relate to self-awareness (self-reflection and controlled sense-of-self in the moment), potentially influence high-level aspects of self-regulation (self-preoccupation, self-compassion, wisdom, and the moral foundations of individualizing and binding), and psychological wellbeing. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed partial and mutual mediation between inner speech variables and self-awareness variables. Self-awareness was more consistently associated with self-regulation. The only inner speech variables associated with self-regulation in a beneficial way were memory/attention regulation (for wisdom about the self and the individualizing moral foundation) and evaluate/motivate (for the binding moral foundation). These findings suggest that, with the exception just described, inner speech (with the present dependent variables, and in adults) is easiest understood as an epiphenomenon.

Relationship between autism and mind perception of selves, others, and toy objects

Autism is found to be associated with mind perception, in particular reduced perception of human agency. Prior work has shown that more autistic individuals in the general population tend to view others as less capable of doing and thinking. Autism is, by contrast, not meaningfully associated with the mind attribution to other types of entities examined in past work, including children, nonhuman animals, supernatural agents, and so forth. In this paper, more types of entities—toy objects and selves—were investigated. Across two normal adult samples and a meta-analysis, autism was found to be associated with decreased perception of both experiential and agentic mental capacity in other adult humans, as well as in oneself. More autistic individuals tend to consider others and themselves less capable of both doing and feeling. Autism was also associated with increased mind perception of toy objects, such that more autistic individuals tend to consider toy objects more capable of doing and feeling. These findings partially replicated and meaningfully extended previous work on autism and mind perception, thus providing insight into the relationship of autism with potentially different perceptions and treatments of others, selves, and toy objects.

The structure of Albanian personality descriptive trait-adjectives: A psycho-lexically based taxonomy

In this study, we describe the taxonomy of personality descriptive trait terms in the Albanian language according to the psycho-lexical procedure, in two parts. In the first part the selection of trait terms from a standard Albanian dictionary took place, largely according to standard procedures. This resulted in a useful set of 607 personality relevant terms. In the second part this list of trait terms was administered to 497 participants to obtain self-ratings. During the rating process, participants could indicate their familiarity with the terms, leading to another reduction to a final set of 434 trait terms with self-ratings. Principal Components Analysis followed by Varimax rotation was applied both using raw data and using ipsatized data. Structures with one up to seven factors were discussed and represented in a hierarchy of factor solutions. As an aid to the interpretation of the factors, use was made of markers of the Big Five, selected from the full list of 434 terms. The most comprehensive and clearest structure was found with seven factors, which included the Big Five and both Negative Valence and Positive Valence.

Not only Trolls are Trolling the Internet: A study on dark personality traits, online environment, and commentary styles

On the Internet, many commentary styles take place on various forums, and abuse is not uncommon. We investigated the personality traits related to individuals’ behaviors on Internet forum posting. The Dark Short Tetrad (SD4) were used to predict (N = 212) three types of commentary styles: Trolling (malicious posting), Lurking (reading/not posting) and Posting (reading/posting). The results showed that Trolling co-varied with Sadism (r = .38) and Machiavellianism (r = .28). The results also showed that people high on dark traits are Trolling the Internet. Exploratory mediator analyses further revealed that various aspects of anonymity trivially moderate personality traits and behavior (indirect effects β ≈ .10). The overall take-home message is that personality traits, especially dark traits, play a role in how individuals express themselves online. This provides well-needed insight in abusive behaviors in forums on the internet.

Introjective and anaclitic psychopathology in self-narratives: Idiographic assessment with Hermans’ Self-Confrontation Method

Within a hybrid framework of attachment and depression theory, we investigated whether introjective and anaclitic vulnerabilities can be detected in a person’s self-narrative as elicited with the Self-Confrontation Method (SCM). One hundred participants held a thorough self-investigation with one of five trainees, in which every person formulated ‘valuations’ (i.e., short sentences about personally relevant concerns) and, subsequently, rated to what degree certain feelings were evoked by every separate text. We extracted several measures from these idiographic data, including scales representing the prominence of certain themes according to the SCM typology (e.g., ‘unfulfilled longing and loss’, ‘anger and opposition’, and ‘powerlessness and isolation’). By analyzing the correlational patterns of the aggregated SCM-based measures and the questionnaire-based measures about attachment orientation and depressive personality vulnerability, we uncovered meaningful relationships. The results of a canonical correlational analysis indicated that an intensified sense of ‘powerlessness and isolation’ is a sign of a general psychopathological vulnerability (related to depression), ‘anger and opposition’ is associated with introjective features (distrust in others and need for control), and ‘unfulfilled longing and loss’ is associated with anaclitic features (pleasing and dependency). In an exploratory qualitative study, we used a cluster-based classification into attachment groups for the exhaustive screening of the content of negative valuations of (a selection of) insecurely attached persons (n = 15). This hermeneutic approach disclosed characteristic themes for each of the preoccupied, dismissive-avoidant and fearful-avoidant attachment styles which are discussed in great detail.

Are the questionnaire and the psycho-lexical Big Twos the same? Towards an integration of personality structure within the Circumplex of Personality Metatraits

The Big Two personality factors were identified independently in questionnaire (Stability and Plasticity) and in psycho-lexical studies (Social Self-Regulation and Dynamism), but despite the close correspondence between them, the existing results are inconclusive as to the degree of their similarity. The presented study involved 692 participants (55.3% females; Mage=31.5, SDage=13.1) who completed a set of instruments measuring the most general personality dimensions to clarify the relationship between the questionnaire and the psycho-lexical Big Twos within the Circumplex of Personality Metatraits (CPM). It was shown that both Big Twos can be deemed slightly different manifestations of the personality metatraits identified within the CPM. Thus, the obtained results suggest a possibility for renewed integration of the questionnaire and the psycho-lexical traditions of research on personality structure.