Core and Surface Characteristics for the Description and Theory of Personality Differences and Development

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Kandler ◽  
Julia Zimmermann ◽  
Dan P. McAdams
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Surface Characteristics ◽  
Social Attitudes ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Potential Core ◽  
Personality Differences ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Small Set ◽  
Direction Of Causation ◽  
Core Characteristics

Individual differences in personality are often described on the basis of a small set of dimensional core characteristics that are commonly defined as largely consistent patterns of thoughts, feelings and actions across time and situations. Some theoretical approaches even consider them to provide the biologically founded basis for individual differences in so–called surface characteristics such as self–related evaluations, social attitudes, values, goals or interests, which are commonly hypothesized to be less stable or more environmentally malleable than core characteristics. We examine these hypotheses by reviewing findings about potential core and surface characteristics on the basis of four criteria: (i) level of stability in individual differences; (ii) level of heritability; (iii) direction of causation; and (iv) shared genetic variance. The results from our review call into serious question the labelling of some sets of constructs as either core or surface characteristics of personality. Although certain dimensions—often labelled as basic traits (e.g. extraversion)—are systematically linked to more specific characteristics (e.g. social attitudes and interests), the so–called basic traits do not appear to provide an essential basis (i.e. the more stable and genetically anchored source) for these characteristics. We argue for more integrative models of personality in adulthood. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Personality Psychology

Beyond stability: Predicting inter‐individual differences in intra‐individual change

1992 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens B. Asendorpf
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Developmental Perspective ◽  
Individual Change ◽  
Longitudinal Stability ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Self And Other ◽  
Personality Differences ◽  
Overall Stability ◽  
Differential Stability

Demonstration of a high longitudinal stability of inter‐individual diferences in behaviour has been one traditional goal of personality psychology. In recent years, impressively high longitudinal correlations have been reported for self‐and other‐ratings of behaviour in adulthood, indicating a high overall stability of personality differences in that period of development. However, even 5‐year correlations around 0.70 do not exclude major deviations of some of the subjects from this overall stability (i.e. differential stability in the sample). Furthermore, the younger a sample is, the lower will be the longitudinal stability observed, and the less suficient is the explanation of inter‐individual diferences by static traits. This article goes beyond the notion of stability at the sample level by asking from a developmental perspective (a) whether systematic inter‐individual differences in intra‐individual change exist, (b) how they can be assessed, and (c) whether these inter‐individual differences can be explained by characteristics of the person or of the environment.

The Structure Among Measures of Personality, Social Attitudes, Values, and Social Norms

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 240-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lazar Stankov
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Social Norms ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Correlation Matrix ◽  
Social Attitudes ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Factor Scores ◽  
Ethnic Group Differences ◽  
Inside Out

Abstract. This paper presents the results of a study that employed measures of personality, social attitudes, values, and social norms that have been the focus of recent research in individual differences. These measures were given to a sample of participants (N = 1,255) who were enrolled at 25 US colleges and universities. Factor analysis of the correlation matrix produced four factors. Three of these factors corresponded to the domains of Personality/Amoral Social Attitudes, Values, and Social Norms; one factor, Conservatism, cut across the domains. Cognitive ability showed negative correlation with conservatism and amoral social attitudes. The study also examined gender and ethnic group differences on factor scores. The overall interpretation of the findings is consistent with the inside-out view of human social interactions.

scholarly journals Personality Psychology

Psychology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Latzman ◽  
Yuri Shishido
Keyword(s):  
Social Psychology ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Individual Person ◽  
Psychological Science ◽  
Research Programs ◽  
Broad Field ◽  
Diverse Field ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Dynamic Organization

The title of “Godfather of Personality” may well be ascribed to Gordon Allport, who was the first to make public efforts to promote the “field of personality” in the 1930s (see Allport and Vernon 1930, cited under Gordon Allport). Personality psychology—located within what many argue is the broadest, most encompassing branch of psychological science—can be defined as the study of the dynamic organization, within the individual, of psychological systems that create the person’s characteristic patterns of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings (see Allport 1961, also cited under Gordon Allport). The field of personality psychology is concerned with both individual differences—that is, the way in which people differ from one another—and intrapersonal functioning, the set of processes taking place within any individual person. The area of personality psychology is often grouped with social psychology in research programs at universities; however, these are quite different approaches to understanding individuals. While social psychology attempts to understand the individual in interpersonal or group contexts (i.e., “when placed in Situation A, how do people, in general, respond?”), personality psychology investigates individual differences (i.e., “how are people similar and different in how they respond to the same situation?”). Personality psychology has a long history and, as such, is an extremely large and broad field that includes a large number of approaches. Discerning readers will quickly note that the current chapter is largely focused on what has come to be the most commonly studied perspective, the trait approach. Those readers interested in other approaches are referred to a number of resources focusing on Other Approaches within the diverse field.

scholarly journals Structure of social attitudes based on lexical approach in Serbian-speaking area

Sociologija ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boban Petrovic ◽  
Janko Medjedovic
Keyword(s):  
Political Correctness ◽  
Basic Structure ◽  
Social Attitudes ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Western Democracy ◽  
Sources Of Authority ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Universal Structure ◽  
Lexical Approach ◽  
High Level

Although usually applied in the field of personality psychology, in the last decade there were attempts of applying the lexical paradigm in the studies social attitudes studies. One of those attempts was made by Saucier (2000), who included and analyzed all the words ending with the suffix ?-ism?. The product of this analyze is a two-form instrument called "Survey of Dictionary-Based Isms (SDI)", with its long, 40-item version, and brief, 28-item version. This instrument measures four main dimensions of basic social attitudes: alphaisms (traditional and religious sources of authority), betaisms (dismissing political correctness), gammaisms (believing in Western democracy) and deltaisms (personal spirituality). Until now, this instrument was only used in English-speaking area, and therefore the objective of this research was evaluation and validation of Saucier?s basic structure of social attitudes model in the Serbian-speaking area. In this research, conducted on the sample of 253 participants, both sexes, average age of 39.3 years (SD=14.9), a slightly shortened version of Saucier?s 24-item questionnaire was used. The results of this study contribute to the hypothesis of a universal structure of basic social attitudes: the factor analysis extracted four factors, which correlate from moderate to high level with the original dimensions. However, the structure and content of the factors pointed to a strong cultural influence on the forming and shaping the basic social attitudes. Practically, only the first factor, Religiosity, is a full replication of the original alpha factor. Other items built the factors somewhat different from the original: Hedonism, Rational Spirituality and Nationalism. The results show a better fitness of the model obtained in this study for the Serbian-speaking area compared to the original one.

Introduction to Psychophysiology of Human Personality

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Historical Data ◽  
Measurement Methods ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Human Personality ◽  
Biological Basis ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Personality Theories ◽  
Psychological Concepts

The analysis of historical data has shown that there have been numerous attempts in exploring and understanding individual differences in human personality. Many of them have been using the arousal construct seemed as the most dominant one. Since then, personality psychology has revealed many personality theories and measurement methods as a theoretical and methodological frame in understanding human personality. Besides that, the same researchers and many others have tried to explain human personality and its various psychological concepts using different psychophysiological methods. Therefore, contemporary psychophysiology of personality includes all research on the biological basis of personality underlying trait-like differences in psychological functioning. This section will provide a detailed overview of the psychophysiology of human personality along with the most intriguing research questions.

Who Blogs in 2010?

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley M. Okdie ◽  
Rosanna E. Guadagno ◽  
Daniel M. Rempala ◽  
Cassie A. Eno
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Individual Difference ◽  
Personality Trait ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Interaction ◽  
True Self ◽  
Personality Differences ◽  
Multiple Personality ◽  
Technological Advances

Research suggests gender and personality differences are predictive of general Internet use. Specifically, people high in openness and women high in neuroticism are more likely to keep a blog. Given the rapidity of change owing to technological advances, the authors sought to re-examine the validity of these findings in an era where other forms of online interaction are prevalent. Specifically, the authors sought to replicate and expand on these findings and to examine other individual difference factors that may predict who is likely to maintain a blog. Participants filled out multiple personality measures, demographic characteristics, and reported on their blogging behavior (e.g., writing blog entries and reading blogs). Results replicated the prior research, indicating that openness predicted blogging to a greater degree than any other personality trait. Moreover, results also revealed that individuals high in self-consciousness and those who saw more of their “true self” on the Internet were more likely to blog. These findings suggest that in addition to openness, individual differences, such as self-focus and personality, predict who is likely to blog.

scholarly journals The Affiliative Role of Empathy in Everyday Interpersonal Interactions

2020 ◽  
pp. per.2286
Author(s):  
Whitney R. Ringwald ◽  
Aidan G.C. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Student Sample ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Multilevel Structural Equation

Empathy theoretically serves an affiliative interpersonal function by satisfying motives for intimacy and union with others. Accordingly, empathy is expected to vary depending on the situation. Inconsistent empirical support for empathy's affiliative role may be because of methodology focused on individual differences in empathy or differences between controlled experimental conditions, which fail to capture its dynamic and interpersonal nature. To address these shortcomings, we used ecological momentary assessment to establish typical patterns of empathy across everyday interactions. Associations among empathy, affect, and interpersonal behaviour of self and interaction partner were examined in a student sample ( N = 330), then replicated in a preregistered community sample ( N = 279). Multilevel structural equation modelling was used to distinguish individual differences in empathy from interaction–level effects. Results show that people are more empathetic during positively valenced interactions with others perceived as warm and when expressing warmth. By confirming the typically affiliative role of empathy, existing research to the contrary can be best understood as exceptions to the norm. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals Are All Kids Alike? The Magnitude of Individual Differences in Personality Characteristics Tends to Increase from Early Childhood to Early Adolescence

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
René Mõttus ◽  
Christopher J. Soto ◽  
Helena R. Slobodskaya ◽  
Mitja Back
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Early Adolescence ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
General Pattern ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
The Usa

Do individual differences in personality traits become more or less pronounced over childhood and adolescence? The present research examined age differences in the variance of a range of personality traits, using parent reports of two large samples of children from predominantly the USA and Russia, respectively. Results indicate (i) that individual differences in most traits tend to increase with age from early childhood into early adolescence and then plateau, (ii) that this general pattern of greater personality variance at older childhood age is consistent across the two countries, and (iii) that this pattern is not an artefact of age differences in means or floor/ceiling effects. These findings are consistent with several (noncontradictory) developmental mechanisms, including youths’ expanding behavioural capacities and person–environment transactions (corresponsive principle). However, these mechanisms may predominantly characterize periods before adolescence, or they may be offset by countervailing processes, such as socialization pressure towards a mature personality profile, in late adolescence and adulthood. Finally, the findings also suggest that interpreting age trajectories in mean trait scores as pertaining to age differences in a typical person may sometimes be misleading. Investigating variance should become an integral part of studying personality development. Copyright © 2017 European Association of Personality Psychology

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