Similar Personality Patterns Are Associated with Empathy in Four Different Countries

Empathy is an important human ability associated with successful social interaction. It is currently unclear how to optimally measure individual differences in empathic processing. Although the Big Five model of personality is an effective model to explain individual differences in human experience and behavior, its relation to measures of empathy is currently not well understood. 

Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the relationship between the Big Five personality concept and two commonly used measures for empathy [Empathy Quotient (EQ), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI)] in four samples from China, Germany, Spain, and the United States of America. This approach was designed to advance the way the Big Five personality model can be used to measure empathy. 

We found evidence of medium effect sizes for associations between personality and empathy, with agreeableness and conscientiousness as the most important predictors of affective and cognitive empathy (measured by the respective IRI subscales) as well as for a one-dimensional empathy score (measured by the EQ). Empathy in a fictional context was most closely related to openness to experience while personal distress was first of all related to neuroticism. In terms of culture, we did not observe any distinct pattern concerning cultural differences. 

These results support the cross-cultural applicability of the EQ and the IRI and indicate structurally similar associations between personality and empathy across cultures.

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/3ZImGe

By:  Martin C. Melchers,1,* Mei Li,2 Brian W. Haas,3 Martin Reuter,1,4 Lena Bischoff,1 and Christian Montag5,*

¹Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

²Student Counseling Center, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, China

³Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

⁴Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

⁵Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany

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Language in Online Dating Texts: Trait Identification, Homophily, and their Effect on Attraction

Research has indicated that online daters may pick up on language cues connected to personality traits in online dating profile texts, and act upon those cues. This research seeks to investigate the level of accuracy of detection of personality in dating profile texts, and the extent to which perceived or actual similarity of personality has an effect on attractiveness of the author. 

An online survey was conducted collecting the Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) for each participant and text author, a peer-report TIPI score by participants for each text author, and an attractiveness rating on a Likert scale for each author. Participants correctly identified Extraversion, though the effect size was small. 

Contrary to the hypotheses, participants preferred texts when written by an author with a personality they perceived as dissimilar to their own, specifically in Openness and Conscientiousness, and no relationship was found between actual similarity of personality and attractiveness. 

Online daters may choose partners with complementary or desirable traits rather than similar traits, or other factors in attraction may be more salient in the initial stages of determining attraction.

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By:  Fox Hamilton N1, Fullwood C1, Kirwan G2.

• 1University of Wolverhampton.
• 2Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Dun Laoghaire. 

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Associations Between the Big Five Personality Traits and the Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs for Cognitive Enhancement

While the number of studies of the non-medical use of prescription drugs to augment cognitive functions is growing steadily, psychological factors that can potentially help explain variance in such pharmaceutical cognitive enhancement (CE) behavior are often neglected in research. 

This study investigates the association between the Big Five personality traits and a retrospective (prior CE-drug use) as well as a prospective (willingness to use CE drugs) measure of taking prescription drugs with the purpose of augmenting one's cognitive functions (e.g., concentration, memory, or vigilance) without medical necessity. We use data from a large representative survey of German employees (N = 6454, response rate = 29.8%). 

The Five Factor Model (FFM) of Personality was measured with a short version of the Big Five Personality Traits Inventory (BFI-S), which includes: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Together with this, demographic variables such as gender, age, education, and income were used as potential confounders in multiple logistic regression models. 

Our results show a 2.96% lifetime prevalence of CE-drug use and a 10.45% willingness to (re)use such drugs in the future. We found that less conscientious and more neurotic respondents have a higher probability of prior CE-drug use and a greater willingness to use CE drugs in the future. 

No significant effects were found for openness, extraversion, or agreeableness. Prior CE-drug use was strongly associated with a greater willingness to take such drugs in the future. 

This study shows that specific personality traits are not only associated with prior enhancement behavior, but also affect the willingness to (re)use such drugs. It helps increase understanding of the risk factors of CE-drug use, which is a health-related behavior that can entail severe side-effects for consumers. The knowledge gathered can thus help improve interventions aimed at minimizing health problems.

Below:  Predicted probabilities of prior use and willingness (both y-axis) estimated using average marginal effects based on multivariate logistic regression models—error bars represent the 95% confidence interval. (A) shows that the predicted probability of prior CE-drug use is higher in case of lower conscientiousness [defined by the mean value (M) − 1 standard deviation (SD)] compared to the M and to higher conscientiousness (M + 1 SD), while the probability (B) is lower for lower levels of neuroticism (M – 1 SD) compared to the M and to higher neuroticism (M + 1 SD) (based on Model 1, Table ​Table2).2). (C,D) show similar effects for the willingness to use CE drugs (based on Model 2, Table ​Table22).

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/tSLn9i

By:  Sebastian Sattler1,* and Reinhard Schunck2

¹Institute of Sociology and Social Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

²Faculty of Sociology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany

Edited by: Ralf Brand, University Potsdam, Germany

Reviewed by: Boris B. Quednow, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Lambros Lazuras, Sheffield Hallam University, UK

*Correspondence: Sebastian Sattler ; Email: ed.nleok-inu.osiw@relttas

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Corruption as a Propensity: Personality and Motivational Determinants among Nigerians

Psychologically oriented studies on corruption are lacking despite the fact that psychology has contributed enormously to the understanding of criminal behaviors over the past decades. Part of this problem relates to the lack of psychological tone in the definition and measurement of corruption. Taking a clue from the extensive psychological discourse on crime, which provides strong evidence for the existence of criminal tendencies, we conceptualized corruption here in terms of propensity. Possible personality and motivation determinants of this propensity were then explored. 

Results revealed that extraversion and conscientiousness positively and inversely predicted corruption tendencies, respectively. Results further showed that extrinsic motivation positively potentiates corruption tendencies, whereas intrinsic motivation was inversely related to corruption tendencies. Analysis of demographic variables revealed that males were more likely to be corrupt than their female counterparts. 

In general, findings here are consistent with the criminal behavior literature, which strongly suggests that the study of corruption is indeed amenable to psychological theories and methods and that individual differences variables constitute important explanatory variables in this regard.

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By:   Agbo AA1, Iwundu EI1.

• 1 University of Nigeria. 

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An Online Assessment of Personality, Psychological, and Sexuality Trait Variables Associated with Self-Reported Hypersexual Behavior

"Hypersexual" behavior represents a perceived inability to control one's sexual behavior. To investigate hypersexual behavior, an international sample of 510 self-identified heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual men and women completed an anonymous online self-report questionnaire battery. 

In addition to age and sex (male), hypersexual behavior was related to higher scores on measures of sexual excitation, sexual inhibition due to the threat of performance failure, trait impulsivity, and both depressed mood and anxiety. 

In contrast, hypersexual behavior was related to lower scores on sexual inhibition due to the threat of performance consequences. Higher neuroticism and extraversion, as well as lower agreeableness and conscientiousness, also predicted hypersexual behavior. 

Interestingly, interactions among the variables assessed did not significantly predict hypersexual behavior, suggesting the possible existence of multiple and predominantly independent taxa for various persons reporting hypersexual behavior. Core personality features may also be present in persons with hypersexual behavior. 

Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.

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By: Walton MT1, Cantor JM2, Lykins AD3.

• 1Discipline of Psychology, School of Behavioral, Cognitive, and Social Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.
• 2Law and Mental Health Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
• 3Discipline of Psychology, School of Behavioral, Cognitive, and Social Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia. alykins@une.edu.au.

  

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