IU Indianapolis ScholarWorks :: Browsing by Subject "Personality"

Browsing by Subject "Personality"

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Can text messages make people kinder?
(Oxford UP, 2014) Konrath, Sara H.
Empathic character is a set of interrelated dispositions, skills, motivations, emotions, and behaviors that involve a habitual responsiveness to others’ needs. It is linked to higher prosocial behavior, lower aggression, and better health. There is much research demonstrating both its consistency within people over time and its malleability in response to environmental and situational cues, including face-to-face interventions. In this paper I examine whether it is possible to increase empathic character using a mobile-based program. A large body of research in public health has used text messages to improve physical health outcomes and behaviors, but no research has examined whether text messages can be used to change traits. We conducted a study (N=90) in which participants received 6 daily empathy-building text messages for a 2 week period, versus a control group. We found that those in the empathy group showed some evidence of increased empathic character compared to control participants. The chapter ends by discussing implications of this work for a deeper understanding of empathic character, and some future directions of this research.
Critical Synthesis Package: Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI)
(2013) Konrath, Sara H.
The IRI measures four different dimensions of dispositional empathy: 1) The Empathic Concern subscale assesses emotional empathy, or feelings of compassion for others in distress (e.g. “I often have tender, concerned feelings for people less fortunate than me.”) 2) The Perspective Taking subscale assesses cognitive empathy, or the tendency to see the world from others’ viewpoints (e.g. “I sometimes try to understand my friends better by imagining how things look from their perspective.”) 3) The Personal Distress subscale assesses self-focused responses to others’ suffering (e.g. “When I see someone who badly needs help in an emergency, I go to pieces.”) 4) The Fantasy subscale assesses empathy for fictional characters (e.g. “I really get involved with the feelings of the characters in a novel.”)
Development and Validation of the Single Item Narcissism Scale (SINS)
(PLOS, 2014-08-05) Konrath, Sara H.; Meier, Brian P.; Bushman, Brad J.
Main Objectives The narcissistic personality is characterized by grandiosity, entitlement, and low empathy. This paper describes the development and validation of the Single Item Narcissism Scale (SINS). Although the use of longer instruments is superior in most circumstances, we recommend the SINS in some circumstances (e.g. under serious time constraints, online studies). Methods In 11 independent studies (total N = 2,250), we demonstrate the SINS' psychometric properties. Results The SINS is significantly correlated with longer narcissism scales, but uncorrelated with self-esteem. It also has high test-retest reliability. We validate the SINS in a variety of samples (e.g., undergraduates, nationally representative adults), intrapersonal correlates (e.g., positive affect, depression), and interpersonal correlates (e.g., aggression, relationship quality, prosocial behavior). The SINS taps into the more fragile and less desirable components of narcissism. Significance The SINS can be a useful tool for researchers, especially when it is important to measure narcissism with constraints preventing the use of longer measures.
Do social features help in video-centric online learning platforms? A social presence perspective
(Elsevier, 2020-12-01) Andel, Stephanie A.; de Vreede, Triparna; Spector, Paul E.; Padmanabhan, Balaji; Singh, Vivek; de Vreede, Gert-Jan
The popularity of online learning is growing exponentially. Accordingly, it is critical to understand how we can facilitate the learning experience for users in these unique online environments. Past research consistently finds that one important antecedent of online learning outcomes is social presence. However, there is limited research related to how to foster social presence perceptions among users. Further, research has yet to understand whether there are boundary conditions for the positive effects of social presence perceptions on user outcomes (e.g., perceived learning, satisfaction). The current work describes two studies to address these questions. The first study uses an experimental design to investigate how the perception of social presence can be increased in the online learning context. In the second study, we investigate the degree to which social presence perceptions are more beneficial for some individuals versus others. Specifically, we consider two personality traits (i.e., conscientiousness, extraversion) as moderators of the relationships between social presence perceptions and two outcomes – perceived learning and satisfaction. Overall, the results of these two studies provide important insights into how to enhance user outcomes in online learning and training environments.
The Empathy Paradox: Increasing Disconnection in the Age of Increasing Connection
(2014) Konrath, Sara H.
The purpose of this chapter is to summarize changes in personality traits that have co-occurred with the rise of new social media, and to evaluate the plausibility of the hypothesis that new social media are a partial explanation for these dramatic changes. Studies have found a rise in social disconnection among recent generations of young Americans. Self-esteem and narcissism have been rising in college students from the late 1970s to 2010, with simultaneous declines in empathy. Scholars and lay people alike blame the rise of the internet, and in particular, selforiented and self-promoting “social” networking sites. This new media landscape could lead to increasing social disconnection even as it superficially increases our social connections, and several studies suggest a direct link between social media use and social disconnection. However, since most research thus far is correlational, interpretations are limited, leaving open more optimistic possibilities for new social media.
Expensive Egos: Narcissistic Males Have Higher Cortisol
(PLOS, 2012-01-23) Reinhard, David A.; Konrath, Sara H.; Lopez, William D.; Cameron, Heather G.
Background Narcissism is characterized by grandiosity, low empathy, and entitlement. There has been limited research regarding the hormonal correlates of narcissism, despite the potential health implications. This study examined the role of participant narcissism and sex on basal cortisol concentrations in an undergraduate population. Methods and Findings Participants were 106 undergraduate students (79 females, 27 males, mean age 20.1 years) from one Midwestern and one Southwestern American university. Narcissism was assessed using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, and basal cortisol concentrations were collected from saliva samples in a laboratory setting. Regression analyses examined the effect of narcissism and sex on cortisol (log). There were no sex differences in basal cortisol, F (1,97) = .20, p = .65, and narcissism scores, F (1,97) = .00, p = .99. Stepwise linear regression models of sex and narcissism and their interaction predicting cortisol concentrations showed no main effects when including covariates, but a significant interaction, β = .27, p = .04. Narcissism was not related to cortisol in females, but significantly predicted cortisol in males. Examining the effect of unhealthy versus healthy narcissism on cortisol found that unhealthy narcissism was marginally related to cortisol in females, β = .27, p = .06, but significantly predicted higher basal cortisol in males, β = .72, p = .01, even when controlling for potential confounds. No relationship was found between sex, narcissism, or their interaction on self-reported stress. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the HPA axis is chronically activated in males with unhealthy narcissism. This constant activation of the HPA axis may have important health implications.
Explore the relations between personality and gamification
(2018-01-22) Jia, Yuan; Bolchini, Davide; Voida, Stephen; MacDorman, Karl; Defazio, Joseph
Successful gamification motivates users to engage in systems using game-like experiences. However, a one-size-fits-all approach to gamification is often unsuccessful; prior studies suggest that personality serves as a key differentiator in the effectiveness of the approach. To advance the understanding of personality differences and their influence on users’ behavior and motivation in gamification, this dissertation is comprised of three studies that: 1) explore the relationships among individuals’ personality traits and preferences for different gamification features through an online survey; 2) investigate how people with different personality traits respond to the motivational affordances in a gamified application over a period of time through a diary study; and 3) reveal how individuals respond differentially to different kinds of leaderboard experiences based on their leaderboard rankings, the application domain, and the individuals’ personality traits through their responses to 9 dynamic leaderboards. The results from the first study show that extraversion and emotional stability are the two primary personality traits that differentiate users’ preferences for gamification. Among the 10 types of motivational affordances, extraverts are more likely to be motivated by Points, Levels, and Leaderboards. However, the results from the second (diary) study indicate that, after the first week, extraverts’ preferences for Points decreased. The motivation effects of Points and Leaderboards changed over the course of using the gamified application. The results from the third study confirm the findings from the first two studies about extraversion and revealed that ranking and domain differences are also effective factors in users’ experiences of Leaderboards in gamification. Design guidelines for gamification are presented based on the results of each of the three studies. Based on a synthesis of the results from these three studies, this dissertation proposes a conceptual model for gamification design. The model describes not only the impact of personality traits, domain differences, and users’ experience over time, but also illustrates the importance of considering individual differences, application context, and the potential significance of user persistence in gamification design. This research contributes to the HCI and gamification communities by uncovering factors that will affect the way that people respond to gamification systems, considered holistically.
Externalizing personality traits, empathy, and gray matter volume in healthy young drinkers
(Elsevier, 2016-02-28) Charpentier, Judith; Dzemidzic, Mario; West, John; Oberlin, Brandon G.; Eiler, William J. A. II; Saykin, Andrew J.; Kareken, David A.; Department of Neurology, IU School of Medicine
Externalizing psychopathology has been linked to prefrontal abnormalities. While clinically diagnosed subjects show altered frontal gray matter, it is unknown if similar deficits relate to externalizing traits in non-clinical populations. We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to retrospectively analyze the cerebral gray matter volume of 176 young adult social to heavy drinkers (mean age=24.0±2.9, male=83.5%) from studies of alcoholism risk. We hypothesized that prefrontal gray matter volume and externalizing traits would be correlated. Externalizing personality trait components-Boredom Susceptibility-Impulsivity (BS/IMP) and Empathy/Low Antisocial Behaviors (EMP/LASB)-were tested for correlations with gray matter partial volume estimates (gmPVE). Significantly large clusters (pFWE<0.05, family-wise whole-brain corrected) of gmPVE correlated with EMP/LASB in dorsolateral and medial prefrontal regions, and in occipital cortex. BS/IMP did not correlate with gmPVE, but one scale of impulsivity (Eysenck I7) correlated positively with bilateral inferior frontal/orbitofrontal, and anterior insula gmPVE. In this large sample of community-dwelling young adults, antisocial behavior/low empathy corresponded with reduced prefrontal and occipital gray matter, while impulsivity correlated with increased inferior frontal and anterior insula cortical volume. These findings add to a literature indicating that externalizing personality features involve altered frontal architecture.
The impact of personality traits on outcomes of caregivers of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the transition period
(2017) Yu, Yue; McGrew, John H.
The study examined the impact of the “big 5” personality traits on caregiver burden during the period when individuals with ASD transition from high school. Participants (N = 117) were caregivers of individuals with ASD who either will graduate within two years or graduated from high school within the past two years. Participants completed questionnaires measuring study variables predicted to be associated with caregiver burden as guided by the Double ABCX model of family adaptation, i.e., autism symptom severity, problem behaviors, pile-up of life demands, personality traits, social support, cognitive appraisals, and coping strategies. Primary caregivers reported moderate burden in the transition period. Specifically, although caregivers experienced stress in the transition period, they were less overwhelmed than the period when one’s child first receive the ASD diagnosis. Increased problem behaviors, higher neuroticism, lower extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, lower levels of social support, fewer use of challenge appraisals, and greater use of threat appraisals and passive-avoidance coping strategies predicted greater caregiver burden. Passive-avoidance coping mediated the relationship between caregiving stress and four personality traits respectively (i.e., neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness). The results support the potential importance of personality traits in explaining differences in caregiver stress in families of those with ASD and further indicated that the association between personality and burden was mediated by caregivers’ use of maladaptive coping strategies, i.e., passive-avoidance coping. The findings also have potential applicability for interventions to reduce caregiver burden. Several factors were identified that could help alleviate the stress. For example, parents should be encouraged to avoid using threat appraisals and passive-avoidance coping strategies. In addition, interventions could be developed to provide support or strategies to parents to handle child’s behavioral problems and thus reduce stress.
The impact of personality, informal roles, and team informal role configuration on team effectiveness
(2011-03-09) Caughlin, David E.; Devine, Dennis John; Hazer, John; Ashburn-Nardo, Leslie
As organizations use more and more work teams, selecting and assembling effective teams is becoming increasingly important. Past research and theory has demonstrated that informal roles serve as a critical linking mechanism between individual-level characteristics such as personality and team-level effectiveness. The present study builds upon this area of research and theory by testing the individual-level link between personality and informal roles and the team-level link between team informal role configuration and team effectiveness. These links were tested using a sample of 152 undergraduate students participating in 38 teams of four. The teams engaged in an information-sharing business simulation where the goal was to generate the highest possible profits across two simulated business years. At the individual level, the Big Five personality dimension Agreeableness positively and significantly correlated with the adoption of the Communicator role, while the relationship between Conscientiousness and the Contractor role approached significance. With regard to the team level, a positive relationship was found between the number of Completer roles performed within a team and the level of team effectiveness for the first simulated business year, and the relationship between the total number of informal roles performed within a team and team effectiveness in the first simulated year was found to be marginally significant. Using a criterion profile analysis approach, two criterion patterns were identified in which optimal informal role configuration patterns yielded high levels of team effectiveness. Overall, results from this study lend some support to the demonstrated links between personality and informal roles and informal role configuration and team effectiveness, which have important implications for organizational selection and employee development.

Browsing by Subject "Personality"

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