Unique predictive power of other-rated personality: An 18-year longitudinal study

Assessing the dark personality traits with observer reports: A meta-analysis of inter-rater agreement on the Dark Triad and Dark Tetrad traits

Assessing dark personality traits with self-reports may be hampered by biases such as socially desirable responding. To address this, observer reports could be an effective complement or alternative to self-reports. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the correlations of observer reports of the Dark Triad and Dark Tetrad traits with these traits' self-reports. A comprehensive search in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and PsycINFO yielded 24 studies that met the inclusion criteria (with 32 effect sizes) and included the assessment of at least one of the dark traits. Results showed positive self-observer correlations of medium-high magnitude for psychopathy (r = 0.47) and of medium magnitude for narcissism and Machiavellianism (respectively, r = 0.44 and 0.41). In addition, for Machiavellianism and psychopathy, it was shown that the better acquainted the observer and the observed, the higher the self-observer correlations. For sadism, no results could be obtained because only one study included the assessment of this trait. This is the first meta-analysis of inter-rater agreement in assessing the Dark Tetrad. The findings suggest that observer reports could be a supplement or even be alternatives to self-reports when assessing the Dark Tetrad traits.

Interpersonal Perception of Adult Playfulness at Zero-Acquaintance: A Conceptual Replication Study of Self-Other Agreement and Consensus, and an Extension to Two Accuracy Criteria

OBJECTIVE

We replicated and extended previous research examining the accuracy of judgments of four facets of adult playfulness (Other-directed, Lighthearted, Intellectual, and Whimsical; OLIW) at zero-acquaintance.

METHOD

We conducted a conceptual replication study. One hundred sixty targets provided self-ratings for the OLIW facets, textual self-descriptions (≤ five sentences), daily self-ratings of playfulness for 14 consecutive days, and ratings by knowledgeable others. Six unacquainted judges provided rated targets' playfulness based on their self-descriptions. We replicated findings on trait-wise self-other agreement (SOA) and consensus and extended prior research by testing SOA for profiles of the four facets and two distinct accuracy criteria (i.e., targets' diary data and aggregates of targets' self-reports and those from knowledgeable others).

RESULTS

All interpersonal perception indicators showed that facets of playfulness can be perceived above chance (SOA ≥ 0.26; consensus ≥ 0.29, accuracies ≥ 0.16). SOA extends from single facets to profiles, also when controlling for stereotype effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Playfulness can be accurately observed from minimal textual information at zero acquaintance. Our study highlights the robustness of findings on the interpersonal perception of playfulness across samples and methods, and degrees of acquaintanceship. We discuss implications for playfulness in social relationships.

Intrinsic functional connectivity mediates the effect of personality traits on depressive symptoms

BACKGROUND

Personality traits have been proposed as risk factors for depressive symptoms. However, the neural mechanism behind these relationships is unclear. This study examined the possible mediating effect of resting-state functional connectivity networks on these relationships.

METHODS

Data from 153 healthy Germans were obtained from the MPI-Leipzig Mind-Brain-Body: Neuroanatomy & Connectivity Protocol database. Network-based statistics were used to identify significant functional connectivity networks that were positively and negatively associated with the personality traits of neuroticism, conscientiousness, and extraversion, with and without demographical covariates. Mediation analyses were performed for each personality trait and depressive symptoms with the significant positive and negative network strengths of the respective personality traits as mediators.

RESULTS

Neuroticism, conscientiousness, and extraversion were significantly correlated with depressive symptoms. Network-based statistics identified patterns of functional connectivity that were significantly associated with neuroticism and conscientiousness. After controlling for demographical covariates, significant conscientiousness-associated and extraversion-associated networks emerged. Mediation analysis concluded that only the neuroticism-positive network mediated the effect of neuroticism on depressive symptoms. When age and sex were controlled, the extraversion-positive network completely mediated the effect of extraversion on depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings revealed that patterns of intrinsic functional networks predict personality traits and suggest that the relationship between personality traits and depressive symptoms may in part be due to their common patterns of intrinsic functional networks.

Self-other agreement and criterion-related validity of moral pride and hubris

OBJECTIVES

This research investigates the moral implications of trait-level moral pride and hubris, addressing prior limitations by gathering data from multiple sources. We raise two interrelated questions: (1) Do well-acquainted peers agree with their friends on judgments of trait-level moral pride and hubris? (2) Are moral pride and hubris related to divergent (im)moral outcomes, regardless of measurement sources?

METHOD

We collected data from a sample of university students and their friends (N = 173 dyads) in Hong Kong to examine self-other agreement and criterion-related validity of trait-level moral pride and hubris.

RESULTS

Our findings reveal a medium-to-large level of self-other agreement for, as well as a moral divergence of, trait-level moral pride and hubris. Notably, self-reports of moral pride predict prosocial behavior, whereas self-reports of moral hubris predict virtue-signaling behavior, regardless of whether the outcomes are self- or other-reported. Moreover, self-reports trump other-reports in predicting some outcomes, but the reverse is true for other outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that individuals' proneness to experience morally specific pride and hubris constitutes "real" traits, evoking divergent (im)moral outcomes. Furthermore, self- and other-reports each contain some unique trait-relevant information, with their relative predictive power depending on the specific predictor and outcome.

Exploring the acquaintanceship effect for the accuracy of judgments of traits and profiles of adult playfulness

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to extend the research on the interpersonal perception of adult playfulness (global and facets: Other-directed, Lighthearted, Intellectual, and Whimsical [OLIW]) by testing whether judgmental accuracy relates to indicators of acquaintanceship.

BACKGROUND

Playfulness has been found to contribute to social relationships.

METHOD

Using data from 658 dyads (1,318 participants) who had been acquainted for 1 month to 62.2 years, we computed measurement invariance analyses and self-other agreement (SOA) for the facets and profiles of playfulness. We operationalized acquaintanceship as length of acquaintanceship, relationship type (friends, family, and partners), and intensity of acquaintanceship. We tested acquaintanceship effects with multigroup latent analyses and response surface analyses.

RESULTS

Self- and other ratings of playfulness showed scalar measurement invariance and robust SOA in traits and distinctive profiles (≥ .37). There was only minor evidence for acquaintanceship effects for relationship duration (only Intellectual playfulness), and group comparisons showed that friends yielded lower SOA in profiles than dyads of family members and couples.

CONCLUSION

Considering that playfulness can be accurately perceived even at zero acquaintance, we discuss whether playfulness is a "good trait" (high trait visibility) in which acquaintanceship plays a minor role. We also discuss methodological considerations for detecting acquaintanceship effects during relationship formation.

Interindividual age differences in personality structure

Most investigations in the structure of personality traits do not adequately address age; instead, they presuppose a constant structure across the lifespan. Further, few studies look at the structure of personality traits a-theoretically, often neglecting to examine the relationship among indicators within a trait (convergence) and across traits (divergence). Using a network approach, the present study examines (1) age differences in divergence and convergence, (2) the similarity between the Big Five and network structures, and (3) the consistency of network structure across age groups in a large, cross-sectional sample. Results indicate that convergence shows early gains in adolescence with few differences across the lifespan, while divergence mostly weakens across adulthood. The result of these age-related differences is that Big Five indicators only parallel the Big Five structure among young but not older adults. The structure of young adults tends to be quite similar while the network structures of older adults appear to greatly differ from one another. These results suggest that older adults have a different structure of personality than younger adults and suggest that future research should not assume consistency in personality structure across the lifespan.

Judging What Others Enjoy: Desirability and Observability of Interests

Interests guide major life decisions such as choosing a career path, yet little is known about the subjective characteristics of individual differences in interests. Prior research on personality traits has demonstrated that subjective trait perceptions influence the validity and reliability of personality assessments. The current work expands the study of these subjective characteristics to individual differences in interests. Desirability and observability were assessed among 13 constructs: person orientation, thing orientation, RIASEC career interests, and Big Five traits. Judgments of interest dimensions varied considerably, with socially-related interests rated more desirable than thing-related interests. Some career-related interests were low in observability, and thus may be susceptible to being overlooked or categorized inaccurately. The patterns observed in interest characteristics were comparable to patterns in career choice hit rates, occupational prestige, and self-other convergence. The findings advance knowledge of differences between interest dimensions and suggest that subjective perceptions should be considered in interest assessment.

Prospective Associations of Parenting and Childhood Maltreatment with Personality in Adolescent Males

This longitudinal study examines whether early experiences with caregivers between the ages of 10 and 12 are associated with later adolescent personality at age 16 using both parent and child reports. Lower positive parenting was prospectively associated with higher neuroticism and lower extraversion and conscientiousness for both parent and self-reports of personality, as well as lower openness and agreeableness by parent report. Substantiated maltreatment was prospectively associated with greater neuroticism and lower agreeableness and conscientiousness assessed by parent report. Prospective associations were similar across Black and White participants. Positive parenting and, to a lesser extent, a lack of maltreatment were associated with adaptive personality profiles in adolescents, and associations were stronger for parent reports of personality.

Self-other personality agreement and internalizing problems in adolescence

OBJECTIVE

Achieving a clear self-view is a lifelong task that is particularly salient during adolescence. Theory and research suggest that close others' perceptions of individuals' personality may influence the formation and maintenance of coherent self-views. The degree to which adolescents develop a stable and coherent self-view, in turn, may have perennial influences on their mental health and well-being. This 1-year longitudinal study investigated the associations between the agreement of self- and other-rated Big Five personality traits and internalizing problems in adolescence.

METHOD

Participants were 570 Dutch adolescents (51% girls), their mothers, friends, and siblings. We examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between self-other personality agreement and internalizing problems using polynomial regression analyses and response surface analyses.

RESULTS

Results indicated strong main effects of self- and other-rated personality traits on internalizing problems but provided little evidence for longitudinal associations between self-other personality agreement and internalizing problems.

CONCLUSION

Our results cast doubt on the generalizability of the beneficial effects of self-other agreement documented in the adult literature to adolescents but highlight the importance of self- and other-rated personality in youth's mental health development. Discussion focuses on the theoretical implications and recommendations for future investigations of self-other agreement.

Development and Validation of a Brief Measure of Self-Management Competence: The Self-Management Self-Test (SMST)

BACKGROUND

Self-management can be considered a way of dealing with oneself and relates to actions undertaken to create order, discipline, and control. The concept is closely linked to concepts of self-efficacy and self-regulation but can be distinguished from these. The Self-Management Self-Test (SMST) is a 5-item assessment scale designed to measure self-management competence in individuals with or without a psychiatric disorder (as screened using PHQ). The aim of this study was to validate the SMST in terms of convergent validity, the ability to differentiate, criterion validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability.

METHODS

Eighty-seven adults hospitalized for treatment of major depression (clinical sample) and 595 individuals from the general population (population sample) filled out the SMST and 5 other stress-related psychometric instruments measuring similar constructs. All instruments were repeated 4 to 6 weeks later. Convergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were tested based on data from the population sample. Convergent validity was determined by correlations with other stress-related psychometric instruments. Correlations in the range of r = -0.4 to -0.6 were expected. To test for criterion validity, the clinical sample was matched with a subsample from the population sample, consisting only of individuals without a psychiatric disorder as screened using PHQ (nonclinical subsample, n = 87). The ability to differentiate was based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

Correlations between the SMST and the other stress-related tests were significant and in the expected direction and predominantly within the expected range (Pearson r = -0.40 to -0.64). The correlation with the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20, measuring fatigue, and with the dimensional scale for depression in the PHQ was higher than expected and referred to very similar items. Thus, convergent validity mainly lay within the expected range. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach α = 0.80), and test-retest reliability was fairly low (r = 0.71). The SMST showed a significant difference, t(157) = 7.97, P < .001, between the clinical sample (M = 9.36, SD = 3.39) and the nonclinical subsample (M = 12.94, SD = 2.47) with a large effect size (d = 1.3). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was excellent (AUC = 0.81, SE = 0.034, P < .001), suggesting that the SMST can distinguish between the clinical and nonclinical samples.

CONCLUSIONS

The SMST can be considered an effective self-rating test to assess self-management competence in individuals from the general population as well as in people with major depression. It may also be useful to detect treatment outcomes in people with major depression. The high internal consistency indicates that all 5 items are important for the test as a whole. The low test-retest reliability suggests sensitivity to change. The SMST is likely to differentiate particularly well at low levels of self-management competence, suggesting it may be a useful tool in studies investigating people with depression or other psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Furthermore, the SMST could be useful in assessing the effect of treatment interventions over time and evaluating patient-reported outcomes.

Dispositional negativity, cognition, and anxiety disorders: An integrative translational neuroscience framework

When extreme, anxiety can become debilitating. Anxiety disorders, which often first emerge early in development, are common and challenging to treat, yet the underlying mechanisms have only recently begun to come into focus. Here, we review new insights into the nature and biological bases of dispositional negativity, a fundamental dimension of childhood temperament and adult personality and a prominent risk factor for the development of pediatric and adult anxiety disorders. Converging lines of epidemiological, neurobiological, and mechanistic evidence suggest that dispositional negativity increases the likelihood of psychopathology via specific neurocognitive mechanisms, including attentional biases to threat and deficits in executive control. Collectively, these observations provide an integrative translational framework for understanding the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders in adults and youth and set the stage for developing improved intervention strategies.

Unique predictive power of other-rated personality: An 18-year longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE

What is gained by having others report on one's personality? Research on adult samples has suggested that informant reports are especially informative regarding traits that are highly visible and evaluative (i.e., socially desirable/undesirable instead of neutral), such as Openness, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness. This 18-year longitudinal study aims to demonstrate the unique predictive power of other-rated personality in adolescence, using life outcomes and personality in adulthood as trait criteria.

METHOD

We examined the unique predictive power of self- and other-rated Big Five personality traits at age 12 and 17 on self-rated life outcomes and personality at age 29 (e.g., educational achievement, work income, depression, moral transgressions, and relationship satisfaction). Participants were 186 German adolescents (53% boys), their parents and friends at age 12, and their mothers and fathers at age 17.

RESULTS

Other-ratings showed unique predictive power beyond self-ratings for all Big Five traits, with the most consistent results for Openness, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness.

CONCLUSIONS

Results demonstrate the added value of including other-reports on adolescent personality when predicting future life outcomes and personality, especially for highly visible and evaluative traits. The present study sheds light on the predictive power of self- versus other-rated personality and personality-outcome associations.