Personality correlates of alienation in a university sample
1Department of Psychology, Thurston House, Virginia Commonwealth University, 808 West Franklin Street, POB 842018, Richmond, VA 23284-2018, USA.
Psychological Reports
|March 29, 2001
Summary
Students high in alienation exhibit increased neuroticism and decreased conscientiousness and openness. Despite challenges like anxiety, they may adapt in supportive environments and show tolerance for deviance.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Alienation is a complex phenomenon affecting urban university students.
- Understanding personality correlates of alienation is crucial for student support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between alienation and personality traits in university students.
- To examine differences in Big Five Inventory scores based on alienation levels.
Main Methods:
- Participants: 85 men and 136 women university students.
- Measures: Gould Manifest Alienation Measure and the 44-item Big Five Inventory.
- Analysis: Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).
Main Results:
- Students high in alienation (irrespective of sex) scored higher on Neuroticism.
- Students high in alienation scored lower on Conscientiousness and Openness.
- No significant interactions were found between sex and Big Five Inventory scores.
Conclusions:
- High alienation in students is linked to specific personality profiles (higher Neuroticism, lower Conscientiousness/Openness).
- Despite experiencing anxiety and reduced environmental awareness, alienated students may cope in supportive settings.
- Alienated students might exhibit greater tolerance for deviant behavior due to perceived social norm irrelevance.
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