Individual consistencies in behavior: achievement persistence interactions as personality styles

Two experiments were carried out to find within-subject consistencies as well as individual differences in a choice situation involving achievement persistence. Four volunteers, two men (21 and 23 years old) and two women (21 and 22 years old) were exposed twice, with a 1-mo. interval, to a filling-patterns task, to evaluate their choices for two options. For one option, task-time and outcomes for every response were constant. For the other option, task-time decreased in correlation with an increase in earnings for every response. Analyses showed reliable profiles for three of the four subjects when percent of responding to each option was compared in independent experiments. Results are discussed in terms of interactive styles.