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Personality and Sexual Orientation: New Data and Meta-analysis
Mark S Allen1, Davina A Robson1
1School of Psychology, University of Wollongong.
Journal of Sex Research
|June 9, 2020
Summary
Personality traits differ across sexual orientations. Bisexual individuals show higher openness and lower conscientiousness. These differences vary by sex and tend to decrease with age.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Personality Science
- Sexual Orientation Studies
Background:
- Understanding the relationship between personality traits and sexual orientation is crucial for personality science and sexual identity development.
- Previous research has explored these associations, but updated meta-analyses are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between the Big Five personality traits and sexual orientation in a large Australian adult sample.
- To conduct an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of personality and sexual orientation across diverse studies.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Survey of 13,351 Australian adults assessing Big Five personality traits and sexual orientation (heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual).
- Study 2: Systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 studies (35 independent samples, 377,951 participants) examining personality differences across sexual orientations.
Main Results:
- Significant personality differences were found across heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual individuals on all Big Five traits.
- Bisexual individuals reported higher openness and lower conscientiousness than homosexual and heterosexual individuals.
- Homosexual men scored higher on neuroticism, agreeableness, and conscientiousness than heterosexual men; homosexual women scored lower on extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness than heterosexual women.
- Personality differences generally decreased with age.
Conclusions:
- Personality traits are associated with sexual orientation, with distinct patterns observed for bisexual and homosexual individuals compared to heterosexual individuals.
- Findings support the gender-shift hypothesis, suggesting personality differences may be influenced by gendered expectations related to sexual orientation.
- The observed age-related decline in personality differences warrants further investigation into developmental trajectories of personality and sexual identity.
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