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Big Five personality traits predict small but robust differences in civic engagement.
Alexander G Stahlmann1, Christopher J Hopwood1, Wiebke Bleidorn1
1Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14, Box 7, Zurich, CH-8050, Switzerland.
Journal of Personality
|April 17, 2023
Summary
Big Five personality traits modestly predict civic engagement. Agreeableness, extraversion, and openness correlate with higher engagement, while neuroticism and conscientiousness show weaker, sometimes negative, associations.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
Background:
- The relationship between personality and civic engagement is complex.
- Understanding these links is crucial for promoting prosocial behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide robust estimates of the links between Big Five personality traits and various forms of civic engagement.
- To examine these associations across different samples and life stages.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 1593 participants from the US and UK.
- Measured Big Five personality domains and aspects, and six civic engagement indicators.
- Analyzed links across samples, testing for moderation by life stage and sociodemographics.
Main Results:
- Found small but consistent effects of personality on civic engagement.
- Agreeableness, extraversion, and openness were linked to higher engagement (e.g., volunteerism, charitable giving).
- Neuroticism and conscientiousness showed varied associations, sometimes with less engagement (e.g., blood/organ donation).
Conclusions:
- Big Five personality traits offer modest but consistent predictions of civic engagement.
- Lower-order personality aspects provide clearer insights into these relationships.
- Life stage and sociodemographic factors had limited moderating effects.
Keywords:
aspectscharitable givingdonating bloodpolitical votingposthumous organ donationvaccinationvolunteerismMore Related Videos
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