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Objective: Guided by a functional account of awe, we aimed to test the hypothesis that people who often feel awe are also more curious (Studies 1 and 2), and that this relationship in turn relates to academic outcomes (Study 3)., Method: In Study 1 (n = 1,005), we used a self-report approach to test the relationship between dispositional awe and curiosity. In Study 2 (n = 100), we used a peer-report approach to test if participants' dispositional awe related to how curious they were rated by their friends. In Study 3, in a sample of 447 high school adolescents we tested if dispositional awe related to academic outcomes via curiosity., Results: We found that dispositional awe was positively related to people's self-rated curiosity (Study 1) and how curious they were rated by their friends (Study 2). In Study 3, we found that dispositional awe was related to academic outcomes via curiosity., Conclusions: We conclude that among the seven positive emotion dispositions tested, awe was related to unique variance in curiosity, and this link in turn predicted academic outcomes. This work further characterizes awe as an epistemic emotion and suggests that activities that inspire awe may improve academic outcomes., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: Curiosity promotes engagement in novel situations and the accruement of resources that promote well-being. An open question is the extent to which curiosity lability, the degree to which curiosity fluctuates over short timescales, impacts well-being., Method: We use data from a 21-day daily diary as well as trait measures in 167 participants (mean age = 25.37 years, SD = 7.34) to test (a) the importance of curiosity lability for depression, flourishing, and life satisfaction, (b) day-to-day associations among curiosity and happiness, depressed mood, anxiety, and physical activity, and (c) the role of day's mood as a mediator between physical activity and curiosity., Results: We observe positive associations among curiosity lability and depression, as well as negative associations among curiosity lability and both life satisfaction and flourishing. Curiosity is higher on days of greater happiness and physical activity, and lower on days of greater depressed mood. We find evidence consistent with day's depressed mood and happiness being mediators between physical activity and curiosity., Conclusions: Greater consistency in curiosity is associated with well-being. We identify several potential sources of augmentation and blunting of curiosity in daily life and provide support for purported mechanisms linking physical activity to curiosity via mood., (© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Personality published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Information has been suggested to convey incentive value mediated by dopaminergic systems similar to those implicated in extrinsic reward. Although the reward characteristics of information have received preliminary support by behavioral and fMRI findings, EEG correlates and individual differences have not yet been examined. In the current study, a novel perceptual paradigm was developed to probe the associations between anticipation of perceptual information and frontal electroencephalographic alpha asymmetry, i.e., a marker of approach motivation. Assuming individual differences in engaging with perceptual information, trait openness was examined as a moderator of the associations. One hundred and twenty participants viewed partly visible photos that were gradually uncovered. After they indicated state levels of confidence and curiosity, the photos were fully disclosed. During anticipation of the fully disclosed stimuli, left-lateralized asymmetry linearly increased with curiosity. Moreover, a curvilinear relationship between confidence and left-lateralized asymmetry emerged, suggesting enhanced motivational activation during medium levels of uncertainty. The curvilinear relationship was moderated by trait openness, indicating individual differences in the responsiveness to perceptual uncertainty. In summary, our findings provide novel empirical evidence for the incentive motivational value of information., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

What does it mean to be a good thinker? Which virtues work together in someone who possesses good intellectual character? Although recent research on virtues has highlighted the benefits of individual intellectual virtues, being an excellent thinker is likely a function of possessing multiple intellectual virtues. Specifically, a good thinker would both recognize one's intellectual shortcomings and possess an eagerness to learn driven by virtues such as love of knowledge, curiosity, and open-mindedness. Good intellectual character may only successfully manifest when individuals possess not just one or a few intellectual virtues, but a larger set of such virtues to different degrees. However, little is currently known about what combination of virtues are necessary for good thinking. We argue that it is important to identify and clarify the nature of the good thinker and outline a profile methodology for achieving this goal. This approach characterizes the good thinker in terms of a profile of multiple intellectual virtues. Understanding this profile can allow greater insight into the extent to which people possess such a profile, and the potential for societal benefits of educating for these qualities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creativity has many benefits, such as workplace performance and life satisfaction. Three studies extended a small body of work to examine whether awe was associated with creative personality, convergent creativity, and everyday creative behaviors (N = 1,844). Study 1 demonstrated that trait awe was associated with a more creative personality among adolescents and adults in the U.S., Iran, and Malaysia. Study 2 showed that trait awe was associated with an increased likelihood of solving the Duncker's Candle Problem. Finally, Study 3 found that on days when participants felt more daily awe than they typically do, they reported having done more everyday creative activities. The effects of awe were independent of amusement (Studies 1–3) and Big Five personality (Study 3). Moreover, we found that daily curiosity explained the link between daily awe and daily creativity in Study 3. These results are the first to demonstrate a consistent link between awe and complementary measures of creativity. The discussion focuses on the limitations of the present work as well as implications of the present results for future research on awe and creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionDespite broad consensus about multicultural experience's benefits, there is a lack of research on the antecedents to multicultural experiences. Research has indicated that awe shifts attention away from the self toward larger entities, which could include elements of other cultures.MethodsFour studies (N = 2915) tested whether trait, daily, and induced awe promoted multicultural experience.ResultsStudies 1-2 (adolescents, young, middle, and older adults) showed that trait awe predicted greater multicultural identity and experience independent of other positive emotions and openness. Study 3 (students & adults in U.S. & Malaysia) demonstrated that daily awe predicted more daily multicultural experience independent of yesterday's multicultural experience. These results were explained by trait and daily curiosity. Study 4 (adults) found that induction of awe increased state multicultural identity and experience via state curious emotions and then state curious personality.ConclusionWe found that experiencing more awe can be a tool for enhancing the multicultural experience. The discussion focuses on the implications for future research on awe and multicultural experiences.

Speciation is familiar in radiations, but personality is not. In a recent article, Sommer-Trembo et al. linked exploratory behavior in African cichlids to a SNP in the promoter of a gene, the homolog of which is associated with human personality disorders, offering clues about the first fish of this radiation, with implications for vertebrate evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the intricate relationship among peace attitudes, personality traits, and sustainable behaviors in a diverse sample of 279 adults from different regions of Italy. Building upon the existing literature, this research affirms the influence of agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness as primary personality traits associated with sustainable behaviors. Additionally, this study scrutinizes the unique predictive power of peace attitudes. The Peace Attitude Scale (PAS), the Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ), and the Sustainable Behaviors Scale (SBS) were utilized to evaluate peace attitudes, personality traits, and sustainable behaviors. The analysis reveals that peace attitudes significantly predict sustainable behaviors, accounting for 31% of the variance. This predictability is attributed to intrinsic motivation and value alignment. Importantly, peace attitudes extend beyond environmental concerns to embrace social justice and equity, integral components of sustainability. The findings underscore the unique and substantial contribution of peace attitudes to understanding sustainable behavior. This study not only confirms the role of personality traits but also emphasizes the importance of intrinsic values in propelling pro-environmental actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigates the associations between personality and humor structure appreciation. A total of 509 participants completed the Big Five Inventory–2 and the Humor Structure Appreciation Scale. The results showed that, as expected, open-mindedness was associated with a preference for nonsense (NON) over incongruity-resolution (INC-RES) humor, and it was negatively related to the aversiveness scores of NON humor. On the other hand, conscientiousness correlated with a preference for INC-RES over NON humor, and the facet of organization accounted primarily for this relationship. Focusing on the facets of open-mindedness, we found that aesthetic sensitivity and intellectual curiosity were related to preferring jokes with residual incongruities (NON humor) over jokes with a full resolution (INC-RES humor). Finally, we confirmed that extraverted individuals enjoyed humor more of all types, whereas negative emotionality related to generally finding both types of humor as not funny, but there was no significant association between negative emotionality and the total aversiveness score. The results are discussed in relation to previous theoretical accounts and empirical findings, and future avenues for further research are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magic is an ancient, universal, diverse, and wide-ranging domain of artistic performance. Despite its worldwide popularity, however, any working magician will tell you that some people really hate magic. They seem to see every illusion as a challenge to be solved and every performance as an insult to their intelligence. A distinctive feature of magic is that it seeks to create emotions through deception—practitioners create the illusion of the impossible, which can provoke intense curiosity and uncertainty, but will not explain the method—so disliking magic could stem from a few factors: (a) low propensity for curiosity, awe, and wonder; (b) high needs for certainty and cognitive structure, which make a person averse to uncertainty and to events that violate one's mental models of the world; and (c) high needs for social status and dominance, which make a person averse to being manipulated. The present research explored people's attitudes toward magic with a brief Loathing of Legerdemain scale. In a multinational sample of 1,599 adults, people who hated magic were marked by (a) lower openness to experience and lower awe-proneness; (b) higher dogmatism, intolerance of uncertainty, and personal need for structure; and (c) higher socially aversive traits, such as lower agreeableness, greater interpersonal dominance, and higher psychopathy. We suggest that magic is an interesting case for researchers interested in audience and visitor studies and that the psychology of art would benefit from a richer understanding of negative audience attitudes more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What leads to peaceful and enjoyable solitude? Little is known about which personality and mindset qualities benefit individuals during time spent alone. The current study was designed to build a foundation for future quantitative and qualitative research making a priori predictions about well‐being (e.g., relaxation) or ill‐being (e.g., loneliness) when individuals are in solitude. Semi‐structured interviews of n = 60 participants, aged 19–80, were analyzed into themes. Exposure to the benefits of solitude early in life and personality characteristics that cross life's domains (capacity for introspection and self‐reflection and optimism) were associated with enjoying solitude. Mindsets recognizing that solitude benefits self‐connection, as well as in situ factors of creativity and curiosity, appeared to play important roles. In a final theme, self‐compassion, a present focus and perspective taking helped to alleviate discomfort during difficult moments of solitude. These findings deepen our understanding of which qualities individuals bring forward to enhance their moments of solitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consistent individual behavioral differences from other members of local populations are called animal personality, and a suite of these correlated behaviors generates a behavioral syndrome. Differential selection patterns among personality types can be largely influenced by predatory behavior. Prey has a large arsenal of antipredator behaviors at their disposal; However, how closely these behaviors are linked to personality is almost unknown. Using a social model species, the Great Tit, Parus major, we investigated whether antipredator behavior in response to predators is correlated with personality. First, we determined if individual differences in exploratory behavior were consistent across trials, that is, whether they were repeatable. Second, we looked into how antipredator behavior was correlated to personality. Individuals were subjected to two repeated trials of standard personality assays followed by an alternative control (Rock Pigeon, Columba livia domestica) and predator display (Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus) treatment. We found that exploratory behavior was repeatable across trials and had a greater tendency for positive correlation with antipredator behavior when a predator model was displayed. Individuals that swiftly explored novel environments were slower to react to predators than those who explored the novel room slowly. As a result, our findings provide some of the first experimental evidence for a link between exploratory and antipredator behavior, suggesting that personality traits may impact individual fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phishing research presents conflicting findings regarding the psychological predictors of phishing susceptibility. The present work aimed to resolve these discrepancies by utilizing a diverse online sample and email set. Participants completed a survey that included an email classification task and measured several individual differences, including phishing awareness, age, impulsivity, curiosity, and personality (the Big‐5). Phishing susceptibility was measured by participants' ability to distinguish between phishing and legitimate emails. Three regression analyses were performed to predict email discrimination ability; (1) an age model, (2) a deficient self‐regulation model (i.e., impulsivity, response times, and curiosity), and (3) a personality (i.e., the Big‐5) model. Overall, phishing susceptibility was predicted by younger age, higher levels of impulsivity and extraversion, lower levels of openness to experience and agreeableness, and quick responses. The present work identifies several populations that are particularly vulnerable to phishing attacks and may require targeted training interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curiosity, creativity, and aesthetics are typically studied separately. The extent to which they share psychological and neural mechanisms is not well understood, despite all being linked to broader personality characteristics like Openness to Experience and are driven by a desire for information and knowledge. Here, we review evidence and advance the hypothesis that creative and aesthetic experiences depend on curiosity as a driver of information-seeking and exploratory behavior because they are exemplars of situations that highlight gaps in knowledge or require problem finding and solving. At the psychological level, we link curiosity, creativity, and aesthetics to Openness to Experience and to ones' semantic memory. We demonstrate how Openness is a critical personality trait in enhancing curious behaviors, as well as creative and aesthetic acts. Furthermore, we highlight the role of semantic memory in such information-seeking behavior, leading to knowledge acquisition. At the neural level, we examine the neurobiological underpinnings of these constructs in relation to the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward system, as related to information-seeking. Finally, we link creativity and aesthetic experience and discuss how stages of art viewing and making relate to curiosity. Thus, we argue that information-seeking, the key behavior attributed to curiosity, motivates both creative and aesthetic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serendipity is one of beyond-accuracy objectives for recommender systems (RSs), which aims to achieve both relevance and unexpectedness of recommendations, so as to potentially address the "filter bubble" issue of traditional accuracy-oriented RSs. However, so far most of the serendipity-oriented studies have focused on developing algorithms to consider various types of item features or user characteristics, but are largely based on their own assumptions. Few have stood from users' perspective to identify the effects of these features on users' perceptions of the serendipity of the recommendation. Therefore, in this paper, we have analyzed their effects with two user survey datasets. These are the Movielens Serendipity Dataset of 467 users' responses to a retrospective survey of their perceptions of the recommended movie's serendipity, and the Taobao Serendipity Dataset of 11,383 users' perceptions of the serendipity of a recommendation received at a mobile e-commerce platform. In both datasets, we have analyzed the correlations between users' serendipity perceptions and various types of item features (i.e., item-driven such as popularity, profile-driven such as in-profile diversity, and interaction-driven including category-level and item-level features), as well as the influence of several user characteristics (including the Big-Five personality traits and curiosity). The results disclose both domain-independent and domain-specific observations, which may be constructive in enhancing current serendipity-oriented recommender systems by better utilizing item features and user data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal personalities represent repeatable behavioral differences exhibited by individuals in a population. Variation in personality traits across individuals is an increasingly recognized mechanism for species adaptation over time and across different contexts. In long-lived ectotherms, such as turtles, variation in personality is expected to be a major component of how they persist in habitats over their long lifespans, yet little information exists on the sources and magnitude of this variation. Here, we estimated short- and long-term variation in behavior type and repeatability of three personality traits (boldness, activity, and exploration) in wild, free-ranging ornate box turtles (Terrapene ornata). In addition, we contrasted the short-term variation in behavior types across four distinct populations. From 628 trials involving 174 individual turtles, we found consistently high repeatability in behavior types within and across years. Likewise, individual behavior types were highly repeatable within all four populations, even across several years. Despite such repeatability, we detected both geographic and temporal variation in mean differences for these otherwise stable behaviors. To our knowledge, this is the first study to document behavioral types in ornate box turtles specifically and the first to characterize the behavioral axes of activity and exploration in box turtles generally. Significance statement: Chelonians, which are a globally imperiled taxonomic group, have had relatively little personality research relative to other groups, yet they display the hallmarks of animal personality traits such as consistency in behavior types and evidence of among-individual variation, particularly in terms of ranging and movement. We characterized three axes of personality in four populations of ornate box turtles over multiple years. We found that individual turtles exhibited repeatable behaviors both across populations and through time, yet populations differed consistently in mean values for these traits. Geographical differences among populations were more important in shaping behavioral variation than body mass, body length, or sex. Our findings indicate that turtles have distinct personalities with short- and long-term repeatability for each behavior examined and at least multi-year repeatability for boldness and exploratory behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban and suburban green and blue spaces are important places for human recreation, and the impact of biodiversity on psychological and recalled restoration has received much attention. This study addresses the relationship between bird species richness and restoration in a controlled field experiment (guided bird walk) applying a battery of individual trait scales (need for cognition, personality) as predictors of restoration. We found a significant positive relationship between the number of bird species present and recalled restoration. Personality, bird species knowledge, bird related interest as test measures, demographics and birding specialization as self-report had no influence on psychological restoration. However, need for cognition correlated positively with psychological restoration, thus providing a new predictive variable. All subscales of the intrinsic motivation scale (enjoyment, perceived competence, perceived choice, pressure/tension) were positively correlated with restoration except of pressure/tension. Learning emotions like interest and well-being were positively related to restoration, while boredom was negatively related. Therefore, we suggest research to examine the restorative function of more cognitive-oriented programs because people may also need cognition when it comes to restoration. We also suggest a broader focus on education and cognitive aspects when it comes to linking biodiversity and health within the framework of ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sense of being part of a learning community is a known explanatory variable for learners' explorative behaviors, but the extent to which this explanation interferes with stable characteristics appears inconclusive. Therefore, this study examined the mediating roles of personality traits in the relationship between sense of belonging and academic curiosity. A sample of 400 high school students was randomly selected to respond to adapted versions of the Big Five Personality Inventory, the Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale, and the 5-Dimensional Curiosity Scale. The data collected with the scales were analyzed inferentially using structural equation modeling. The study found that open-mindedness and agreeableness predicted curiosity, but not all dimensions of personality traits mediated a sense of belonging and academic curiosity. For example, open-mindedness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism mediated the relationship between sense of belonging and curiosity. In this regard, students with a high degree of sense of belonging tend to have a well-developed academic curiosity since they tend to be open-minded, conscientious, agreeable, and emotionally stable. Therefore, school authorities should use personality traits, a sense of belonging, and curiosity in profiling students for academic programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal personality is defined as behavior that is consistent across time and context. Ecological and evolutionary pressures might exert sexually dimorphic effects on personality traits. In this study, variations in docility and exploratory behaviors of male and female plateau zokor (Eospalax baileyi) in two populations from different geographical sites were quantified during their breeding season, using bag and open field test. We observed significant repeatability of behaviors in the bag and open field test, except for sniffing behavior in zokors from TZ site. We found that sex influences the personality traits of plateau zokors more than geographical variation in both the bag and open field test. Females had a higher docility than males in the bag test. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of considering plateau zokors' sex and personality traits when assessing their fitness, behavior, or suitability for behavioral future research work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current social, psychological and spiritual reality is characterized by the dependence in interpersonal relationships, depression and alienation that is reflected in: loss of hope, lack of life goals, loss of curiosity. We strive to analyse a given situation in order to find ways of overcoming it. When we define psychopathology we can approach psychological integration and rehabilitation more fully through the enrichment of developmental theories of personality. In this paper we will try to determine by examining quantitative methods and psychological tests, whether there are significant differences in the pathological characteristics of personality and impulsivity of Orthodox clients, as well as in the constructs of positive psychology such as important life issues, hope, satisfaction with life, the development of personal initiative and curiosity for research. These Orthodox clients apply for psychological help in three different therapeutic environments: the Pastoral Counseling Center of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Community for Rehabilitation of Addicts: “Land of the Living” of the Bachka Bishopric of the Serbian Orthodox Church and private practice clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While mindfulness has been found to increase well-being, the association between mindfulness and meaning in life has received relatively little attention. The present study examined the hypothetical positive relationship between mindfulness and meaning in life alongside the mechanism underlying the relationship. Specifically, guided by the Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory, a serial mediation model testing openness to experience and curiosity as the mediators for the connection was proposed. Undergraduate student participants (N = 1267) from four countries (Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, & Taiwan) responded to a battery of tests consisting of the Mindful Awareness and Attention Scale, the Big Five Inventory Openness Scale, the Curiosity and Exploration Inventory-II, and the Meaning in Life scale. Based on a correlation analysis, the four variables were positively correlated with one another in the whole sample except for the relationship between mindfulness and curiosity. Furthermore, the mediation analysis supports the positive correlation between mindfulness and the presence of meaning in life indirectly via openness and then curiosity while controlling search for meaning in life. Such pattern is consistent across the four samples. Overall, the findings offer cross-cultural evidence on the positive association between mindfulness and meaning in life and shed light on the underlying processes. Therefore, mindfulness practices have potential applications in achieving meaningful lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The obesity epidemic, largely driven by the accessibility of ultra‐processed high‐energy foods, is one of the most pressing public health challenges of the 21st century. Consequently, there is increasing concern about the impacts of diet‐induced obesity on behavior and cognition. While research on this matter continues, to date, no study has explicitly investigated the effect of obesogenic diet on variance and covariance (correlation) in behavioral traits. Here, we examined how an obesogenic versus control diet impacts means and (co‐)variances of traits associated with body condition, behavior, and cognition in a laboratory population of ~160 adult zebrafish (Danio rerio). Overall, an obesogenic diet increased variation in several zebrafish traits. Zebrafish on an obesogenic diet were significantly heavier and displayed higher body weight variability; fasting blood glucose levels were similar between control and treatment zebrafish. During behavioral assays, zebrafish on the obesogenic diet displayed more exploratory behavior and were less reactive to video stimuli with conspecifics during a personality test, but these significant differences were sex‐specific. Zebrafish on an obesogenic diet also displayed repeatable responses in aversive learning tests whereas control zebrafish did not, suggesting an obesogenic diet resulted in more consistent, yet impaired, behavioral responses. Where behavioral syndromes existed (inter‐class correlations between personality traits), they did not differ between obesogenic and control zebrafish groups. By integrating a multifaceted, holistic approach that incorporates components of (co‐)variances, future studies will greatly benefit by quantifying neglected dimensions of obesogenic diets on behavioral changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about an animal’s home range (the geographical area in which it accesses resources for survival and reproduction) is vital broadly for understanding animal behavior and specifically for developing conservation management plans. Although personality traits—consistent individual differences in behavior across time and contexts—may affect an animal’s home range size, we still lack a breadth of empirical studies across systems to fully appreciate this influence. Here, we tested the relationship between behavioral responses and home range size in two Darwin’s finch species on Floreana Island: the critically endangered and range-restricted Medium Tree Finch (Camarhynchus pauper) and the common and widespread Small Ground Finch (Geospiza fuliginosa). Using a combination of rapid-assessment assays during both short-term captivity and in the field, we measured exploration and aggressiveness in males from both species. We then used radio telemetry to measure each bird’s home range size over a week-long period. We predicted that (1) fast-exploring individuals would have larger home ranges, and (2) more aggressive individuals would have smaller home ranges. We found that Medium Tree Finches had smaller home ranges than Small Ground Finches, that exploratory behavior was positively correlated with home range size only in Small Ground Finches, and that, in both species, individuals’ aggressiveness was negatively correlated with home range size, whereby the more aggressive individuals occupied smaller home ranges. We conclude that behavioral responses that align with major personality traits can predict home range size, which may provide an important tool for the conservation and management of endangered species when, for example, selecting individuals with different personality profiles for reintroduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the idea that there are predictable differences between those individuals who opt for Scientific rather than the Commerce/Practitioner jobs and consulting assignments. A total of 2278 adults from a variety of occupations completed three validated questionnaires: the first assessed the behavioural tendency of an individual when one is exposed to stress and which could derail one's business career (HDS: Hogan Development Survey); the second the values and preferences that indicate work motivation (MVPI: The Motives, Values and Preferences Inventory), and the third, seven bright-side personality factors (HPI: Hogan Personality Inventory). The MVPI measured interests in scientific and commercial/enterprising activities. Correlations, regressions and SEM indicated both similarities and differences in the relationship between personality traits and values. Bright-side personality traits accounted for more the variance for those interested in Science while dark-side traits accounted for more variance for those interested in the Commerce. The biggest difference occurred in Inquisitiveness (Curiosity, Openness to Experience) which was much higher for those interested in science. Implications for personnel selection, job-fit and promotion were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morbid curiosity indexes interests in learning about dangerous phenomena. Individuals with high levels of dark triad traits (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) can be dangerous, implicating them as relatively desirable to those reporting heightened morbid curiosity. Despite the potential costs of high-dark triad men, it could benefit morbidly curious women to upregulate their preference for such men to satisfy short-term mating goals. This study tasked women to men exhibiting high and low levels of dark personality traits and complete a measure of trait morbid curiosity. Men described as exhibiting high levels of dark personality traits were more desirable as short-term mates than as long-term mates, although men described as reporting low levels of dark traits were more desirable overall. Morbidly curious women reported greater behavioral attraction toward dark-personality men but did not affective attraction. Findings suggest a function to morbidly curious women's interest in dark personalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies examined the association between character strengths—positive traits that comprise a good personality—and satisfaction with different aspects of life. However, few studies explored the connection between character strengths and marital satisfaction. The present study, conducted on a sample of 177 married couples, aims to examine this connection. Given the findings of previous studies, showing that both spouses' personality traits contribute to relationship quality, we expect to find a connection between the spouses' strengths and their marital quality. Using actor-partner interdependence model analyses, we examined the effects of three strengths factors (caring, self-control, and inquisitiveness) of both the individual and the partner on marital quality, evaluated by indices measuring marital satisfaction, intimacy, and burnout. Our findings revealed that the individual's three strengths factors were related to all of his or her marital quality indices (actor effects). Moreover, women's caring, inquisitiveness and self-control factors were associated with men's marital quality, and men's inquisitiveness and self-control factors were associated with women's marital quality (partner effects). Our findings join the efforts of previous studies to understand the association between character strengths and the various elements of mental well-being, especially romantic relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In various taxa, multibroodedness is a common breeding strategy. Life-history theory predicts that individuals can increase fitness by producing multiple broods within a season. Despite the apparent increase in the number of offspring parents might produce per season, not all individuals are multibrooded, suggesting a trade-off. We studied ecological and behavioral factors influencing the initiation of second clutches in great tits (Parus major), an optionally multibrooded bird species, by distinguishing two types of clutches: replacement versus true second clutches, produced after failure versus successful first breeding attempts, respectively. We predicted which lay date, density, and investment in first clutches would decrease the probability of initiating a second clutch, but which faster exploring behavioral types with a faster pace-of-life would be more likely to be multibrooded. The probability of initiating true second clutches varied negatively within-individuals with lay date and breeding density. The initiation of replacement clutches instead varied negatively among-individuals with lay date and density, suggesting nonrandom settlement of behavioral types across environments. Individuals were less likely to be multibrooded when producing many offspring from their first clutch, suggesting within-year reproductive trade-offs, similar to previous studies. No previous research has linked personality to multibroodedness; here we show which neither the repeatable nor the plastic part of an individual's exploratory behavior predicted multibroodedness. We confirmed our prediction which the resolution of trade-offs may occur either at the within- or among-individual level. Our research contributes to the understanding of life-history evolution in the wild by studying the mechanisms shaping multibroodedness within seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent theory proposes that the personality trait openness/intellect is underpinned by differential sensitivity to the reward value of information. This theory draws on evidence that midbrain dopamine neurons respond to unpredicted information gain, mirroring their responses to unpredicted primary rewards. Using a choice task modelled on this seminal work (Experiment 1, N = 139, 69% female), we examined the relation between openness/intellect and willingness to pay for non-instrumental information (i.e., information with no secondary utility). We also assessed whether any such relation was moderated by the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist sulpiride (Experiment 2, N = 164, 100% male). Unexpectedly, most measures of openness/intellect were unrelated to costly information preference in both experiments, and some predicted a decreased willingness to incur a cost for information. In Experiment 2, this cost-dependent association between openness/intellect and information valuation appeared in the placebo condition but not under sulpiride. In addition, participants were more willing to pay for moderately costly information under sulpiride compared to placebo, consistent with a dopaminergic basis to information valuation. Potential refinements to the information valuation theory of openness/intellect are discussed in the light of these and other emerging findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Research has consistently revealed positive correlations between political liberalism and Openness to Experience, and between conservatism and Conscientiousness. Most of this research has made use of domain‐level models of the Big Five personality traits. Recent work suggests, however, that each Big Five trait domain can be divided into distinct aspects or facets, which offer more nuanced characterizations of each trait. Methods: Across four studies (Ns ranging from 1,123 to 116,406), the present research examined the degree to which distinct lower‐level traits would be associated with meaningful differences in political orientation. United States residents completed two different hierarchical Big Five personality measures (the Big Five Aspect Scales and the Big Five Inventory‐2), as well as a range of measures of political orientation. Results: Across both personality measures, liberal political orientation showed distinct positive associations with the lower‐level traits Openness/Aesthetic Sensitivity, Intellect/Intellectual Curiosity, Compassion, and Withdrawal/Depression, as well as distinct negative associations with Orderliness/Organization, Politeness, and Assertiveness. Discussion: By examining individual differences at a higher level of granularity, these data provide insight into specific motivations that predispose individuals toward different ends of the political spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Sexting is a new kind of sexual interaction among adolescents that has been linked to both psychological problems and sexual risk behaviors. Although studies have examined the relationship between sexting and personality traits, its possible association with character strengths remains unexplored. The aim of this study was to analyze which character strengths may function as protective factors against engagement in sexting, controlling for other variables that might influence this relationship. Adolescents completed questionnaires about technological resources, active sexting, and character strengths. The results from hierarchical regression showed that active sexting was positively related to the strengths of curiosity and humor and negatively related to fairness and authenticity. These findings suggest that school- or family-based programs aimed at preventing sexting should include specific activities that encourage a positive use of curiosity and humor and which seek to promote honesty, respect, fairness, and responsibility in the use of technology for interpersonal relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploration tendency, one of the most investigated animal personality traits, may be driven by either positive (when seeking interesting information) or negative (to reduce the uncertainty of the environment) affective/emotional profiles. To disentangle the valence of the affective state associated with exploration trait, we applied a judgment bias test to evaluate the animals' responses in an ambiguous situation, allowing an assessment of their affective state or mood. Experiments were carried out in male house mice (Mus musculus) of wild origin. Individual differences in exploration tendency were assessed by repeated open field and novel object tests. To evaluate the animals' judgment bias, we trained the subjects for 8 days in a 3-arm maze to discriminate between two extreme locations (outer arms: either positively reinforced with sugary water or less-positively reinforced with plain water), in terms of a shorter latency to approach the positively reinforced arm. After this learning criterion was reached, we repeatedly tested their responses to an ambiguous location (intermediate arm). The latencies to approach and consume the ambiguous reward were highly repeatable over the 3 days of testing; hence individuals expressed a stable judgment bias. Most importantly, more exploratory animals showed a more negative judgment bias, which supports the hypothesis that a higher exploration tendency was associated with a negative affective state. Further studies should investigate whether exploration in different situations might be due to distinct affective states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study extends prior research on the relationships between personality constructs and types of psychological contracts by exploring how the Big Five traits predict balanced psychological contracts. Further, we determine whether epistemic curiosity and rule‐following behavior are key mediators of the proposed relationships. We tested our proposed hypotheses using three‐wave time‐lagged data from 469 respondents. The results indicated that openness to experience was positively associated and both conscientiousness and neuroticism were negatively associated with balanced contracts. Extraversion and agreeableness were not associated with balanced contracts. We also established the mediating role of epistemic curiosity in the relationships between personality traits and balanced contracts, but there was no support for the mediating role of rule‐following behavior in the present study. These findings have important implications for managers and organizations in terms of selecting the right person for a job (person‐job fit) and ensuring employee retention (person‐organization fit), hence having a bottom‐line effect on firm performance. Future research directions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars suggest that only certain personality traits can easily adapt and react positively to organisational changes and consequently to innovative behaviour. Hence, in this study, we drew upon career construction theory to develop a hypothetical model examining how certain personality traits (i.e., curiosity, focus on opportunity, and resilience) are likely to influence career adaptability and consequently innovative behaviour. To test the model, we used two-wave longitudinal data focusing on 313 frontline employees operating in a random sample of five-star hotels in Dubai. Using Smart-PLS.3, we revealed that employees with a high level of curiosity, focus on opportunity, and resilience tend to increase the likelihood of their career adaptability significantly. In other words, employees with such work-related personality are more likely to adapt to organisational changes and fit different organisational environments. Furthermore, the result of the study found that career adaptability significantly mediated the relationship between these personality traits and innovative behaviour. The findings have significant implications for both theory and practice. They may also be contextual. These implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

are a recently-identified set of basic perceptions about the general character of reality (e.g. the world is boring) thought to have many psychological implications. This article explores implications relevant to wellbeing and positive intervention research. After summarizing the supposed general function of primal world beliefs, I specify ten hypotheses concerning gratitude, curiosity, optimism, trust, self-efficacy, positive emotions, engagement, meaning, life satisfaction, and overall wellbeing. Each variable may involve behavioral patterns that present as trait-like personality characteristics while actually being context-specific reactions to underlying (and malleable) perceptions. Experimental research could test these hypotheses by (a) examining whether primal world beliefs partially mediate the wellbeing impact of established interventions such as Three Good Things and (b) creating novel interventions specifically targeting primal world beliefs. To foster the latter, I discuss elements that novel interventions might incorporate, illustrating with an example called the Leaf Exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational calling is a transcendent summons that originates externally to carry out a particular life role (work) in a manner that demonstrates meaningfulness and holds other-oriented values and goals as the main sources of motivation. The aim of the current study is to advance the study of individual differences in achieving occupational calling at workplace. Every individual varies in the extent of his psychological capital, proactivity, and curiosity; hence we aim to investigate the role of these variables as the predictors of occupational calling. In addition to the antecedents and mechanisms, we also explore a possible behavioral manifestation of calling at workplace in terms of employees' flourishing. Results are obtained from a heterogeneous sample using a time-lagged study design comprising of two waves. Significant linear relationships between study variables are established. Moderated mediation takes place between psychological capital and occupational calling through proactive personality and curiosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aims of the present study are to investigate (a) whether a control task (i.e., the grocery imagery task) classically used in emotion research and designed to emulate emotional neutrality is truly neutral and (b) how boredom proneness, curiosity, and grit influence emotions following this control task. Method: State feeling of emotions were measured on 178 participants before and after the control task. Boredom proneness, curiosity, and grit was measured to examine the effect of these personality traits on participants' emotion before and after the control task. Results: The findings demonstrate that the control task does not evoke a neutral state, but rather, it results in fluctuations in emotional experience and these fluctuations are only partially explained by personality traits associated with engagement and disengagement (boredom, curiosity, and grit). External boredom proneness was positively correlated with post‐task boredom, resignation, and sadness. Internal boredom proneness and the feeling‐of‐interest dimension of curiosity were both positively correlated with joy and challenge/determination, whereas the feeling‐of‐deprivation dimension of curiosity was negatively correlated with joy. Finally, grit was positively correlated with interest. Conclusion: The present study found that even following a control task intended to be emotionally neutral, emotional experience differs and personality can paint the way we perceive and thus react to these control conditions. These findings highlight the importance of considering the neutrality of control tasks and the effects of personality on control tasks in emotion research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined the associations between the "big-five" personality traits (i.e., extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, stability and agreeableness) and days lost due to illness or health problems using data from the World Bank's Skills toward Employment and Productivity survey on Ghana. Based on the distribution of the dependent variable (days lost due to illness), a standard binary logistic regression technique was employed. In addition, to check the robustness of our results, the negative binomial and ordinary least squares regression techniques were used. The findings showed that females are more likely to report days lost due to illness than males. Consistent with existing literature, stability was found to be inversely associated with number of days lost due to illness. Additionally, openness was found to be inversely related to the number of days lost due to illness suggesting that individuals who are more curious, novel, cultivated, aesthetic, sensitive, independent minded, intellectual and creative are less likely to report days lost due to illness. These findings add to the growing evidence that personality traits are associated with life outcomes and can be used to predict self-reported health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article frames self-curiosity – the curiosity that people have about their inner world – within the overarching construct of curiosity and describes its psychological correlates identified in the empirical literature. The construct of self-curiosity is defined as one's tendency and interest in exploring their inner functioning. It can be assessed through self-report on the Self-Curiosity Attitude-Interest Scale (SCAI), which comprises two positively correlated factors: (1) Attitude toward Self-Curiosity and (2) Interest in Increasing Knowledge of Self. Research provides evidence of the nomological network of self-curiosity, its relationship with other personality traits, and how it varies among different levels of intelligence, between cultures, and across stages of life development. The principal results on self-curiosity are summarized and current research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the relation between curiosity and interest by examining how in-the-moment experiences of curiosity and of interest emerge out of exploratory behavior observed in infancy and early childhood. As experiential states, there is little to distinguish curiosity and interest. Descriptions of developing interests that refer to "curiosity questions" and "curiosity episodes," suggest that experiential states of curiosity and interest are intertwined in interest development. However, when the focus is on individual differences, curiosity and interest diverge. Trait curiosity is a relatively stable personality trait, the propensity to feel curious in contexts high in collative variability. On the other hand, interests or individual interest refer to a disposition or predisposition to engage and re-engage with contents of a specific domain. It is suggested that further insight into the significance of curiosity and interest for educational practice will come from expanding real-time analyses of the quality of the experiential states they subsume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]