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In response to recent calls to incorporate Implicit Trait Policies (ITPs) into personality research, the current study examined the construct-related validity of ITP measures. ITPs are defined as implicit beliefs about the effectiveness of behaviors that reflect a certain trait. They are assessed by utilizing the methodology of Situational Judgment Tests. We empirically examined (N = 339) several underlying key assumptions of ITP theory, including trait-specificity, the relation to personality traits, their context-independence, and the relation to general domain knowledge. Overall, our results showed little support for these assumptions. Although we found some confirmation for expected correlations between ITPs and personality traits, most of the observed variance in ITP measures was either method-specific or due to measurement error. We conclude that the herein examined ITP measures lack construct-related validity and discuss implications for ITP theory and assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The financial crisis in 2008 and 2009 has sparked considerable interest among researchers in individual differences in greed. Recently, five scales have been independently developed to assess the construct of trait greed. Definitions of greed underlying these scales have a lot in common, but also deviate regarding some important aspects. In the current study, we investigated the convergent validity of these scales. We found that, despite the conceptual differences, these scales converged on a common latent factor. Moreover, evidence regarding reliability, construct- and criterion-related validity support the notion that the five scales are largely similar and, in general, well suited to assess the targeted construct. We discuss how the conceptual differences between the definitions might reveal insights into the nature of the construct of greed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greed is a variable which might explain and predict a range of real-life criteria. Although often consulted as explanation in the public media, related scientific research has only recently begun. We approached greed from a personality psychology perspective regarding its nomological net and the prediction of theoretically related criteria. We found that a wide array of indicators, including behavior in economic games and risk games, as well as self-reported money investment and aimed at income, can be meaningfully predicted by dispositional greed, over and above the Big Five. Additionally, we found that dispositional greed is substantially related to psychopathy. According to our results, dispositional greed is an important variable which might explain unique variance with regard to theoretically related behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates how the construct intellect, according to the Theoretical Intellect Framework (TIF), predicts creativity. The TIF is a theoretical model describing the structure of the construct intellect, a sub-dimension of the Big Five domain openness to experience. People (N = 2709) from two sub-samples (undergraduate students and Amazon MTurkers) completed one of three creativity tasks (self-reported, remote associates, or rated photo caption) and the Intellect Scale. The results support hypotheses derived from the TIF, as the operation Create, rather than the operations Think or Learn, significantly and in some cases uniquely predicted the self-reported creativity indicators. Creativity indicators with a strong cognitive load (remote associates test and rated photo caption), however, were predicted by the operation Think. Results are discussed with regards to the nomological net of the operation Create and the construct validity of the creativity assessments. We provide implications for applied purposes and call for further examination of the TIF with additional creativity measures. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We applied trait activation theory to investigate the situational properties that moderate the correlation of intellect, a sub-dimension of the Big Five factor openness to experience, with work-related criteria. We collected data from a sample of 185 employees from diverse organizations and positions. Results from moderated hierarchical regression analyses revealed that perceived situational properties at the task level moderated the correlation between intellect and job performance. Additionally, correlations between intellect and organizational commitment were moderated at task and organizational levels. This study shows how trait activation theory can be utilized to investigate the situational properties moderating the correlation of personality variables with external criteria. Implications for applied purposes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated whether greed would predict risky decision-making and recorded neural responses during a monetary gambling task using the electroencephalogram. We found that individuals high in trait-greed took higher risks to maximize monetary outcome. Furthermore, this relation was moderated by state-greed; specifically, trait-greed had a stronger impact on risky decision-making when activated by situational characteristics. On the neural level, greedy individuals showed a specific response to favorable and unfavorable outcomes. Specifically, they had a reduced feedback-related negativity-difference score to these events, indicating that they might have difficulty in learning from experience, especially from mistakes and negative feedback. It is concluded that greed may explain risky and reckless behavior in diverse settings, such as investment banking, and may account for phenomena such as stock market bubbles. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Highlights: [•] Large and heterogeneous sample of 1326 participants. [•] First study to investigate need for cognition in relation to the ultimatum game. [•] Actual money as payout in the ultimatum game. [•] Surprisingly, higher rejection rates for two indicators of rational decision-making. [•] Rational (accept) vs. emotional (reject) interpretation falls short. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Epistemic curiosity, the “desire for knowledge that motivates individuals to learn new ideas, eliminate information-gaps, and solve intellectual problems” (), has been identified as a crucial variable in different areas and stages of life. However, several constructs have been proposed that might be highly similar regarding construct domain, but are based on different theoretical positions and were investigated under different labels. Three of these constructs, namely need for cognition, typical intellectual engagement, and openness for ideas, were investigated regarding discriminant validity. Based on two studies with 395 and 191 participants, no evidence of discriminant validity could be found. Especially, correlations within several measures of curiosity, interpreted as convergent validity, had mean correlations of .60 and .59 for the two studies, respectively. Correlations between curiosity measures and the related constructs need for cognition, typical intellectual engagement, and openness for ideas, interpreted as discriminant validity, were virtually identical (.59 and .57, respectively). Furthermore, exploratory factor analysis indicated that one factor explained the variance of the investigated constructs reasonably well. It is concluded that integrating the body of research that has been built around these constructs might stimulate future research on epistemic curiosity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The unified theory of motivation, personality and development by Carol S. Dweck provides a comprehensive account of the processes that underly the development of personality traits. A key role in this process are attributed to beliefs which are conceptualized as mental representations of experiences that individuals make while pursuing need-fulfilling goals. In the present study, I tested several hypotheses regarding the mediating role of a central belief, the belief about control, with regards to the relation between needs and traits. Based on a sample of 105 participants (mean age 31 years, 59% female) I found support for four out of six hypotheses, generally supporting the notion that beliefs might be a key concept for better understanding the processes underlying personality traits. Unlabelled Image • Tests predictions from the unified theory of motivation, personality & development • Found support for a variable mediating the relation between needs and personality • Beliefs provide a better understanding of the process underlying personality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We echo Lievens's call to incorporate measures developed in applied settings as valuable instruments for personality researchers. We highlight some striking findings that have challenged central assumptions about these measures and call for joint research efforts of personality and industrial and organizational psychologists to gain better understanding of what these methods actually measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relation between personality and learning as well as the mediating role of the trait epistemic curiosity in the context of continuing education. Data were collected from 150 medical physicians attending various training programs in Pakistan. The results indicate that conscientiousness directly positively predicts whether an individual will learn from training. The relation between conscientiousness and learning is also explained through epistemic curiosity. In addition, openness to experience also indirectly and positively affects learning through epistemic curiosity. The findings also suggest that dispositional traits that aid learning be given consideration in the hiring and training of medical physicians in Pakistan. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The symmetry principle and the frame‐of‐reference perspective have each made contributions to improving the measurement of personality. Although each perspective is valuable in its own right, we argue that even greater improvement can be achieved through the combination of both. Therefore, the goal of the current article was to show the value of a combined lens‐model and frame‐of‐reference perspective. Method: We conducted a literature review to summarize relevant research findings that shed light on the interplay of both perspectives and developed an integrative model. Results: Based on the literature review and on theoretical grounds, we argue that a basic premise of the frame‐of‐reference literature––that personality items are open to interpretation and allow individuals to impose their own contextual framings––should be considered from a symmetry perspective. Unintended context‐specificity in items may "spread" to personality facets and domains, and thus, impact the symmetry of personality measures with other criteria. As the individuals´ frames‐of‐reference and (a)symmetric relationships are not always apparent, we term them as "hidden." Conclusions: The proposed combination of lens‐model and frame‐of‐reference perspectives provides further insights into current issues in personality research and uncovers important avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]