Does gender impact personality traits in female versus male otolaryngology residents and faculty?

Objective Gender differences in personality have long been a subject of interest. This study assessed personality traits within female and male residents and faculty and evaluated for meaningful differences between the groups. Methods A series of web-based, commercially available, self-administered five factor-based personality assessments were given to otolaryngology residents and faculty at nine academic training programs. The psychometrically validated assessments evaluate innate personality 1) strengths, 2) challenges, and 3) motivators/values. Differences between groups were evaluated using the Mann-Whitney U test. A standardized measure of effect size, Cohen’s d, was calculated to indicate the magnitude of gender differences. Subset analysis was done to examine differences between female and male residents and female and male faculty. Results Seventy-eight faculty (42.6%) and 104 residents (70.3%), responded, which included 63 female (34.6%) participants. Significant differences between females and males overall were found across four traits (mischievous, imaginative, altruistic, and commercial) out of twenty-eight (4/28; 14.3%). Subset analysis of residents revealed two statistically significant differences related to motivators/values (increased altruism in females and increased commercial in males). Faculty exhibited a statistically significant difference in one stress tendency (increased imaginative in males). When examining the seven total traits that exhibited a statistically significant difference between any of the groups (7/84; 8.3%), four were considered a small difference and three a moderate difference. Conclusion When personality trait differences were identified in both otolaryngology resident and faculty populations based on gender, they were relatively small. Overall, females and males in otolaryngology exhibit significant overlap in the distribution of their personality traits. Therefore, personality-based initiatives should focus on the individual, rather than perceived gender “norms.”