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Delval I, Fernández-Bolaños M, Izar P. Towards an Integrated Concept of Personality in Human and Nonhuman Animals. Integr Psychol Behav Sci 2024; 58:271-302. [PMID: 37059965 PMCID: PMC10104772 DOI: 10.1007/s12124-023-09759-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Every individual has an idiosyncratic way of feeling, thinking and behaving, which is relatively stable across time and situations. Usually known as Personality, today this phenomenon is recognized in many species, including arthropods, fish, avian or mammals. From an evolutionary perspective, research has shown that personality differences are manifest in distinctive forms of dealing with selective pressures, with consequences for fitness. Despite these facts, the study of personality in animals other than humans is relatively new. Only two decades ago, consistent behavioral individual differences were considered 'noise' around an optimal strategy for behavioral ecologists. Also, psychologists were not interested in animal personality as a consequence of the fear of anthropomorphization and the erroneous belief that humans are unique in nature. Fortunately, this misconception seems already overcome but there are still conceptual issues preventing a unified concept of personality. Throughout this review, we first explore the etymological origins of personality and other terminological issues. We further revise the historical course of the study of personality in humans and other animals, from the perspectives of Psychology and Behavioral Ecology, on the basis of the most used approach, the trait theory. We present the study of nonhuman primates as a paradigmatic example in between both frameworks. Finally, we discuss about the necessity of a unified science of personality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Delval
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Fernández-Bolaños
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Izar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil
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2
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Stein JP, Messingschlager T, Gnambs T, Hutmacher F, Appel M. Attitudes towards AI: measurement and associations with personality. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2909. [PMID: 38316898 PMCID: PMC10844202 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53335-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of many contemporary technologies, such as social media platforms, smart devices, and global logistics systems. At the same time, research on the public acceptance of AI shows that many people feel quite apprehensive about the potential of such technologies-an observation that has been connected to both demographic and sociocultural user variables (e.g., age, previous media exposure). Yet, due to divergent and often ad-hoc measurements of AI-related attitudes, the current body of evidence remains inconclusive. Likewise, it is still unclear if attitudes towards AI are also affected by users' personality traits. In response to these research gaps, we offer a two-fold contribution. First, we present a novel, psychologically informed questionnaire (ATTARI-12) that captures attitudes towards AI as a single construct, independent of specific contexts or applications. Having observed good reliability and validity for our new measure across two studies (N1 = 490; N2 = 150), we examine several personality traits-the Big Five, the Dark Triad, and conspiracy mentality-as potential predictors of AI-related attitudes in a third study (N3 = 298). We find that agreeableness and younger age predict a more positive view towards artificially intelligent technology, whereas the susceptibility to conspiracy beliefs connects to a more negative attitude. Our findings are discussed considering potential limitations and future directions for research and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Philipp Stein
- Department of Media Psychology, Institute for Media Research, Chemnitz University of Technology, Thüringer Weg 11, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany.
| | - Tanja Messingschlager
- Psychology of Communication and New Media, Human-Computer-Media Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Timo Gnambs
- Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Fabian Hutmacher
- Psychology of Communication and New Media, Human-Computer-Media Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Appel
- Psychology of Communication and New Media, Human-Computer-Media Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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3
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Dubourg E, Thouzeau V, de Dampierre C, Mogoutov A, Baumard N. Exploratory preferences explain the human fascination for imaginary worlds in fictional stories. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8657. [PMID: 37246187 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35151-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Imaginary worlds are present and often central in many of the most culturally successful modern narrative fictions, be it in novels (e.g., Harry Potter), movies (e.g., Star Wars), video games (e.g., The Legend of Zelda), graphic novels (e.g., One Piece) and TV series (e.g., Game of Thrones). We propose that imaginary worlds are popular because they activate exploratory preferences that evolved to help us navigate the real world and find new fitness-relevant information. Therefore, we hypothesize that the attraction to imaginary worlds is intrinsically linked to the desire to explore novel environments and that both are influenced by the same underlying factors. Notably, the inter-individual and cross-cultural variability of the preference for imaginary worlds should follow the inter-individual and cross-cultural variability of exploratory preferences (with the personality trait Openness-to-experience, age, sex, and ecological conditions). We test these predictions with both experimental and computational methods. For experimental tests, we run a pre-registered online experiment about movie preferences (N = 230). For computational tests, we leverage two large cultural datasets, namely the Internet Movie Database (N = 9424 movies) and the Movie Personality Dataset (N = 3.5 million participants), and use machine-learning algorithms (i.e., random forest and topic modeling). In all, consistent with how the human preference for spatial exploration adaptively varies, we provide empirical evidence that imaginary worlds appeal more to more explorative people, people higher in Openness-to-experience, younger individuals, males, and individuals living in more affluent environments. We discuss the implications of these findings for our understanding of the cultural evolution of narrative fiction and, more broadly, the evolution of human exploratory preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar Dubourg
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS, Paris, France.
| | - Valentin Thouzeau
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Charles de Dampierre
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Andrei Mogoutov
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Baumard
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS, Paris, France
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Martin JS, Jaeggi AV, Koski SE. The social evolution of individual differences: Future directions for a comparative science of personality in social behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 144:104980. [PMID: 36463970 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Personality is essential for understanding the evolution of cooperation and conflict in behavior. However, personality science remains disconnected from the field of social evolution, limiting our ability to explain how personality and plasticity shape phenotypic adaptation in social behavior. Researchers also lack an integrative framework for comparing personality in the contextualized and multifaceted behaviors central to social interactions among humans and other animals. Here we address these challenges by developing a social evolutionary approach to personality, synthesizing theory, methods, and organizing questions in the study of individuality and sociality in behavior. We critically review current measurement practices and introduce social reaction norm models for comparative research on the evolution of personality in social environments. These models demonstrate that social plasticity affects the heritable variance of personality, and that individual differences in social plasticity can further modify the rate and direction of adaptive social evolution. Future empirical studies of frequency- and density-dependent social selection on personality are crucial for further developing this framework and testing adaptive theory of social niche specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan S Martin
- Human Ecology Group, Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Adrian V Jaeggi
- Human Ecology Group, Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Sonja E Koski
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
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5
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Abstract
BACKGROUND A number of recent investigations have focused on the neurobiology of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). However, there have been few reviews of this literature with no detailed model proposed. We therefore undertook a systematic review of these investigations, aiming to map the available evidence and investigate whether it is possible to formulate a detailed model of the neurobiology of OCPD. METHODS OCPD can be considered from both categorical and dimensional perspectives. An electronic search was therefore conducted using terms that would address not only OCPD as a category, but also related constructs, such as perfectionism, that would capture research on neuropsychology, neuroimaging, neurochemistry, and neurogenetics. RESULTS A total of 1059 articles were retrieved, with 87 ultimately selected for abstract screening, resulting in a final selection of 49 articles focusing on neurobiological investigations relevant to OCPD. Impaired executive function and cognitive inflexibility are common neuropsychological traits in this condition, and suggest that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and OCPD may lie on a continuum. However, neuroimaging studies in OCPD indicate the involvement of specific neurocircuitry, including the precuneus and amygdala, and so suggest that OCD and OCPD may have important differences. Although OCPD has a heritable component, we found no well-powered genetic studies of OCPD. CONCLUSION Although knowledge in this area has advanced, there are insufficient data on which to base a comprehensive model of the neurobiology of OCPD. Given the clinical importance of OCPD, further work to understand the mechanisms that underpin this condition is warranted.
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Sánchez-Tójar A, Moiron M, Niemelä PT. Terminology use in animal personality research: a self-report questionnaire and a systematic review. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212259. [PMID: 35105238 PMCID: PMC8808088 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Whether animal personality studies provide insights of broader evolutionary and ecological relevance to the field of behavioural ecology is frequently questioned. One of the sources of controversy is the vast, but often vague terminology present in the field. From a statistical perspective, animal personality is defined as among-individual variance in behaviour. However, numerous conceptual definitions of animal personality are available in the literature. Here, we performed (i) a self-report questionnaire and (ii) a systematic literature review to quantify how researchers interpreted conceptual and statistical definitions commonly used in animal personality research. We also compared whether data obtained from the questionnaire matched with data from the literature review. Among the 430 self-reported researchers that participated in our questionnaire, we observed discrepancies in key questions such as the conceptual definition of animal personality or the interpretation of repeatability. Furthermore, our literature review generally confirmed the global patterns revealed by the questionnaire. Overall, we identified common disagreements within the field of animal personality and discussed potential solutions. We advocate for adopting a terminology that avoids ambiguous interpretations and helps to make more explicit the widespread connotations implicit in the label 'animal personality'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Moiron
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France,Life History Biology, Institute of Avian Research, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Petri T. Niemelä
- Behavioral Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximillians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany,Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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McMahon EK, Youatt E, Cavigelli SA. A physiological profile approach to animal temperament: How to understand the functional significance of individual differences in behaviour. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212379. [PMID: 35016542 PMCID: PMC8753167 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal behaviour research has experienced a renewed interest in consistent individual differences (i.e. animal personality or temperament). Recent ecological studies have identified environmental conditions that give rise to the development and evolution of temperaments and to fitness-related outcomes of temperament. Additional literature has also described relationships between temperaments and physiological regulation. However, one-to-one relationships between one behavioural trait and one physiological system do not account for co-selection of behavioural and physiological traits, nor the complex signalling among physiological systems. In the current paper, we review the literature on multiple physiological processes associated with temperament, propose temperament-specific physiological profiles, and focus on next steps to understand the functional significance, evolution and maintenance of temperaments. We propose that to understand causes and consequences of temperament we need to characterize integrative physiological profiles associated with different temperaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elyse K McMahon
- Ecology Graduate Program, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, 101 Life Sciences Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Biobehavioral Health Department, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Elizabeth Youatt
- Psychology Department, Pennsylvania State University, 140 Moore Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sonia A Cavigelli
- Biobehavioral Health Department, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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8
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Measurement Issues in Tests of the Socioecological Complexity Hypothesis. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-021-00301-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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9
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Romano A, Sutter M, Liu JH, Balliet D. Political ideology, cooperation and national parochialism across 42 nations. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200146. [PMID: 33611989 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Political ideology has been hypothesized to be associated with cooperation and national parochialism (i.e. greater cooperation with members of one's nation), with liberals thought to have more cooperation with strangers and less national parochialism, compared to conservatives. However, previous findings are limited to few-and predominantly western-nations. Here, we present a large-scale cross-societal experiment that can test hypotheses on the relation between political ideology, cooperation and national parochialism around the globe. To do so, we recruited 18 411 participants from 42 nations. Participants made decisions in a prisoner's dilemma game, and we manipulated the nationality of their interaction partner (national ingroup member, national outgroup member or unidentified stranger). We found that liberals, compared to conservatives, displayed slightly greater cooperation, trust in others and greater identification with the world as a whole. Conservatives, however, identified more strongly with their own nation and displayed slightly greater national parochialism in cooperation. Importantly, the association between political ideology and behaviour was significant in nations characterized by higher wealth, stronger rule of law and better government effectiveness. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding the association between political ideology and cooperation. This article is part of the theme issue 'The political brain: neurocognitive and computational mechanisms'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Romano
- Department of Social, Economic and Organizational Psychology, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias Sutter
- Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, 53113 Bonn, Germany.,Department of Economics, University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany.,Department of Public Finance, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - James H Liu
- School of Psychology, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4442 New Zealand
| | - Daniel Balliet
- Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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10
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Lukaszewski AW. Testing an Adaptationist Theory of Trait Covariation: Relative Bargaining Power as a Common Calibrator of an Interpersonal Syndrome. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/per.1908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
This article provides the first test of an adaptationist ‘common calibration’ theory to explain the origins of trait covariation, which holds that (i) personality traits are often facultatively calibrated in response to cues that ancestrally predicted the reproductive payoffs of different trait levels and (ii) distinct traits that are calibrated on the basis of common input cues will exhibit consistent patterns of covariation. This theory is applied to explain the covariation within a ‘personality syndrome’ encompassing various interpersonal trait dimensions (e.g. extraversion, emotionality and attachment styles). Specifically, it is hypothesized that these traits are inter–correlated because each is calibrated in response to relative bargaining power (RBP)—a joint function of one's ability to benefit others and harm others. Path analyses from a correlational study compellingly supported this theoretical model: Objective and self–perceived measures of RBP–enhancing phenotypic features (physical attractiveness and physical strength) influenced an internal regulatory variable indexing RBP (i.e. self–perceived RBP), which in turn had robust effects on each of the focal personality traits. Moreover, in support of the theory's core postulate, controlling for self–perceived RBP greatly reduced the covariation within the interpersonal syndrome. These novel findings illustrate the promise of an evolutionary psychological approach to elucidating trait covariation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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11
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Johnson KH, Paxton AB, Taylor JC, Hoyt J, McCord J, Hoffman W. Extracting ecological metrics from archeological surveys of shipwrecks using submersible video and laser‐line scanning. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Avery B. Paxton
- CSS‐Inc 10301 Democracy Lane, Suite 300 Fairfax Virginia22030USA
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science National Ocean Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 101 Pivers Island Road Beaufort North Carolina28516USA
| | - J. Christopher Taylor
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science National Ocean Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 101 Pivers Island Road Beaufort North Carolina28516USA
| | - Joseph Hoyt
- Maritime Heritage Program, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1305 East‐West Highway, N/NMS Silver Spring Maryland20910USA
| | - John McCord
- Coastal Studies Institute East Carolina University 850 NC‐345 Wanchese North Carolina27981USA
| | - William Hoffman
- Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Office of Renewable Energy Programs 45600 Woodland Road, VAM‐OREP Sterling Virginia20166USA
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12
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Saad G. The Epistemology of Evolutionary Psychology Offers a Rapprochement to Cultural Psychology. Front Psychol 2020; 11:579578. [PMID: 33224071 PMCID: PMC7670065 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.579578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Many detractors of evolutionary psychology (EP) presume that adaptive arguments are nothing more than whimsical and unfalsifiable just-so stories. The reality though is that the epistemology of EP is precisely the opposite of this antiquated canard in that it fixes the evidentiary threshold much higher than is typically achieved by most scientists. EP amasses evidence across cultures, time periods, disciplines, paradigms, methodologies, and units of analyses in validating a given scientific explanation. These nomological networks of cumulative evidence stimulate greater interdisciplinarity, lesser methodological myopia, and increased consilience (unity of knowledge). A component in building such nomological networks is to examine phenomena that are cross-culturally invariant (human universals) versus those that vary cross-culturally as adaptive responses (the domain of behavioral ecologists and gene-culture coevolution modelers). The epistemological efficacy of this unique approach is highlighted using two cases studies, the sex-specificity of toy preferences and men’s preference for the hourglass figure.
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13
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Wang Y, Shi B, Zhao X, Feng J, Jiang T. Morphological Correlates of Personality in Female Asian Particolored Bats (Vespertilio sinensis). Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10020289. [PMID: 32059520 PMCID: PMC7070271 DOI: 10.3390/ani10020289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Personality emerges because of individual differences in repeatable state variables, such as metabolic rate, age, sex, or body size. Personality and its correlation with body size, however, have been relatively unexplored in bats. Our study showed that the exploration of female Asian particolored bats was significantly repeatable, but we did not find significant correlations among exploration, activity, and aggression. This finding suggested that female Asian particolored bats may not have a behavioral syndrome. Additionally, the body mass of female Asian particolored bats was correlated with aggression and activity, suggesting that body mass may have an impact on the behavioral characteristics of bats. Our findings not only added to the literature concerning personality in bats but are also helpful for understanding the maintenance of an animal’s personality. Abstract Personality traits represent a leading edge in the evolutionary process, as natural selection acts directly on variations in individual phenotypes within populations. Recent theoretical models have focused on the concept of adaptive state-dependent behavior, proposing that repeatable differences in behavior emerge because of individual differences in repeatable state variables, such as metabolic rate, age, sex, or body size. Personality and its correlation with body size, however, have been relatively unexplored in bats. We used female Asian particolored bats (Vespertilio sinensis) to investigate three personality characteristics (exploration, activity, and aggression) using the classic hole-board test and examined their relationships with body size using an information-theoretical approach. Our results showed that the exploration of female Asian particolored bats was significantly repeatable, but we did not find significant correlations among the three personality traits. This finding suggested that the female Asian particolored bat may not have a behavioral syndrome. In addition, the body mass of female Asian particolored bats was positively correlated with aggression but was negatively correlated with activity, suggesting that body mass was an important physiological basis affecting the behavioral characteristics of female Asian particolored bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuze Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China; (Y.W.); (B.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Biye Shi
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China; (Y.W.); (B.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- School of Psychology, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot 010000, China;
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China; (Y.W.); (B.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, 2888 Xincheng Street, Changchun 130118, China
- Correspondence: (J.F.); (T.J.); Tel.: +86-0431-8916-5610 (J.F. & T.J.)
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China; (Y.W.); (B.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- Correspondence: (J.F.); (T.J.); Tel.: +86-0431-8916-5610 (J.F. & T.J.)
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14
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Mullett TL, Brown GDA, Fincher CL, Kosinski M, Stillwell D. Individual-Level Analyses of the Impact of Parasite Stress on Personality: Reduced Openness Only for Older Individuals. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2019; 46:79-93. [PMID: 31046588 DOI: 10.1177/0146167219843918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The parasite stress hypothesis predicts that individuals living in regions with higher infectious disease rates will show lower openness, agreeableness, and extraversion, but higher conscientiousness. This article, using data from more than 250,000 U.S. Facebook users, reports tests of these predictions at the level of both U.S. states and individuals and evaluates criticisms of previous findings. State-level results for agreeableness and conscientiousness are consistent with previously reported cross-national findings, but others (a significant positive correlation with extraversion and no correlation with openness) are not. However, effects of parasite stress on conscientiousness and agreeableness are not found when analyses account for the data's hierarchical structure and include controls. We find that only openness is robustly related to parasite stress in these analyses, and we also find a significant interaction with age: Older, but not younger, inhabitants of areas of high parasite stress show lower openness. Interpretations of the findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy L Mullett
- Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.,University of Bath, UK
| | | | - Corey L Fincher
- Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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15
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Dairy calves' personality traits predict social proximity and response to an emotional challenge. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16350. [PMID: 30397225 PMCID: PMC6218496 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34281-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The assessment of individual traits requires that tests are reliable (i.e. consistency over time) and externally valid, meaning that they predict future responses in similar contexts (i.e. convergent validity) but do not predict responses to unrelated situations (i.e. discriminant validity). The aim of this study was to determine if dairy calf personality traits (Fearfulness, Sociability and Pessimism), derived from behaviours expressed in standardized tests, predict individuals’ responses in related situations. The first experiment tested if the trait ‘Sociability’ was related to the expression of social behaviour in the home-pen, with calves assigned individual proximity scores (based on proximity to other calves) while they were in their home-pen at approximately 113 and 118 d of age. The second experiment aimed at exploring whether traits ‘Fearfulness’ and ‘Pessimism’ were related to the calves’ emotional response to transportation. All calves were subjected to two 10-min transportation challenges done on two consecutive days. Emotional response was assessed using the maximum eye temperature (measured using infrared thermography) and the number of vocalizations emitted. Social proximity scores (Experiment 1), vocalizations emitted and maximum eye temperature after loading (Experiment 2) were consistent over time. In addition, the results showed good convergent validity with calves scoring higher in Sociability also having higher proximity scores in the home-pen, and animals scoring higher in Fearfulness and Pessimism showing a more intense emotional response to transportation. The results also showed good discriminant validity, as neither Fearfulness nor Pessimism were associated with the expression of social behaviours (Experiment 1) and Sociability was not associated with the animal’s emotional response to transportation (Experiment 2). We conclude that the methodology used to measure personality traits shows good reliability and external validity.
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16
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Manson JH. Associations between psychometrically assessed life history strategy and daily behavior: data from the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR). PeerJ 2018; 6:e4866. [PMID: 29868275 PMCID: PMC5982997 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Life history theory has generated cogent, well-supported hypotheses about individual differences in human biodemographic traits (e.g., age at sexual maturity) and psychometric traits (e.g., conscientiousness), but little is known about how variation in life history strategy (LHS) is manifest in quotidian human behavior. Here I test predicted associations between the self-report Arizona Life History Battery and frequencies of 12 behaviors observed over 72 h in 91 US college students using the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR), a method of gathering periodic brief audio recordings as participants go about their daily lives. Bayesian multi-level aggregated binomial regression analysis found no strong associations between ALHB scores and behavior frequencies. One behavior, presence at amusement venues (bars, concerts, sports events) was weakly positively associated with ALHB-assessed slow LHS, contrary to prediction. These results may represent a challenge to the ALHB's validity. However, it remains possible that situational influences on behavior, which were not measured in the present study, moderate the relationships between psychometrically-assessed LHS and quotidian behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph H Manson
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
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Weiss A. A human model for primate personality. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.1129. [PMID: 29021170 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this article, I review the literature to determine how successful the latent trait theory model of personality from differential psychology has been for studying personality in non-human primates. The evidence for the success of this model is quite good, and offers insights and directions for personality research in primates and other animals. This, I conclude, stems from (i) the human trait model's simplicity, and (ii) the fact that the human differential model of personality developed in the face of harsh criticism, which led researchers to test and refine their models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Weiss
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
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Međedović J. Testing the state-dependent behavior models in humans: Environmental harshness moderates the link between personality and mating. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Lehmann A, Eccard JA, Scheffler C, Kurvers RHJM, Dammhahn M. Under pressure: human adolescents express a pace-of-life syndrome. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2465-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Abstract
Animals that experience situations likely to induce negative emotions show changes in judgment associated with pessimism. Few studies have focused on whether animals express stable differences in pessimism and whether these differences are related to personality traits. The first aim of this study was to explore if dairy calves are consistent over time in making judgments under ambiguous situations. Our second aim was to determine whether individual differences in judgment bias are related to conventional personality traits assessed using four standardized tests (Open field, Novel object, Human reactivity and Social motivation test). We subjected animals to two sessions of judgment bias and personality trait tests at 25 and 50 d of age. Individual differences in judgment bias were consistent over time with some animals persistently making more pessimistic choices compared to others. Two main dimensions of personality (Fearfulness and Sociability), obtained through principal component analysis, were also highly consistent over time. Pessimism was related to fearfulness, with more fearful calves making more pessimistic judgments. We conclude that dairy calves differ in the way they perceive and react to ambiguity and that this relates to individual differences in fearfulness.
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Hengartner MP. The Evolutionary Life History Model of Externalizing Personality: Bridging Human and Animal Personality Science to Connect Ultimate and Proximate Mechanisms Underlying Aggressive Dominance, Hostility, and Impulsive Sensation Seeking. REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1037/gpr0000127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The present work proposes an evolutionary model of externalizing personality that defines variation in this broad psychobiological phenotype resulting from genetic influences and a conditional adaptation to high-risk environments with high extrinsic morbidity-mortality. Due to shared selection pressure, externalizing personality is coadapted to fast life history strategies and maximizes inclusive fitness under adverse environmental conditions by governing the major trade-offs between reproductive versus somatic functions, current versus future reproduction, and mating versus parenting efforts. According to this model, externalizing personality is a regulatory device at the interface between the individual and its environment that is mediated by 2 overlapping psychobiological systems, that is, the attachment and the stress-response system. The attachment system coordinates interpersonal behavior and intimacy in close relationships and the stress-response system regulates the responsivity to environmental challenge and both physiological and behavioral reactions to stress. These proximate mechanisms allow for the integration of neuroendocrinological processes underlying interindividual differences in externalizing personality. Hereinafter I further discuss the model's major implications for personality psychology, psychiatry, and public health policy.
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Martin JS, Suarez SA. Personality assessment and model comparison with behavioral data: A statistical framework and empirical demonstration with bonobos (Pan paniscus
). Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan S. Martin
- Department of Anthropology; Emory University; Atlanta Georgia
- Department of Anthropology; Miami University; Oxford Ohio
- Department of Cognitive Biology; University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Scott A. Suarez
- Department of Anthropology; Miami University; Oxford Ohio
- Department of Behavioral Sciences; San Diego Mesa College; San Diego California
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Goold C, Vas J, Olsen C, Newberry RC. Using network analysis to study behavioural phenotypes: an example using domestic dogs. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160268. [PMID: 27853544 PMCID: PMC5098969 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic integration describes the complex interrelationships between organismal traits, traditionally focusing on morphology. Recently, research has sought to represent behavioural phenotypes as composed of quasi-independent latent traits. Concurrently, psychologists have opposed latent variable interpretations of human behaviour, proposing instead a network perspective envisaging interrelationships between behaviours as emerging from causal dependencies. Network analysis could also be applied to understand integrated behavioural phenotypes in animals. Here, we assimilate this cross-disciplinary progression of ideas by demonstrating the use of network analysis on survey data collected on behavioural and motivational characteristics of police patrol and detection dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). Networks of conditional independence relationships illustrated a number of functional connections between descriptors, which varied between dog types. The most central descriptors denoted desirable characteristics in both patrol and detection dog networks, with 'Playful' being widely correlated and possessing mediating relationships between descriptors. Bootstrap analyses revealed the stability of network results. We discuss the results in relation to previous research on dog personality, and benefits of using network analysis to study behavioural phenotypes. We conclude that a network perspective offers widespread opportunities for advancing the understanding of phenotypic integration in animal behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor Goold
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Judit Vas
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Christine Olsen
- Section of Public Health, Department of Landscape, Architecture and Spatial Planning, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Ruth C. Newberry
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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Goold C, Vas J, Olsen C, Newberry RC. Using network analysis to study behavioural phenotypes: an example using domestic dogs. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160268. [PMID: 27853544 DOI: 10.5061/dryad.81k11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic integration describes the complex interrelationships between organismal traits, traditionally focusing on morphology. Recently, research has sought to represent behavioural phenotypes as composed of quasi-independent latent traits. Concurrently, psychologists have opposed latent variable interpretations of human behaviour, proposing instead a network perspective envisaging interrelationships between behaviours as emerging from causal dependencies. Network analysis could also be applied to understand integrated behavioural phenotypes in animals. Here, we assimilate this cross-disciplinary progression of ideas by demonstrating the use of network analysis on survey data collected on behavioural and motivational characteristics of police patrol and detection dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). Networks of conditional independence relationships illustrated a number of functional connections between descriptors, which varied between dog types. The most central descriptors denoted desirable characteristics in both patrol and detection dog networks, with 'Playful' being widely correlated and possessing mediating relationships between descriptors. Bootstrap analyses revealed the stability of network results. We discuss the results in relation to previous research on dog personality, and benefits of using network analysis to study behavioural phenotypes. We conclude that a network perspective offers widespread opportunities for advancing the understanding of phenotypic integration in animal behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor Goold
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences , Norwegian University of Life Sciences , Ås , Norway
| | - Judit Vas
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences , Norwegian University of Life Sciences , Ås , Norway
| | - Christine Olsen
- Section of Public Health, Department of Landscape, Architecture and Spatial Planning , Norwegian University of Life Sciences , Ås , Norway
| | - Ruth C Newberry
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences , Norwegian University of Life Sciences , Ås , Norway
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de Vries RE, Tybur JM, Pollet TV, van Vugt M. Evolution, situational affordances, and the HEXACO model of personality. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.04.001 order by 1-- #] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
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de Vries RE, Tybur JM, Pollet TV, van Vugt M. Evolution, situational affordances, and the HEXACO model of personality. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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de Vries RE, Tybur JM, Pollet TV, van Vugt M. Evolution, situational affordances, and the HEXACO model of personality. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.04.001 order by 1-- -] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
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de Vries RE, Tybur JM, Pollet TV, van Vugt M. Evolution, situational affordances, and the HEXACO model of personality. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.04.001 order by 1-- gadu] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
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Šlipogor V, Gunhold‐de Oliveira T, Tadić Z, Massen JJ, Bugnyar T. Consistent inter-individual differences in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) in Boldness-Shyness, Stress-Activity, and Exploration-Avoidance. Am J Primatol 2016; 78:961-73. [PMID: 27286098 PMCID: PMC4996331 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Revised: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The study of animal personality, defined as consistent inter-individual differences in correlated behavioral traits stable throughout time and/or contexts, has recently become one of the fastest growing areas in animal biology, with study species ranging from insects to non-human primates. The latter have, however, only occasionally been tested with standardized experiments. Instead their personality has usually been assessed using questionnaires. Therefore, this study aimed to test 21 common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) living in three family groups, in five different experiments, and their corresponding controls. We found that behavioral differences between our animals were not only consistent over time, but also across different contexts. Moreover, the consistent behaviors formed a construct of four major non-social personality components: Boldness-Shyness in Foraging, Boldness-Shyness in Predation, Stress-Activity, and Exploration-Avoidance. We found no sex or age differences in these components, but our results did reveal differences in Exploration-Avoidance between the three family groups. As social environment can have a large influence on behavior of individuals, our results may suggest group-level similarity in personality (i.e., "group personality") in common marmosets, a species living in highly cohesive social groups. Am. J. Primatol. 78:961-973, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vedrana Šlipogor
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Division of BiologyUniversity of ZagrebZagrebCroatia
| | | | - Zoran Tadić
- Division of BiologyUniversity of ZagrebZagrebCroatia
| | - Jorg J.M. Massen
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
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Evolution, situational affordances, and the HEXACO model of personality. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.04.001 order by 8029-- #] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
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34
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de Vries RE, Tybur JM, Pollet TV, van Vugt M. Evolution, situational affordances, and the HEXACO model of personality. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.04.001 and 1880=1880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
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35
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de Vries RE, Tybur JM, Pollet TV, van Vugt M. Evolution, situational affordances, and the HEXACO model of personality. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.04.001 order by 8029-- awyx] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
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36
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Evolution, situational affordances, and the HEXACO model of personality. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.04.001 order by 8029-- -] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
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Hengartner MP, Kawohl W, Haker H, Rössler W, Ajdacic-Gross V. Big Five personality traits may inform public health policy and preventive medicine: Evidence from a cross-sectional and a prospective longitudinal epidemiologic study in a Swiss community. J Psychosom Res 2016; 84:44-51. [PMID: 27095158 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Some evidence documents the importance of personality assessments for health research and practise. However, no study has opted to test whether a short self-report personality inventory may comprehensively inform health policy. METHODS Data were taken from a population-based epidemiologic survey in Zurich, Switzerland, conducted from 2010-2012. A short form of the Big Five Inventory was completed by n=1155 participants (54.4% women; mean age=29.6 years), while health-related outcomes were taken from a comprehensive semi-structured clinical interview. A convenience subsample averaging n=171 participants additionally provided laboratory measures and n=133 were subsequently followed-up at least once over a maximal period of 6 months. RESULTS Personality traits, in particular high neuroticism and low conscientiousness, related significantly to poor environmental resources such as low social support (R(2)=0.071), health-impairing behaviours such as cannabis use (R(2)=0.071), and psychopathology, including negative affect (R(2)=0.269) and various mental disorders (R(2)=0.060-0.195). The proportion of total variance explained was R(2)=0.339 in persons with three or more mental disorders. Personality significantly related to some laboratory measures including total cholesterol (R(2)=0.095) and C-Reactive Protein (R(2)=0.062). Finally, personality prospectively predicted global psychopathological distress and vegetative symptoms over a 6-month observation period. CONCLUSIONS Personality relates consistently to poor socio-environmental resources, health-impairing behaviours and psychopathology. We also found some evidence for an association with metabolic and immune functions that are assumed to influence health. A short personality inventory could provide valuable information for preventive medicine when used as a means to screen entire populations for distinct risk exposure, in particular with respect to psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Hengartner
- Department of Applied Psychology, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland.
| | - Wolfram Kawohl
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Helene Haker
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Wulf Rössler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM 27), University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Zurich, Switzerland
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Webb CE, Verbeek P. Individual differences in aggressive and peaceful behavior: new insights and future directions. BEHAVIOUR 2016. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Consistent individual differences in animal behaviour are an increasingly common focus of research across various behavioural and biological sciences. Such ‘animal personalities’ comprise a diverse repertoire of behavioural tendencies, recently expanding to incorporate the social domain. Aggression and peace, hallmarks of many social systems including that of humans, warrant integration with this literature. Specifically, animal personality research should consider the potential role of stable conflict and post-conflict behavioural tendencies. We focus our discussion primarily on examples in nonhuman primates and humans, but suggest that individual variation patterns are relevant for any social species in which these phenomena exist. In highly gregarious species, an individual’s conflict and post-conflict tendencies can affect the strength and stability of its social bonds. Because social relationships in turn impact survival and reproductive success, we also encourage future work to investigate the ultimate (i.e., fitness-relevant) consequences of individual variation in aggressive and peaceful behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine E. Webb
- aDepartment of Psychology, Columbia University, 406 Schermerhorn Hall 1190 Amsterdam Avenue MC 5501, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Peter Verbeek
- bDepartment of Anthropology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue S, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
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Stahlschmidt ZR, Holcomb LM, Luoma RL. Context-dependent effects of complex environments on behavioral plasticity. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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López-Sepulcre A, De Bona S, Valkonen JK, Umbers KD, Mappes J. Item Response Trees: a recommended method for analyzing categorical data in behavioral studies. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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41
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Cronin AL. Individual and Group Personalities Characterise Consensus Decision-Making in an Ant. Ethology 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam L. Cronin
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences; Iwate University; Morioka Japan
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Genetic influences on response to novel objects and dimensions of personality in Papio baboons. Behav Genet 2015; 45:215-27. [PMID: 25604451 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-014-9702-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral variation within and between populations and species of the genus Papio has been studied extensively, but little is known about the genetic causes of individual- or population-level differences. This study investigates the influence of genetic variation on personality (sometimes referred to as temperament) in baboons and identifies a candidate gene partially responsible for the variation in that phenotype. To accomplish these goals, we examined individual variation in response to both novel objects and an apparent novel social partner (using a mirror test) among pedigreed baboons (n = 578) from the Southwest National Primate Research Center. We investigated the frequency and duration of individual behaviors in response to novel objects and used multivariate factor analysis to identify trait-like dimensions of personality. Exploratory factor analysis identified two distinct dimensions of personality within this population. Factor 1 accounts for 46.8 % of the variance within the behavioral matrix, and consists primarily of behaviors related to the "boldness" of the subject. Factor 2 accounts for 18.8 % of the variation, and contains several "anxiety" like behaviors. Several specific behaviors, and the two personality factors, were significantly heritable, with the factors showing higher heritability than most individual behaviors. Subsequent analyses show that the behavioral reactions observed in the test protocol are associated with animals' social behavior observed later in their home social groups. Finally we used linkage analysis to map quantitative trait loci for the measured phenotypes. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in a positional candidate gene (SNAP25) are associated with variation in one of the personality factors, and CSF levels of homovanillic acid and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol. This study documents heritable variation in personality among baboons and suggests that sequence variation in SNAP25 may influence differences in behavior and neurochemistry in these nonhuman primates.
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Holtzman NS, Donnellan MB. The Roots of Narcissus: Old and New Models of the Evolution of Narcissism. EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-12697-5_36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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44
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Gullo MJ, Potenza MN. Impulsivity: mechanisms, moderators and implications for addictive behaviors. Addict Behav 2014; 39:1543-1546. [PMID: 25042111 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Gullo
- Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, The University of Queensland, Australia.
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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Franks B, Higgins ET, Champagne FA. A theoretically based model of rat personality with implications for welfare. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95135. [PMID: 24755737 PMCID: PMC3995697 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
As animal personality research becomes more central to the study of animal behavior, there is increasing need for theoretical frameworks addressing its causes and consequences. We propose that regulatory focus theory (RFT) could serve as one such framework while also providing insights into how animal personality relates to welfare. RFT distinguishes between two types of approach motivation: promotion, the motivation to approach gains, and prevention, the motivation to approach or maintain safety. Decades of research have established the utility of RFT as a model of human behavior and recent evidence from zoo-housed primates and laboratory rats has suggested that it may be applicable to nonhuman animal behavior as well. Building on these initial studies, we collected data on 60 rats, Rattus norvegicus, navigating an automated maze that allowed individuals to maintain darkness (indicative of prevention/safety-approach motivation) and/or activate food rewards (indicative of promotion/gain-approach motivation). As predicted, both behaviors showed stable individual differences (Ps <0.01) and were inversely associated with physiological signs of chronic stress, possibly indicating poor welfare (Ps <0.05). Subsequently, half the rats were exposed to a manageable threat (noxious novel object) in the homecage. Re-testing in the maze revealed that threat exposure increased darkness time achieved (P<0.05), suggesting a mechanism by which prevention motivation may be enhanced. These results point toward the potential utility of RFT as a model for animal behavior and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becca Franks
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - E Tory Higgins
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Frances A Champagne
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
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Wong MYL, Medina A, Uppaluri C, Arnold S, Seymour JR, Buston PM. Consistent behavioural traits and behavioural syndromes in pairs of the false clown anemonefish Amphiprion ocellaris. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2013; 83:207-213. [PMID: 23808701 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Using the social clown anemonefish Amphiprion ocellaris, whether individuals exhibited consistency in activity levels, boldness and sociability in a paired context, and whether these three behavioural traits were positively correlated within a single behavioural syndrome, was investigated. The results highlight that consistent individual differences in behaviour are expressed in a social fish and suggest that consistent behavioural traits and behavioural syndromes could influence the structure and functioning of their societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Y L Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, NSW 2518, Australia.
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Carter AJ, Feeney WE, Marshall HH, Cowlishaw G, Heinsohn R. Animal personality: what are behavioural ecologists measuring? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2012; 88:465-75. [PMID: 23253069 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 419] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2012] [Revised: 11/07/2012] [Accepted: 11/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The discovery that an individual may be constrained, and even behave sub-optimally, because of its personality type has fundamental implications for understanding individual- to group-level processes. Despite recent interest in the study of animal personalities within behavioural ecology, the field is fraught with conceptual and methodological difficulties inherent in any young discipline. We review the current agreement of definitions and methods used in personality studies across taxa and systems, and find that current methods risk misclassifying traits. Fortunately, these problems have been faced before by other similar fields during their infancy, affording important opportunities to learn from past mistakes. We review the tools that were developed to overcome similar methodological problems in psychology. These tools emphasise the importance of attempting to measure animal personality traits using multiple tests and the care that needs to be taken when interpreting correlations between personality traits or their tests. Accordingly, we suggest an integrative theoretical framework that incorporates these tools to facilitate a robust and unified approach in the study of animal personality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alecia J Carter
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
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Gurven M, von Rueden C, Massenkoff M, Kaplan H, Lero Vie M. How universal is the Big Five? Testing the five-factor model of personality variation among forager-farmers in the Bolivian Amazon. J Pers Soc Psychol 2012; 104:354-70. [PMID: 23245291 DOI: 10.1037/a0030841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The five-factor model (FFM) of personality variation has been replicated across a range of human societies, suggesting the FFM is a human universal. However, most studies of the FFM have been restricted to literate, urban populations, which are uncharacteristic of the majority of human evolutionary history. We present the first test of the FFM in a largely illiterate, indigenous society. Tsimane forager-horticulturalist men and women of Bolivia (n = 632) completed a translation of the 44-item Big Five Inventory (Benet-Martínez & John, 1998), a widely used metric of the FFM. We failed to find robust support for the FFM, based on tests of (a) internal consistency of items expected to segregate into the Big Five factors, (b) response stability of the Big Five, (c) external validity of the Big Five with respect to observed behavior, (d) factor structure according to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and (e) similarity with a U.S. target structure based on Procrustes rotation analysis. Replication of the FFM was not improved in a separate sample of Tsimane adults (n = 430), who evaluated their spouses on the Big Five Inventory. Removal of reverse-scored items that may have elicited response biases produced factors suggestive of Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness, but fit to the FFM remained poor. Response styles may covary with exposure to education, but we found no better fit to the FFM among Tsimane who speak Spanish or have attended school. We argue that Tsimane personality variation displays 2 principal factors that may reflect socioecological characteristics common to small-scale societies. We offer evolutionary perspectives on why the structure of personality variation may not be invariant across human societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Gurven
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara
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Andersson MÅ, Höglund E. Linking personality to larval energy reserves in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). PLoS One 2012; 7:e49247. [PMID: 23155473 PMCID: PMC3498305 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2012] [Accepted: 10/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a surging interest in the evolution, ecology and physiology of personality differences. However, most of the studies in this research area have been performed in adult animals. Trait variations expressed early in development and how they are related to the ontogeny of an animal’s personality are far less studied. Genetic differences as well as environmental factors causing functional variability of the central serotonergic system have been related to personality differences in vertebrates, including humans. Such gene-environment interplay suggests that the central serotonergic system plays an important role in the ontogeny of personality traits. In salmonid fishes, the timing of emergence from spawning nests is related to energy reserves, aggression, and social dominance. However, it is currently unknown how the size of the yolk reserve is reflected on aggression and dominance, or if these traits are linked to differences in serotonergic transmission in newly emerged larvae. In this study we investigated the relationship between yolk reserves, social dominance, and serotonergic transmission in newly emerged rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) larvae. This was conducted by allowing larvae with the same emergence time, but with different yolk sizes, to interact in pairs for 24 h. The results show that individuals with larger yolks performed more aggressive acts, resulting in a suppression of aggression in individuals with smaller yolks. A higher brain serotonergic activity confirmed subordination in larvae with small yolks. The relationship between social dominance and yolk size was present in siblings, demonstrating a link between interfamily variation in energy reserves and aggression, and suggests that larger yolk reserves fuel a more aggressive personality during the initial territorial establishment in salmonid fishes. Furthermore, socially naïve larvae with big yolks had lower serotonin levels, suggesting that other factors than the social environment causes variation in serotonergic transmission, underlying individual variation in aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelene Åberg Andersson
- DTU Aqua, Section for Aquaculture, The North Sea Research Centre, Technical University of Denmark, Hirtshals, Denmark
| | - Erik Höglund
- DTU Aqua, Section for Aquaculture, The North Sea Research Centre, Technical University of Denmark, Hirtshals, Denmark
- * E-mail:
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