David J. Hughes

Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling of Personality Data

The current article compares the use of exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) as an alternative to confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models in personality research. We compare model fit, factor distinctiveness, and criterion associations of factors derived from ESEM and CFA models. In Sample 1 (n = 336) participants completed the NEO-FFI, the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire–Short Form, and the Creative Domains Questionnaire. In Sample 2 (n = 425) participants completed the Big Five Inventory and the depression and anxiety scales of the General Health Questionnaire. ESEM models provided better fit than CFA models, but ESEM solutions did not uniformly meet cutoff criteria for model fit. Factor scores derived from ESEM and CFA models correlated highly (.91 to .99), suggesting the additional factor loadings within the ESEM model add little in defining latent factor content. Lastly, criterion associations of each personality factor in CFA and ESEM models were near identical in both inventories. We provide an example of how ESEM and CFA might be used together in improving personality assessment.

Myths and Misconceptions in Popular Psychology Comparing Psychology Students and the General Public

This study examined the prevalence of psychological myths and misconceptions among psychology students and within the general population. In total, 829 participants completed a 249-item questionnaire designed to measure a broad range of psychological myths. Results revealed that psychological myths and misconceptions are numerous and widely held. A number of widely held, potentially harmful, and socially divisive myths were identified. Psychology students recognized more myths than did the general population. However, effect sizes were small, indicating that education has only a very limited success in alleviating psychological myths and misconceptions.

Leader dark traits, workplace bullying, and employee depression: Exploring mediation and the role of the dark core.

A growing body of empirical evidence now supports a negative association between dark traits in leaders and the psychological health of employees. To date, such investigations have mostly focused on psychopathy, nonspecific measures of psychological wellbeing, and have not considered the mechanisms through which these relationships might operate. In the current study (N = 508), we utilized other-ratings of personality (employees rated leaders’ personality), psychometrically robust measures, and sophisticated modeling techniques, to examine whether the effects of leaders’ levels of narcissism and psychopathy on employee depression are mediated by workplace bullying. Structural equation models provided clear evidence to suggest that employee perceptions of both leader narcissism and psychopathy are associated with increased workplace bullying (25.8% and 41.0% variance explained, respectively) and that workplace bullying fully mediates the effect of leader narcissism and psychopathy on employee depression (21.5% and 20.8% variance explained, respectively). However, when psychopathy and narcissism were modeled concurrently, narcissism did not explain any variance in bullying, suggesting that it is the overlap between psychopathy and narcissism, namely, the “dark core,” which primarily accounts for the observed effects. We examined this assertion empirically and explored the unique effects of the subfactors of psychopathy.

Comment: Trait EI Moderates the Relationship Between Ability EI and Emotion Regulation:

Mestre, MacCann, Guil, and Roberts (2016) propose a model that suggests emotion regulation provides the mechanism through which ability emotional intelligence influences important outcomes. We argue that important nuance in our understanding of people’s choice of emotion regulation strategy can be gained by incorporating personality constructs such as trait emotional intelligence within this model.

Individual Difference correlates of self-perceptions of creativity

Abstract The current chapter reports a systematic review of the relationship between self-perceptions of creativity and the individual difference traits of cognitive ability and personality. To structure our review, we separate out self-perceptions of creative traits, creative processes, and creative products. Our findings reveal that cognitive ability measures rarely relate to creative self-perceptions, but there are consistent positive associations with Openness to Experience and Extraversion. The relationships with Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness are more nuanced and vary relative to the type of self-perception (trait, process, product), the domain of the self-perception (e.g., arts vs. science), or culture. We explore some of the likely theoretical rationales for the findings and identify areas in need of further research. Lastly, we present a series of hypothetical models outlining nuanced relations between self-perceptions and individual differences and we present an exploratory but explanatory model that situates individual differences, self-perceptions of creativity, and actual creative achievement.