Jacob J. Levy

Personality Characteristics of Business Majors as Defined by the Big Five and Narrow Personality Traits

Using data from 347 undergraduate business majors and 2,252 nonbusiness majors at a large Southeastern university, the authors drew on J. L. Hollands (1985) vocational theory and investigated whether the 2 groups differed on the Big Five model of personality (B. De Raad, 2000; agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, extraversion, openness) and 4 narrow personality traits. For business majors, the authors also examined the relations between personality traits and life satisfaction. Business majors scored higher for conscientiousness, emotional stability, extraversion, assertiveness, and tough-mindedness, but they scored lower on agreeableness and openness. All of the traits except for agreeableness and tough-mindedness correlated significantly and positively with life satisfaction. The authors discuss results in terms of similar relations in business occupations and support of vocational theory.

Identity and Personality: The Big Five and Narrow Personality Traits in Relation to Sense of Identity

Based on a sample of 2,092 college students, Sense of Identity was found to be significantly related to the Big Five traits (Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, Extraversion, and Openness) as well as four narrow personality traits (Aggression, Optimism, Tough-Mindedness, and Work Drive). Results of multiple regression analyses indicated that after controlling for age, year in school, and sex, the Big Five traits accounted for 34% of the variance in Sense of Identity, with the narrow traits accounting for an additional 16% of the variance. A combination of six Big Five and narrow traits account for over 50% of the variance in Sense of Identity for the total sample as well as for demographic subgroups referenced by age, sex, ethnicity, marital status, family characteristics, transfer, and commuter status. It was suggested that personality traits may be influencing sense of identity. Results were discussed in terms of theoretical and methodological implications.

Personality correlates of self-employed small business owners' success.

OBJECTIVE Drawing on prior occupational choice research on entrepreneurs and self-employed business owners, we examined personality predictors of their occupational business success and work satisfaction. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURES: A sample of 147 small business owners completed a web-based assessment of 14 work-related personality traits--adaptability, autonomy, competitiveness, dependability, emotional resilience, goal-setting, optimism, persistence, risk tolerance, self-promotion, networking, and tolerance for financial insecurity, work-based locus of control, and work drive--and three self-reported indices of business success--revenue growth, profit growth, and income growth--as well as multiple facets of individual satisfaction. Criterion variables included composite business success and overall satisfaction. RESULTS Ten traits correlated with business success. The top four personality predictors of success--goal-setting, social networking, emotional resilience, and work drive--together accounted for 16% of the variance. Similarly, 12 of 14 personality traits were positively related to overall satisfaction. The top three personality predictors of satisfaction--optimism, work-based locus of control, and work drive--accounted for 29% of the variability in satisfaction. An expectancy analysis revealed that the percent of participants who reported at least a 20% increase in sales and profits the preceding year was 26% versus 54% for individual scoring in the lower and upper third of a personality composite measure. CONCLUSIONS Results carry implications for future research, and have direct, practical applications for prospective and current entrepreneurs and self-employed owners of small businesses.

Voices of Early Career Psychologists in Division 17, the Society of Counseling Psychology

This article reports on a survey of early career members of the Society of Counseling Psychology (SCP). Seventy early career psychologists completed a survey assessing the usefulness and climate of SCP, barriers to and facilitative factors for involvement in SCP, inclusiveness of SCP regarding cultural diversity and professional interests, degree of involvement in various aspects of SCP, and their areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with SCP membership. In general, participants were split on the degree to which they were satisfied with SCP, with participants in faculty positions reporting significantly more positive views of SCP than their practitioner counterparts did. Faculty members viewed SCP as more useful to their careers and reported more positive social interactions within SCP than did non–faculty members. Open-ended responses suggested that satisfaction with SCP was related to availability of mentorship and opportunities for involvement in SCP. Suggestions for engaging new professionals in SCP are offered.

LORETA Neurofeedback in the Precuneus Operant Conditioning in Basic Mechanisms of Self-Regulation

Low-resolution brain electomagnetic tomography (LORETA) neurofeedback provides a mechanism to influence the electrical activity of the brain in intracranial space. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of LORETA neurofeedback (LNFB) in the precuneus as a mechanism for improving self-regulation in controls and a heterogeneous diagnostic group (DX). Thirteen participants completed between 10 and 20 sessions of LNFB training in a 3-voxel cluster in the left precuneus. The participants included 5 nonclinical university students, and 8 adults with heterogeneous psychiatric diagnoses. We assessed the effects of LNFB with neurophysiological measures as well as pre- and post-Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) subscales and selected subtests from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (DKEFS). There was a significant total relative power increase at the precuneus for baseline contrasts for the control group. The DX group did not reach significant levels. All participants showed improvements in executive functions and tended to report significantly less psychopathology. The basic neural mechanisms of self-regulation are poorly understood. The data obtained in this study demonstrate that LNFB in a heterogeneous population enhances executive functions while concordantly decreasing endorsement of psychological symptoms. The alpha frequency in the brain may represent integrative functioning relative to operant efficiency and self-regulatory mechanisms.

Big Five personality traits and performance anxiety in relation to marching arts satisfaction

OBJECTIVE To examine the Big Five personality traits and performance anxiety in relation to marching arts satisfaction. PARTICIPANTS Data were collected from 278 instrumentalists (i.e., brass players and percussionists) and color guard performers (e.g., dancers) representing six world class drum and bugle corps. METHOD PARTICIPANTS completed three measures: the Adolescent Personal Style Inventory was used to measure the Big Five personality factors: Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, Extraversion, and Openness; the Performance Anxiety Questionnaire - used to assess somatic and cognitive symptoms of performance anxiety; and the Marching Arts Satisfaction - used to assess for the physical, social, and contextual environments of drum and bugle corps. RESULTS Correlation and multiple regression analyses revealed concurrent relationships between the Big Five and performance anxiety with satisfaction. A linear combination of the Big Five traits and Performance Anxiety accounted for 36% of the total variance in satisfaction, with Extraversion, Emotional Stability, and Performance Anxiety contributing significant unique variance. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the present study suggest that performers who are extraverted, conscientious, and effective at managing general stress - and performance stress in particular - find a greater sense of satisfaction with their participation in world class drum and bugle corps.

Clinical Research on the Utility of Hypnosis in the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Medical and Psychiatric Disorders

The authors summarize 4 articles of special interest to the hypnosis community in the general scientific and medical literatures. All are empirical studies testing the clinical utility of hypnosis, and together address the role of hypnosis in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of medical and psychiatric disorders/conditions. The first is a randomized controlled study of smoking cessation treatments comparing a hypnosis-based protocol to an established behavioral counseling protocol. Hypnosis quit rates are superior to those of the accepted behavioral counseling protocol. A second study with pediatric patients finds hypnosis critically helpful in differentiating nonepileptic seizure-like behaviors (pseudoseizures) from epilepsy. The remaining 2 papers are randomized controlled trials testing whether hypnosis is effective in helping patients manage the emotional distress of medical procedures associated with cancer treatment. Among female survivors of breast cancer, hypnosis reduces perceived hot flashes and associated emotional and sleep disruptions. Among pediatric cancer patients, a brief hypnotic intervention helps control venepuncture-related pain.

Distinctive Personality Traits of Information Technology Professionals

Drawing on Holland’s (1985) vocational theory, Schneider’s (1987) ASA model, and the Big Five / narrow traits model of personality, the present study examined key Big Five and narrow traits that distinguish 12,695 IT professionals from 73,140 individuals in other occupations. IT professionals had significantly higher levels of agreeableness and tough-mindedness, and lower conscientiousness, emotional stability, extraversion, assertiveness, customer service orientation, optimism, and work drive. These findings reinforce the functional value and person-occupation fit of this distinctive trait profile for the work of IT professionals in an era of technological and organizational change. Implications are described for future research as well as the recruitment, selection, management and promotion of IT professionals, as well as their training, development, coaching, and mentoring.

Development of the Academic Stereotype Threat Inventory.

Abstract The authors describe the development and preliminary validation of the Academic Stereotype Threat Inventory, a self-report measurement of math-related stereotype threat among women. A preliminary version of the instrument was administered to 3 OS undergraduate women. Principal component analysis yielded a 3-factor solution. Convergent and incremental validity were suppored.

Privilege and Belonging The Quest to Make the Society of Counseling Psychology More Welcoming

In this rejoinder, we advance the dialogue stimulated by our major contribution (Smith et al., 2012) in which we present the findings from a survey of early career professionals (ECPs) in Division 17, the Society of Counseling Psychology. We respond to the reactants’ concerns and observations using the lenses of privilege and belonging to guide our response. Building from the premise that the Society needs to continue to create and sustain efforts to attract and retain burgeoning counseling psychologists—including faculty members, practitioners, and those whose careers have combined or unique foci—we offer additional suggestions toward meeting the goal of expanding the richness of membership to include a wide array of those who identify with the premises of the Society and the specialty of counseling psychology. The importance of mentoring for advanced students and ECPs with an array of career trajectories is particularly emphasized.