John Connors

Three or five personality dimensions? an analysis of natural language terms in two cultures

Abstract We report the results of two studies into the structure and correlates of personality. In study one, English natural language terms (John, 1990) were administered to Australian ( N = 186) and African ( N = 230) undergraduates. Neither the Eysenckian nor Big Five dimensions were uncovered among the African sample. Although a three-component solution was compatible with the Eysenckian position (Eysenck & Eysenck, 1985) among the Australian undergraduates, a five-component solution best reflected the data yielding the following dimensions: I = C; II = E; III = N; IV = A; V = O. In the second study conducted among Australian undergraduates ( N = 130), the five adjective-derived dimensions were correlated with markers from the revised EPQ and NEO inventories. Results of a principal components analysis were found to be compatible with the notion of the “Big Five” in personality. The findings are briefly discussed with reference to previous research.

Heterosexual attitudes to homosexuality: Homophobia at a rural Australian university.

Abstract This study compared attitudes towards homosexuality of 164 students from two faculties at a rural Australian university. Eighty-two percent of participants were aged from 18–24 years, 65% percent of the sample were female with 58% of participants enrolled in a humanities course and 42% in a business course. A cross-sectional design using the Heterosexual Attitudes to Homosexuals (H.A.T.H.) and Fear of HIV/AIDS questionnaires found that for the total sample the major predictors of homophobia were fear of HIV/AIDS, gender, religiosity, and academic major. Business majors were significantly more homophobic than humanities majors. The findings imply that homophobia may be prevalent among university faculties and that staff and student programs need to be implemented to address homophobia, especially among business majors and lecturers.

Personality, gender, and “just world” beliefs

This study investigated the personality correlates of just world beliefs (Rubin & Peplau, 1975) among a sample of Australian undergraduates (93 males; 103 females). Results showed none of the major personality dimensions as measured by the EPQ (Eysenck & Eysenck, 1975) to be associated with either belief in a just or unjust world among males, while females who viewed the world as unjust were identified as being introverted and emotionally unstable. These findings are discussed in the light of research into extraversion/ introversion and neuroticism.

Sex, body-esteem and self-esteem.

This study investigated the relationship between body-esteem and self-esteem among 215 young men and women (ages 18 to 25 years). It was expected that concern with weight and shape would be strongly associated with womens self-esteem, while mens self-esteem would be more closely linked to concerns about their fitness. Multiple regression analyses indicated that perceived attractiveness and the salience of weight and shape were significant predictors of self-esteem among women. Among men, the significant predictors of self-esteem were perceived attractiveness, body disparagement, and perceived strength and fitness.

Structure and Demographic Correlates of Attitudes Toward AIDS Sufferers

Two studies investigated the structure and demographic correlates of attitudes toward AIDS sufferers among adult Australians 18 to 75 years of age. Attitudes were found to be multidimensional, with similar dimensions being identified in both samples. In both samples, men were found to be more prejudiced than women.

A cross-cultural study into loneliness amongst university students

The main aim of this research was to determine whether two groups of students from different cultural backgrounds differed as far as their experience of loneliness was concerned. The researchers also wanted to determine whether the groups differed in their experience of loneliness for gender, age, domestic circumstances and socio-economic status. The two groups were formed as follows: Information was gathered from senior students of the Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga (N=189); data were also obtained from the students of the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, by distributing questionnaires amongst second- and third year students (N=104). The data were analysed by using t-tests for independent samples. The results indicated firstly that students from the Charles Sturt University in New South Wales were significantly more lonely than students from the University of the Free State. Furthermore, it was found that female Australian students were significantly more lonely than female students from South Africa, and that there were no age differences for the two groups. It was also found that domestic circumstances play an important role in the experience of loneliness, since Australian students who grew up in happy parental homes were significantly more lonely than their South African counterparts.

Attitudes Toward People Living With HIV/AIDS: A Model of Attitudes to Illness

This study examined attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS within a sample of 220 young men and women. As predicted, a multiple regression analysis revealed that the fear of contracting HIV/AIDS through casual contact was a significant predictor of both mens and womens willingness to interact with people living with HIV/AIDS. Attitudes toward homosexuality were also a significant predictor of attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS among women, who generally have a low risk of contracting the disease in Western societies. These results indicate that attitudes toward people with a serious illness may be strongly related to the perceived risk of contracting the disease.

Politics and Toughmindedness

Abstract The assertion that left-wing authoritarianism is a myth was investigated. Responses from 198 Australian undergraduates showed the “tough-minded” to be on either side of the Radical-Conservative divide, thus supporting Eysencks (1954, 1975) hypothesis. Furthermore, rightists were found to hold authoritarian attitudes, whereas leftists were found to manifest antisubmissive behavior.

Authoritarianism and the EPQ

Investigated the personality correlates of authoritarian attitudes (Ray, 1979) and anti-submissive behaviour (Rigby, 1986), among an Australian college sample (N = 198). Authoritarianism (in the attitudinal sense) was found not to correlate with the major dimensions of the EPQ for the whole sample although female authoritarians scored high on the N subscale (r = 0.40; P < 0.01). By contrast, anti-submissive behaviour was found to be associated with extraversion for females and tough-mindedness for males. Further factor analysis revealed the P subscale of the EPQ not to load on a factor identified as ‘authoritarianism’. This does not support the research of Kline and Cooper (1984).

Disease isolation: The challenges faced by mothers living with multiple myeloma in rural and regional Australia

PURPOSE To explore the interrelationship of two challenging aspects of the cancer experience: the diagnosis and experience of younger women living with multiple myeloma, and their geographical disadvantage. METHOD A cross-sectional retrospective qualitative methodology was employed. Five women with dependent children and a diagnosis of myeloma, living in rural and regional Australia, were interviewed using a semi-structured technique. Interpretative phenomenological analysis provided the foundation for the data analysis and interpretation. RESULTS The central concept of disease isolation emerged from the data and captured the interrelationship of the experience of living with a rare cancer, while living in a rural and regional area of Australia. Three strong themes emerged: 1) isolation due to living with a rare cancer, 2) isolation within the myeloma population, and 3) isolation due to the disease effects and treatment. In the context of these results, isolation depicted the sense of being alone or separated, both physically and psychologically, from potential sources of support, and of being different from others (both patients with cancer and patients with myeloma), which presented barriers to accessing support. CONCLUSION The interrelationship of geographical isolation and living with multiple myeloma underpins the core issues relating to the main themes. Understanding the issues confronting younger women with myeloma living in rural and regional of Australia may assist health professionals to improve support for women in this situation.