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Five-factor personality inventories have a competence-related higher-order factor due to item phrasing

Bäckström, Martin LU ; Björklund, Fredrik LU orcid ; Persson, Rebecka LU and Costa, Ariela LU (2020) In Frontiers in Psychology
Abstract
This research examines whether the items of some of the most well-established five-factor inventories refer to competence. Results reveal that both experts and laymen can distinguish between items that refer to how competently a behavior is performed and items that do not (Study 1). Responses to items that refer to competence create a higher-order factor in the personality inventories (Study 2), and the variability in responses to competence-related items in personality self-ratings is best modeled as a general factor rather than as also tied to the specific Big Five factors (Studies 3 and 4). We suggest that a focused debate on what personality items should refer to is likely to have considerable positive consequences for both theory and... (More)
This research examines whether the items of some of the most well-established five-factor inventories refer to competence. Results reveal that both experts and laymen can distinguish between items that refer to how competently a behavior is performed and items that do not (Study 1). Responses to items that refer to competence create a higher-order factor in the personality inventories (Study 2), and the variability in responses to competence-related items in personality self-ratings is best modeled as a general factor rather than as also tied to the specific Big Five factors (Studies 3 and 4). We suggest that a focused debate on what personality items should refer to is likely to have considerable positive consequences for both theory and measurement of personality. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
personality, competence, traits, Big Five, higher-order factors
in
Frontiers in Psychology
article number
3211
pages
18 pages
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85097401526
  • pmid:33324276
ISSN
1664-1078
DOI
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.557544
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
259952eb-65b3-4f99-982b-9f30b9615906
date added to LUP
2020-11-26 08:54:17
date last changed
2022-04-19 02:19:25
@article{259952eb-65b3-4f99-982b-9f30b9615906,
  abstract     = {{This research examines whether the items of some of the most well-established five-factor inventories refer to competence. Results reveal that both experts and laymen can distinguish between items that refer to how competently a behavior is performed and items that do not (Study 1). Responses to items that refer to competence create a higher-order factor in the personality inventories (Study 2), and the variability in responses to competence-related items in personality self-ratings is best modeled as a general factor rather than as also tied to the specific Big Five factors (Studies 3 and 4). We suggest that a focused debate on what personality items should refer to is likely to have considerable positive consequences for both theory and measurement of personality.}},
  author       = {{Bäckström, Martin and Björklund, Fredrik and Persson, Rebecka and Costa, Ariela}},
  issn         = {{1664-1078}},
  keywords     = {{personality; competence; traits; Big Five; higher-order factors}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Psychology}},
  title        = {{Five-factor personality inventories have a competence-related higher-order factor due to item phrasing}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.557544}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/fpsyg.2020.557544}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}