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Does the Gender-Equality-Personality-Paradox Depend on the Scoring Method? The Implications of Measurement Invariance

von Westerman, Julie LU (2024) PSYP01 20241
Department of Psychology
Abstract
With increasing country-level gender equality, country-level gender differences
in personality are found to increase. This is known as the Gender-Equality-Personality-Paradox (GEPP). Possibly, the GEPP is a methodological artefact.
So far, the personality trait scoring method has not been investigated as a
potential source of the GEPP. Three kinds of scores were investigated in the
present study: Sum-Scores add all questionnaire-items into a total score; Factor-Scores are extracted from a global personality model; and measurement
invariance (MI) Factor-Scores are extracted from MI-models. MI holds if traits
are measured equally across groups (i.e., if groups are comparable). If MI does
not hold, MI-Factor-Scores can also be... (More)
With increasing country-level gender equality, country-level gender differences
in personality are found to increase. This is known as the Gender-Equality-Personality-Paradox (GEPP). Possibly, the GEPP is a methodological artefact.
So far, the personality trait scoring method has not been investigated as a
potential source of the GEPP. Three kinds of scores were investigated in the
present study: Sum-Scores add all questionnaire-items into a total score; Factor-Scores are extracted from a global personality model; and measurement
invariance (MI) Factor-Scores are extracted from MI-models. MI holds if traits
are measured equally across groups (i.e., if groups are comparable). If MI does
not hold, MI-Factor-Scores can also be extracted from partial MI-models
accounting for non-comparability between groups. The present study investigated the impact of these scoring methods on GEPP-estimates: For each scoring method, country-level gender differences in single personality traits and in overall personality were computed and then correlated with country-level gender equality. All three scoring methods suggest that the GEPP is small to medium and insignificant for most traits but large and significant for Extraversion. Differences between scoring methods were subtle and did not change inferences regarding the GEPP. However, when ranking countries based on the size of gender differences, scoring methods changed the rank positions of some countries (e.g., China). In sum, this study suggests that the GEPP is not a methodological artefact as far as scoring methods are concerned. Yet, researchers should be mindful of the potential effect of scoring methods on countries’ rank order regarding gender differences. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
von Westerman, Julie LU
supervisor
organization
course
PSYP01 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Five Factor Personality Model, Measurement Invariance, Test Scores, Gender Differences, Gender Equality
language
English
id
9174295
date added to LUP
2024-09-11 16:26:59
date last changed
2024-09-11 16:26:59
@misc{9174295,
  abstract     = {{With increasing country-level gender equality, country-level gender differences
in personality are found to increase. This is known as the Gender-Equality-Personality-Paradox (GEPP). Possibly, the GEPP is a methodological artefact.
So far, the personality trait scoring method has not been investigated as a
potential source of the GEPP. Three kinds of scores were investigated in the
present study: Sum-Scores add all questionnaire-items into a total score; Factor-Scores are extracted from a global personality model; and measurement
invariance (MI) Factor-Scores are extracted from MI-models. MI holds if traits
are measured equally across groups (i.e., if groups are comparable). If MI does
not hold, MI-Factor-Scores can also be extracted from partial MI-models
accounting for non-comparability between groups. The present study investigated the impact of these scoring methods on GEPP-estimates: For each scoring method, country-level gender differences in single personality traits and in overall personality were computed and then correlated with country-level gender equality. All three scoring methods suggest that the GEPP is small to medium and insignificant for most traits but large and significant for Extraversion. Differences between scoring methods were subtle and did not change inferences regarding the GEPP. However, when ranking countries based on the size of gender differences, scoring methods changed the rank positions of some countries (e.g., China). In sum, this study suggests that the GEPP is not a methodological artefact as far as scoring methods are concerned. Yet, researchers should be mindful of the potential effect of scoring methods on countries’ rank order regarding gender differences.}},
  author       = {{von Westerman, Julie}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Does the Gender-Equality-Personality-Paradox Depend on the Scoring Method? The Implications of Measurement Invariance}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}