Social relationships are central to well-being because they fulfill social affiliation needs. To explain how social needs are regulated, theories describe daily-life processes among social desire, social contact, and affect. Still, these processes remain empirically underexplored because of their complexity. In this study, we estimated multivariate associations of social desire and affect with social contact across different modalities (in-person, digital), time scales (hourly, daily), and levels of analysis (between-person, contemporaneous, temporally lagged). Participants from two age-heterogeneous samples answered experience sampling questions and contributed data through unobtrusive smartphone sensing, with roughly hourly assessments across 2 days (N = 303) and daily assessments across 14 days (N = 377). Multilevel vector autoregressive network models revealed associations between social contact, social desire, and affect across levels of analysis. Results were highly specific to the examined time scale. When measured at an hourly timescale, people desired more social contact than usual when they engaged in more in-person contact, and higher social desire predicted more future social contact in both experience sampling and smartphone sensing. In contrast, at a daily timescale, social desire did not predict future contact. Bidirectional linkages of affect and social contact were also much denser hourly (vs. daily). Compared with in-person contact, calls and communication app usage generally showed distinct associations with affect. We discuss theoretical implications for the dynamic regulation of social needs, especially regarding homeostatic temporal processes and the role of positive affect in predicting social contact. Finally, we delineate future directions of multimethod research into daily-life social dynamics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Epistemic trust describes the capacity to appropriately identify others as reliable and relevant sources of information, an ability closely linked to attachment and social learning. Epistemic disruption can manifest as heightened suspicion (mistrust) or excessive reliance (credulity) vis-à-vis others, affecting mentalizing abilities and increasing vulnerability to psychopathology and maladaptive traits. These interdependent and multidirectional dynamics are pivotal to therapeutic learning, and thus to therapeutic change. This study examined associations between epistemic trust and disruption, markers of psychopathology, therapeutic relationship quality and treatment-seeking behaviour. A naturalistic sample of 912 participants, recruited via a mental health app, completed the Epistemic Trust, Mistrust and Credulity Questionnaire, along with self-reports capturing internalising symptoms, personality functioning, maladaptive traits and the perceived therapeutic relationship within the previous 6 months. Treatment-seeking behaviour and the number of sessions utilized in the past year were further explored-both in psychotherapeutic and psychiatric contexts. Epistemic mistrust and credulity showed consistent relationships with markers of psychopathology. Higher epistemic (mis)trust correlated with more positive (negative) ratings of various aspects of the therapeutic relationship, including genuineness, realism, expectations, congruence and responsivity-over the past 6 months. Epistemic trust positively predicted the amount of psychotherapy sessions, while epistemic mistrust negatively predicted treatment-seeking, both controlled for personality dysfunction. Epistemic credulity predicted mental health app use-all assessed retrospectively (past year). The results encourage further in-depth exploration of trust-related aspects of the therapeutic alliance and investigation of mechanisms of change in therapeutic processes that may facilitate the transition from mistrust and credulity to trust. Even though the magnitude and direction of effects remain to be clarified, patients with epistemic mistrust may enter a self-reinforcing cycle of reduced openness and ineffective mentalizing, potentially impacting therapeutic effectiveness. Interventions targeting epistemic disruption and impaired personality functioning seem to be crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes, including psychopharmacological treatment effectiveness.
People with mental disorders have an increased risk of diabetes, yet conflicting evidence exists regarding the quality of diabetes care they receive. To address this evidence gap, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess and compare diabetes quality of care in people with diabetes with mental disorders versus people with diabetes without mental disorders. In this systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis, we searched Scopus, Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO for cohort and case-control studies published between database inception and Feb 8, 2025. We estimated summary odds ratios (ORs) for diabetes quality of care indicators in individuals with any mental disorder versus without mental disorders to investigate the association between the presence of a mental disorder and diabetes quality of care indicators, including overall diabetes monitoring and treatment. Studies were excluded if it was not possible to generate pooled quantitative data. The primary outcome was a binary composite measure of diabetes quality of care, meaning the percentage of people receiving any diabetes monitoring and treatment (ie, urine albumin-creatinine ratio test, HbA1c test, blood pressure measured, foot surveillance, serum creatinine test, serum cholesterol test, BMI recorded, smoking status recorded, retinal monitoring). Secondary outcomes were study-specific diabetes quality of care individual indicators matched to the nine NICE diabetes monitoring indicators and specific diabetes interventions and anti-diabetes medications. We analysed primary and secondary outcomes according to any mental disorder and to specific diagnostic subgroups. Study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Data from 49 studies (42 cohort and seven case-control) were included, comprising 5 503 712 individuals with diabetes, of whom 838 366 (15·2%) had a diagnosed mental disorder (defined using ICD-9 or ICD-10 criteria in 40 studies). Sex was reported in 35 of 49 studies, comprising 4 250 666 individuals, 1 956 506 (46·0%) of whom were female and 2 294 160 (54·0%) were male. The mean age was 61·4 years (SD 8·7; range 47-82 years). 38 studies reported on various mental disorders, 21 on mood disorders spectrum, 21 on major depressive disorder, 20 on schizophrenia, 11 on bipolar disorder, 11 on substance use disorder spectrum, including alcohol use disorder, six on dementia, five on anxiety disorder spectrum, and one on personality disorder spectrum. Most studies were high quality and spanned Asia, North America, Europe, and Australasia. Significant negative associations were observed between having any mental disorder and the likelihood of receiving any recommended diabetes monitoring (29 studies, OR=0·81 [95% CI 0·70-0·94], p=0·0049). Negative associations were also observed for HbA1c measurement (24 studies, 0·81 [0·68-0·97], p=0·024), retinal screening (21 studies, 0·77 [0·63-0·95], p=0·013), lipid and cholesterol measurement (20 studies, 0·83 [0·69-0·99], p=0·043), foot examination (11 studies, 0·85 [0·76-0·95], p=0·0044), and renal investigation (16 studies, 0·78 [0·63-0·96], p=0·022). A significant positive association was found between any mental disorder and recorded smoking status (two studies, 1·09 [1·02-1·17]; p=0·0076). Any mental disorder was significantly associated with higher odds of receiving insulin (ten studies, 1·52 [95% CI 1·16-1·99]; p=0·0022), but negatively associated with treatment with a GLP-1 receptor agonist (two studies, 0·26 [0·13-0·49]; p<0·0001). There was no evidence of publication bias. Mental disorders are negatively associated with receiving adequate diabetes monitoring and GLP-1 agonist therapy. Addressing these disparities has the potential to address the increased mortality associated with mental disorders. None.
Personality interventions are a field of growing interest, because many people want to change aspects of their personality and personality changes may positively impact important life outcomes. Although initial research shows that personality interventions can be successful in eliciting lasting trait changes, the strategies, timing, and context of effective personality interventions remain unclear. A careful examination of how these characteristics predict intervention effectiveness would advance theoretical models of volitional personality change. We used intensive longitudinal data from the Changing How I Live Life Study, a smartphone intervention study designed to decrease participants' neuroticism that combines experience sampling methods and mobile sensing (N = 399; nobs = 39,878; Mage = 25.48 years; 85% female; 47% living in Switzerland). Using these data, we examined the effects of different intervention strategies and their timing and situational context on the proximal outcomes of intervention adherence, intervention satisfaction, and changes in momentary positive affect. Intervention strategies that targeted the state level of neuroticism had more positive effects on people's momentary affect than habit-level strategies, providing novel insights into the mechanisms of successful personality change. Furthermore, effects differed depending on the timing and situational context of intervention prompts, highlighting possibilities of optimizing the timing of personality interventions. For example, people were more likely to adhere to intervention prompts in quieter environments or when at home. Together, these findings inform theoretical models of personality trait change and can be used to guide the development of effective and refined personality interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Prolonged childlessness, despite the desire to have children, imposes burdens across somatic, psychological, and social-relational domains. These challenges may be further amplified by early maladaptive schemas, which shape emotional functioning, self-esteem, and stress regulation, thereby potentially influencing quality of life and experiences related to fertility treatments. This study aimed to investigate the impact of early maladaptive schemas on the quality of life of infertile women and to explore the associations between these schemas and personality factors that may modulate the quality of life. The present study was part of a larger research project including 179 Hungarian women: 58 fertile women, 46 women with infertility of organic origin, and 75 women with infertility of functional origin. Participants completed an online battery of questionnaires, including the Fertility Quality of Life (FertiQol) instrument, the short form of the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES-H), the Big Five Inventory (BFI), and sociodemographic questions. Early maladaptive schemas were strongly associated with the quality of life among infertile women, particularly the Emotional Deprivation, Negativism-Pessimism, Self-Sacrifice, and Unrelenting Standards/Hypercriticalness schemas. Women with organic infertility reported significantly higher levels of emotional deprivation, whereas in the functional infertility group, certain schemas (e.g., Negativism-Pessimism) predicted quality of life outcomes. The findings suggest that maladaptive schemas may indirectly influence psychological well-being through their effects on self-esteem, resilience, and neuroticism. These results highlight the importance of considering emotional and cognitive patterns, alongside personality traits, in the psychological assessment of infertility. Such insights may contribute to the development of more targeted and effective interventions for women experiencing infertility. Orv Hetil. 2026; 167(8): 309-316. Bevezetés: A gyermekvállalási szándék ellenére hosszan fennálló gyermektelenség szomatikus, pszichés és szociális-kapcsolati vonatkozásban is terhet ró az érintettekre, s ezeket a hatásokat tovább súlyosbíthatják a korai maladaptív sémák. Ezek a sémák hatással vannak például az érzelmi állapotra, az önértékelésre és a stresszkezelésre, így befolyásolhatják az életminőséget és a termékenységi kezelésekkel kapcsolatos tapasztalatokat. Célkitűzés: A korai maladaptív sémák hatásának vizsgálata a meddő nők életminőségére, valamint e sémák kapcsolatának feltárása az életminőséget potenciálisan befolyásoló személyiségtényezőkkel. Módszer: A jelen vizsgálat egy 179 magyar nő részvételével zajló kutatás részét képezte, amelyben 58 termékeny, 46 organikus eredetű és 75 funkcionális eredetű meddőséggel küzdő nő adatait vetettük össze. A résztvevők online kérdőívcsomagot töltöttek ki, amely tartalmazta a meddőségspecifikus életminőség mérésére szolgáló FertiQoL-kérdőívet, a Young-féle Séma Kérdőív rövidített változatát (YSQ-S3), a Connor–Davidson Resilientia Kérdőívet, a Rosenberg-féle Önértékelés Skálát (RSES-H), az Ötfaktoros Személyiség-kérdőívet (BFI), valamint szociodemográfiai kérdéseket is. Eredmények: A korai maladaptív sémák szoros összefüggést mutattak a meddőséggel küzdő nők életminőségével, különösen az Érzelmi depriváció, a Negativizmus-pesszimizmus, az Önfeláldozás és a Könyörtelen mércék és hiperkritikusság sémák esetében. Az organikus eredetű meddőséggel élő nők jelentősen nagyobb érzelmi deprivációt éltek meg, míg a funkcionális meddőségi csoportban bizonyos sémák (például Negativizmus-pesszimizmus séma) prediktív szerepet töltöttek be az életminőség alakulásában. Az eredmények rávilágítanak arra, hogy a maladaptív sémák az önértékelésen, a reziliencián és a neuroticizmuson keresztül közvetetten is befolyásolhatják az érintettek pszichés jóllétét. Következtetés: Az eredmények hangsúlyozzák az érzelmi és kognitív mintázatok és a személyiségtényezők figyelembevételének jelentőségét a meddőség pszichológiai vizsgálataiban, valamint hozzájárulhatnak a meddőséggel küzdő nők kezelésére irányuló beavatkozások specifikusabbá tételéhez. Orv Hetil. 2026; 167(8): 309–316.
Do you believe the world will come to an end within your lifetime, and does that belief change the way you see existential threats to humanity? One third of Americans answer yes to the first question; we venture to answer the second question here. Stories about the end of the world are historically and globally prevalent and come in many flavors. End of world beliefs have been hypothesized to shape processes of risk perception and social behavior that have implications for how societies respond to existential threats. Despite their cultural significance, current understanding of the psychology of these beliefs is lacking. In this article, we present the results of six pilot studies (N = 2,079) and one preregistered study (N = 1,409) that establish a psychological framework for end of world beliefs. A measure of end of world beliefs was created and validated across six religious populations (Catholics, Mainline Protestants, Evangelical Protestants, Jews, Muslims, and nonreligious). We find that end of world beliefs are common, vary along psychologically meaningful dimensions, and are uniquely predictive of people's risk perception, risk tolerance, and willingness to support extreme action to address the five most pressing global existential risks (i.e., economic, environmental, geopolitical, societal, and technological). Results are interpreted in light of current models of risk perception and the cultural evolution of worldviews. Aligning with sociological and historical accounts, we argue that belief in apocalyptic narratives-irrespective of their accuracy-is consequential for how populations confront concrete risks, including those that threaten humanity today. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Understanding the interplay of persons, situations, and behavior (the Personality Triad) is a key task of psychology. However, previous research has largely focused on Western samples. We examined the Personality Triad across cultures with N = 15,221 participants from 61 countries and one geographic region. Participants reported on one situation from their daily lives. We examined (a) situation characteristic-behavioral state, (b) trait-behavioral state, and (c) trait-situation characteristic associations, as well as (d) Trait × Situation Characteristic interactions predicting behavioral states. We focused on six traits (Big Five, Honesty-Humility), seven situation characteristics (Duty, Intellect, Adversity, Mating, pOsitivity, Negativity, Sociality), and three self-reported behavioral states (Agency, Enthusiasm, Self-Negativity). Importantly, we included 15 country-level variables (collectivism, self-construal, cultural value orientations, tightness, independent and interdependent happiness, national socioeconomic status) as moderators that might contribute to country differences in the Personality Triad. Bayesian multilevel models showed sizable and expected situation characteristic-behavioral state and trait-behavioral state associations with a high degree of generalization across countries, some cultural differences, and moderator effects contradicting theoretical expectations. For instance, we found weaker situation characteristic effects in collectivistic cultures and stronger trait effects in embedded cultures. Trait-situation characteristic associations were meaningful but smaller, and Trait × Situation Characteristic interactions were small and less often significant (although we observed some expected interactions). We found little evidence for country differences in the latter two relations. We discuss implications and future directions for cross-cultural work on the Personality Triad, including replications and extensions using intensive longitudinal designs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
To determine the statistically mediating roles of cancer stigma and resilience in the relationship between Type D personality and quality of life (QoL) in patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. This cross-sectional correlational study included 129 inpatients with breast cancer recruited from a university hospital-affiliated cancer center ward. Participants completed questionnaires assessing their Type D personality, cancer stigma, resilience, and QoL. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation, hierarchical regression, and PROCESS Macro-mediation analysis (Model 4, 50,000 bootstrap samples). Type D personality negatively correlated with resilience (r = -0.493, p < 0.001) and QoL (r = -0.407, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with cancer stigma (r = 0.387, p < 0.001). Cancer stigma negatively correlated with resilience (r = -0.257, p = 0.003) and QoL (r = -0.455, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, resilience was positively associated with QoL (r = 0.514, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that cancer stigma and resilience significantly predicted QoL (β = -0.305, p < 0.001; β = 0.326, p < 0.001), accounting for 26.4% of the variance. Bootstrapped mediation analysis indicated that cancer stigma and resilience explained the link between type D personality and QoL (B = -0.0128, 95% BootCI [-0.0194, -0.0070]). Two significant indirect pathways between type D personality and QoL were identified: perceived cancer stigma (B = -0.0058, 95% BootCI [-0.0104, -0.0018]) and resilience (B = -0.0070, 95% BootCI [-0.0130, -0.0025]). Reducing cancer stigma and enhancing resilience may help improve QoL among patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy, particularly those with Type D personality. These findings underscore the importance of targeted psychosocial nursing interventions.
A common strategy to address social inequity in organizations is to implement mandatory diversity training policies. But how do people react to such mandates? Mandating such training can signal the importance of diversity-related issues (e.g., discrimination), potentially increasing acknowledgment of these problems. However, integrating the theory of psychological reactance (Brehm, 1966) with the notion of solution aversion (Campbell & Kay, 2014), we suggest that learning about mandatory diversity training initiatives (compared to optional ones) could also exert an opposing effect, engendering negative emotional responses (i.e., reactance) which fuel increased political polarization surrounding beliefs that diversity-related problems still persist (i.e., solution aversion). Four preregistered experiments support this hypothesis. Study 1 and Study 2a demonstrate that recalling or anticipating mandatory (compared to optional) diversity training leads to increased reactance, which in turn leads to increased denial that social inequity is a problem. Study 2b shows that the effect is unique to mandatory diversity training, but not mandatory training unrelated to diversity. Study 3, via tests of parallel mediation, demonstrates that this effect counteracts the positive effect that mandating training policies have via signaled importance of the problem. Importantly, in all studies, we observe a consistent pattern of moderation by political orientation, such that reactance-induced negative emotions predict denial of discrimination more strongly for more politically conservative (compared to liberal) participants. Our research has significant implications for understanding the repercussions of mandatory diversity training policies, as well as the potential role of imposing solutions on exacerbating political polarization surrounding issues of social inequity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Despite extensive research in European and North American contexts, studies on positivity in Latin America remain limited. The sociocultural dynamics of the region present unique challenges that may shape the expression and relevance of positivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Positivity Scale, a self-report measure that assesses the tendency to view and approach life and experiences from a positive perspective, in Latin American population. This was a cross-sectional instrumental study. The research included 1,017 adults from Mexico, Colombia, and Peru who were recruited through online platforms. The participants completed a survey including a sociodemographic questionnaire, the P-Scale, and measures of self-esteem (RSES), satisfaction with life (SWLS), optimism (LOT-R), depressive symptoms (PHQ-2), and negative affect (PANAS). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the scale's unidimensional structure. Measurement invariance across countries and sex was assessed. Convergent and divergent validity was evaluated through correlation analyses. Reliability was examined via Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega. Confirmatory factor analysis of the P-scale revealed that the removal of item 6, which had a low factor loading, and the inclusion of a covariance between items 1 and 4 significantly improved the model fit. The final model demonstrated acceptable fit indices, with standardized factor loadings ranging from .45 to .85. Invariance testing by country and sex remained within acceptable thresholds, supporting the scale´s configural, metric and scalar invariance. Reliability analyses demonstrated strong internal consistency (α = .86, ω = .86). Correlation analyses revealed significant positive relationships of positivity with self-esteem, life satisfaction and negative correlations with depressive symptomatology and negative affect. The findings support the generality of the positivity construct while also highlighting the importance of cultural adaptations to ensure measurement precision. By having a validated P-Scale, researchers and practitioners can better understand and promote well-being in populations facing unique sociocultural challenges.
Problematic emotion management is a core symptom of personality disorders and does not tend to improve spontaneously with age. Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving (STEPPS), a treatment program targeting emotional intensity difficulties, has been found to be effective for younger adults with borderline personality disorder. After a pilot study and a Delphi study, STEPPS was adjusted for older adults to better suit this population. The aim of present study was to evaluate first outcomes (e.g., level of improvement) of the adjusted STEPPS Older Adults (STEPPS-OA). A total of 52 patients, with a mean age of 67 years (range: 60-80), participated in this proof-of-concept study with pre-, mid-, and post-treatment measurement points. A total number of 38 patients completed the treatment; 14 patients (27%) dropped out. A majority of the patients (58%) had borderline personality disorder. After treatment, patients reported significantly decreased borderline personality disorder severity and symptomatic distress. Furthermore, there was a significant improvement of adaptive emotion regulation strategies and all personality functioning factors. Finally, some maladaptive personality traits (i.e., Disinhibition and Negative Affectivity) decreased significantly. Results of this proof-of-concept study indicate STEPPS-OA is a promising treatment option for managing emotional intensity difficulties for older adults with personality disorders.
With gaming's increasing prevalence, understanding the psychological functioning of individuals across a range of internet gaming disorder (IGD) severity is crucial. This study replicates and extends Bonnaire and Baptista's (2019) research on DSM-5 IGD in European young adults, examining alexithymia, anxiety, maladaptive personality traits and interpersonal problems with a US sample. A diverse group of 205 young adults (mean age = 20.41, 73% female) completed an anonymous survey assessing IGD using the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF; Pontes and Griffiths 2015), gaming type, alexithymia, anxiety, maladaptive personality traits and interpersonal problems. IGDS9-SF effectively distinguished normal gamers (IGD criteria = 0) from risky gamers (IGD criteria = 1-6), with the latter showing significantly greater pathology across all measures (p < 0.01). While gaming type showed no overall significant differences, gamers who preferred more role-playing platforms trended toward reporting more interpersonal problems than gamers preferring action games (p = 0.059). Overall IGD severity was also significantly correlated with greater pathology on all measures (p < 0.001). Specifically, disinhibition (impulsivity and poor self-control) and socially avoidant interpersonal problems emerged as the strongest unique predictors of IGD severity, suggesting that interventions targeting impulsivity, interpersonal functioning and social skills may be particularly useful in the treatment of IGD issues. Findings underscore IGD's connections to emotional, personality and interpersonal factors, informing clinical assessment and treatment.
The same dataset can be analysed in different justifiable ways to answer the same research question, potentially challenging the robustness of empirical science1-3. In this crowd initiative, we investigated the degree to which research findings in the social and behavioural sciences are contingent on analysts' choices. We examined a stratified random sample of 100 studies published between 2009 and 2018, in which, for one claim per study, at least five reanalysts independently reanalysed the original data. The statistical appropriateness of the reanalyses was assessed in peer evaluations, and the robustness indicators were inspected along a range of research characteristics and study designs. We found that 34% of the independent reanalyses yielded the same result (within a tolerance region of ±0.05 Cohen's d) as the original report; with a four times broader tolerance region, this indicator increased to 57%. Of the reanalyses conducted, 74% reached the same conclusion as the original investigation, 24% yielded no effects or inconclusive results and 2% reported the opposite effect. This exploratory study indicates that the common single-path analyses in social and behavioural research should not be simply assumed to be robust to alternative analyses4. Therefore, we recommend the development and use of practices to explore and communicate this neglected source of uncertainty.
The idea that racial prejudice contributes to discrimination not only deliberately but also in a more automatic fashion has been one of the most prominent topics in social psychological research in the past 30 years. Much of the evidence for theories of automatic prejudice stems from the use of indirect measures of implicit attitudes, yet meta-analyses give differing estimates regarding the predictive validity of such measures. The present adversarial collaboration provides a test of the relationships between prominent measures of implicit racial attitudes and discriminatory behavior using a set of established lab-based paradigms among a sample of White Americans (N = 2,114). Using structural equation models that can account for measurement error, frequentist and Bayesian multiverse analyses confirmed that White Americans' performance on indirect measures correlate modestly with these behavioral outcomes, and explain unique variance (∼2.5%) beyond direct, self-report measures of racial attitudes. At the same time, self-report measures exhibited greater predictive and incremental validity than indirect measures (explaining ∼45% of the variance) despite behavioral measures of discrimination displaying weak internal reliability. Results provided some support for greater predictive and incremental validity for indirect measures among participants scoring relatively low on measures of executive function and motivation to control prejudice. These results lend themselves to both relatively optimistic and pessimistic interpretations concerning scientific and practical significance. All collaborators agree that the best path forward is collaborative and focused on the generalizability of implicit racial attitudes to high-accountability organizational settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Trait taxonomies such as the Big Five have been effective in studying population-level trends but may obscure important individual differences in the structure, stability, and personal relevance of individuals' dispositional tendencies. Inspired by Gordon Allport's notion that people may be defined by distinctive "organizing foci" of personality, the current work introduces the central trait approach, which focuses on identifying the most defining aspects of an individual and understanding their unique manifestation in a person's life. To develop this framework, we examine open-ended descriptions of participants' central personality traits across four data sets (n = 1,488). We assess coverage of trait content by traditional trait taxonomies and then explore what makes a trait self-defining by predicting trait content from informational (e.g., extremity and stability of trait standing) and motivational (e.g., desirability of the trait) factors and qualitatively analyze extended descriptions of these traits for various identity themes. We find that most (but not all) traits fit the Big Five and that those that did mostly reflected participants' most extreme (but desirable) attributes. This work furthers our understanding of how aspects of personality become personally relevant and lays groundwork for future idiographic study of traits. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Individualism-collectivism (I-C), the most widely researched cultural dimension, is often equated with Hofstede's pioneering nation scores. Concerns are growing about these scores' validity, but subsequent research has not produced a widely accepted alternative. Here, we offer a refined theoretical conceptualization of I-C, we systematically reevaluate the validity of Hofstede's I-C scores, and we report the development and validation of a new I-C index, covering 102 countries/territories inhabited by an estimated 88% of the world's population. In Study 1, we document the inferior convergent and nomological validity of Hofstede's I-C index, compared to subsequent measures. Hofstede's scores substantially overestimate individualism in English-speaking countries and collectivism in East Asian societies, which we demonstrate can considerably bias research findings. In Study 2, we develop an authoritative, theory-driven I-C index, using nationally representative data from the World Values Survey and European Values Study, which shows excellent internal coherence, temporal stability, and strong evidence of convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity. Theorized facets of individualism-freedom (vs. conformity), tolerance of differences (vs. exclusion), and equality (vs. discrimination)-form a coherent and stable dimension at the cultural level of analysis. Individualism is higher in societies with better existential security (e.g., socioeconomic development, stable institutions) and is not associated with greater selfishness, anomie, or competitive beliefs and values. Relying on outdated indices may perpetuate cultural stereotypes and underpin flawed theorizing. Scholars should use theoretically appropriate and up-to-date measures of societal culture when seeking to understand global variation in human psychological functioning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
A substantial part of people's social lives unfolds within groups. However, there is a notable research gap concerning if and how the personality characteristics that people bring to group interactions combine to predict person and group outcomes. In this study, we used the group actor-partner interdependence model (Kenny & Garcia, 2012) as a framework to integrate prior approaches and understand how the composition of two socially relevant personality traits-agency and communion-affects people and groups. We analyzed data from 432 participants (Mage = 26.61, 51% female) who formed 108 four-person groups and engaged in four different group tasks. Our findings yield three key insights: (a) At the person level, people's own trait levels were the main drivers of their behaviors, experiences, and performance. (b) At the group level, personality composition affected different outcomes than at the person level, with agency playing an overall more important role for group behaviors and experiences. (c) Notable composition effects at both levels emerged for conflict behavior: People who were similar to their group in terms of agency were more engaged in conflicts, and groups whose members had similar agency levels were more likely to experience conflicts as a whole. We contextualize our findings within a theoretical framework to better understand when and how personality composition in social interactions is important, and we review methodologies to capture its multifaceted components. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Procrastination-a voluntary delay of an intended action despite the expectation of negative consequences-is a widespread phenomenon. Previous research has mainly focused on procrastination in specific situations and has rarely examined stability and change in procrastination over long periods of time. In the present study, we conducted an 18-year longitudinal study of procrastination. We report on stability and change in procrastination as well as its associations with conscientiousness and neuroticism, and long-term correlates using self-reports starting from high school graduation, in a large sample of young adults (N = 3,023) in Germany. We found that procrastination was slightly less stable than conscientiousness and neuroticism, tended to decrease with age, and that higher procrastination was associated with delayed entry into the workforce. Procrastination overlapped with but was distinct from conscientiousness and neuroticism. We also found strong links between changes in procrastination and changes in conscientiousness and neuroticism over time. Finally, both initial levels and trajectories of procrastination predicted consequential long-term correlates up to 18 years after the first measurement, including academic, workplace, relationship, health, and pandemic-related outcomes. In sum, this long-term longitudinal examination of procrastination highlights patterns of stability and change in procrastination and demonstrates its relevance for important life outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
The Big Five were originally conceived as orthogonal dimensions and the top of the personality trait hierarchy, but they have been found to be regularly correlated, and two higher-order factors or metatraits have been identified above them, often labeled Stability (conscientiousness, agreeableness, and low neuroticism) and Plasticity (extraversion and openness/intellect). Skeptics have argued that the metatraits are likely to be method artifacts rather than substantive trait dimensions. In meta-analytic data and in American and Croatian samples, using both lexical data and purpose-built measures of the Big Five, we investigated whether correlations among the Big Five remain after controlling for three sources of artifactual correlation among variables: (a) acquiescence bias, which we controlled through ipsatization; (b) evaluative consistency bias (social desirability) and other rater biases, which we controlled through the use of multiple raters; and (c) blended variables, which we controlled through the use of exploratory factor models that allow cross-loadings, thereby allowing blended variance in a given item or scale to be accounted for in the factor loadings rather than in the correlations among factors. Even after controlling for all sources of artifact simultaneously, the Big Five remained correlated at the latent level, and the correlations revealed the standard metatraits. The metatraits were not consistently correlated, providing some evidence against a general factor of personality. Our results suggest that the Big Five are genuinely correlated and that Stability and Plasticity are real trait tendencies. Hence, research aimed at understanding correlates, causes, and consequences of the metatraits remains important for psychology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Anxiety is highly prevalent among college students due to academic pressures and developmental transitions. Positive psychological constructs such as self-compassion, gratitude, and PERMA-based well-being may function as protective factors that promote resilience and psychological adjustment. The present study aimed to examine the relationships between self-compassion, gratitude, PERMA-based well-being, and anxiety among college students and to determine whether these positive psychological variables significantly predict anxiety levels. A quantitative correlational research design was employed. The sample comprised 89 college students aged 18-25 years from universities in the Delhi-NCR region, selected using purposive and convenience sampling. Participants completed standardised measures including the Self-compassion Scale (SCS; Neff, 2003, Self Identity, 2, 3, 223-250), the Gratitude Questionnaire-6 (GQ-6; McCullough et al., 2002, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82, 1, 112-127), the PERMA Profiler (Butler & Kern, 2016, International Journal of Wellbeing, 6, 3, 1-48) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; Beck et al., 1988, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 6, 893-897). Data were analysed using Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression analyses. Pearson's correlation analyses revealed significant negative associations between anxiety and self-compassion (r = -0.79, p < .01), gratitude (r = -0.78, p < .01), and PERMA-based well-being (r = -0.89, p < .01). In the multiple linear regression model, PERMA-based well-being emerged as the only significant independent predictor of anxiety (β = -0.81, p < .001). The results highlight the vital role of self-compassion, gratitude and well-being in reducing anxiety and promoting psychological resilience among young adults. Incorporating these strengths into college-based mental health programmes may enhance emotional regulation and holistic well-being in this population.