A Look at Dispositional Vengefulness from the Three and Five-Factor Models of Personality

Author(s): C. Garth Bellah, Lisa D. Bellah, Judith L. Johnson

DOI: https://doi.org/10.65030/idr.01002

Abstract: The authors conducted two studies examining the relationship between vengefulness and personality. Study 1 (N = 86) investigated the role of Eysenck's three factors of personality in explaining variance in vengefulness. Results indicate the factor Psychoticism to be the best predictor of vengefulness, with Neuroticism contributing a secondary influence to the tendency to seek vengeance. Study 2 (N = 99) examined vengefulness in terms of the facets of the five-factor model of personality. It was found that facets of Agreeableness (i.e. tender-mindedness, straightforwardness, modesty) were inversely the best predictors of vengefulness scores, followed by vulnerability to stress. Results suggest that vengefulness may be partially explained as a function of personality traits.

Keywords: Vengefulness; Personality traits; Psychoticism; Neuroticism; Five-factor model; Agreeableness; Forgiveness; Individual differences

Pages: 6-16

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