Individual Differences Research

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Individual Differences Research > Volume 10, Issue 3 (2012) > 129-140

Distinctive Big Five and Narrow Personality Traits of Psychology Majors

Ivenlina Naydenova, John W. Lounsbury, Jacob J. Levy, Ji Young Kim

Abstract

Using data from 120 undergraduate psychology majors and 1,916 non-psychology majors at a large Southeastern university and based on Holland's (1996) person-environment fit model, we examined whether the two groups differed on the Big Five model of personality and four narrow personality traits. For psychology majors, we investigated the relationship between personality traits and major satisfaction. As hypothesized, psychology majors scored higher on Openness to Experience, Work Drive, and lower on Tough-mindedness than non-majors. All of the traits except for Extraversion were related to major satisfaction. Possible explanations for these findings were discussed in terms of the adaptive value of each trait.