Barrick, M. R., Mount, M. K., & Gupta, R. (2003). Meta-analysis of the relationship between the five-factor model of personality and Holland's occupational types. Personnel Psychology, 56(1), 45-74.
Agreeableness reflects individual differences in concern for others, cooperation, and social harmony.
These facets represent sub-dimensions of the overall Agreeableness trait.
Altruism is an active concern for others’ welfare, selflessness, courtesy and consideration.
Cooperation is the tendency to defer to and comply with others, to inhibit aggression, and to forgive and forget.
Modesty refers to the tendency to be humble and self-effacing (the opposite of Narcissism).
Morality is the tendency to be frank, sincere, straightforward, and ingenuous (the opposite of Machiavellian).
Trust is the tendency to believe that others are honest and well-intentioned; attribute benevolent intent to others.
Sympathy refers to a general concern for others and being guided by feelings when making judgements and forming attitudes.
Positive Correlation
Forgiveness is positively correlated with Agreeableness
The tendency to transition ones responses toward a perceived transgression from negative into neutral or positive.
In a study of 275 college students, Brose et al. (2005) found a significant correlation between higher scores on Agreeableness and Forgiveness (p < .001).
Positive Correlation
Gratitude is positively correlated with Agreeableness
Gratitude is a general tendency to recognize and respond with grateful emotion when experiencing positive outcomes that are attributable to the benevolence of others.
In a study of 1,228 adult participants, McCullough et al. (2002) found a significant positive correlation (.39; p < .01) between trait gratitude and agreeableness.
Negative Correlation
Heart disease is negatively correlated with Agreeableness
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) or Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a significant health risk (causing illness and death) and generally occurs when blood vessels supplying the heart with blood become damaged from cholesterol buildup & inflammation.
In their meta-analysis of 45 studies, Miller et al. (1996) found a significant positive relationship between measures of hostility (a facet of agreeableness) and coronary heart disease (CHD), weighted mean r = .18.
Positive Correlation
Humor is positively correlated with Agreeableness
The general tendency to appreciate amusement, comedy, jokes, self-referential humor, jests, wit, or sarcasm.
In a study of 169 college students, Cann & Calhoun (2001) found a significant positive relationship between Agreeableness and Humor (p < .05).
Positive Correlation
Religious beliefs and behavior is positively correlated with Agreeableness
MacDonald (2000) defined Religious / Spiritual concerns as a five component construct, including: cognitive orientation (perceptions and attitudes toward religious experience); experiential (mystical, transcendental, and transpersonal experiences); existential well-being (a sense of meaning, purpose, and resilience regarding ones existence); and religiousness (religious practice).
In a study of 993 undergraduates, Macdonald (2000) demonstrate a significant positive relationship between Agreeableness and two dimenstions of Expressions of Spirituality: Cognitive Orientation Towards Spirituality (.30; p < .001; perceptions and attitudes regarding spirituality) and Religousness (.25; p < .001; religious practices).
Positive Correlation
Appreciate sophisticated music styles is positively correlated with Agreeableness
Sophisticated musical styles feature inspiring, complex, and dynamic attributes, prevalent in classical, operatic, avant-garde, and traditional jazz genres.
Research on musical preferences across cultures, utilizing an audio-based measure of preferential reactions to music, indicates a positive association between Agreeableness and preferences for Sophisticated music. A study involving 71,714 participants across 36 countries found a correlation of r=.04 (p<.01) between Agreeableness and Sophisticated music (Greenberg et al., 2022). This large-scale cross-cultural study is notable for its use of unfamiliar musical stimuli to minimize confounding effects from prior associations, thereby enhancing the ecological validity of the findings.
Negative Correlation
Appreciate intense music styles is negatively correlated with Agreeableness
Intense musical styles are characterized by distorted, loud, and aggressive attributes, common in classic rock, punk, heavy metal, and power pop genres.
Research consistently indicates a negative association between Agreeableness and preferences for Intense musical styles. A study involving 71,714 participants across 36 countries found a correlation of r=−.09 (p<.00001) between Agreeableness and Intense music (Greenberg et al., 2022). This large-scale cross-cultural study is notable for its use of unfamiliar musical stimuli to minimize confounding effects from prior associations, thereby enhancing the ecological validity of the findings. Further supporting this, research using Spotify streaming data from 5,808 users found Agreeableness negatively correlated with Punk (r=−.103, p<.001), Death Metal (r=−.093, p<.001), and other aggressive music (r=−.122, p<.001), all of which are genres associated with Intense styles (Anderson et al., 2021).
Positive Correlation
Appreciate unpretentious music styles is positively correlated with Agreeableness
Unpretentious musical styles are defined by uncomplicated, relaxing, and unaggressive attributes, often heard in country genres.
Research indicates a positive association between Agreeableness and preferences for Unpretentious music. A study involving 71,714 participants across 36 countries found a correlation of r=.11 (p<.00001) between Agreeableness and Unpretentious music (Greenberg et al., 2022). This large-scale cross-cultural study is notable for its use of unfamiliar musical stimuli to minimize confounding effects from prior associations, thereby enhancing the ecological validity of the findings.
Positive Correlation
Appreciate mellow music styles is positively correlated with Agreeableness
Mellow musical styles feature romantic, slow, and quiet attributes, typically found in genres like soft rock, R&B, and adult contemporary.
Research indicates a positive association between Agreeableness and preferences for Mellow music. A study involving 71,714 participants across 36 countries found a correlation of r=.14 (p<.00001) between Agreeableness and Mellow music (Greenberg et al., 2022). This large-scale cross-cultural study is notable for its use of unfamiliar musical stimuli to minimize confounding effects from prior associations, thereby enhancing the ecological validity of the findings. Supporting this, research using Spotify streaming data from 5,808 users found Agreeableness positively correlated with Jazz (r=.124, p<.001) and Soul (r=.124, p<.001), with Soul/R&B often aligning with Mellow styles (Anderson et al., 2021).
Positive Correlation
Peer Status is positively correlated with Agreeableness
Peer status refers to relationships within a peer group network using measures such as peer acceptance (one peer nominates another as a friend) and friendship (two peers nominate each other as friends). Status often refers to differences in prominence, respect, and influence among members of a group.
Jensen-Campbell (2002) found a significant positive relationship between Agreeableness and measures of peer status among fifth- and sixth-grade children (.19; p < .01).
Positive Correlation
Romantic satisfaction while pursuing a romantic relationship is positively correlated with Agreeableness
Romantic satisfaction refers to dating partners evaluations of the romantic relationship.
Watson (2000) found a significant positive relationship between scores of Agreeableness and Relationship Satisfaction among 136 dating couples (p < .01).
Negative Correlation
Criminal behavior is negatively correlated with Agreeableness
Criminal behavior indicates that someone has participated in an unlawful act (e.g., theft, vandalism, robbery, assault, public endangerment, etc.).
In an experiment with college undergraduates who were studying criminal justice (n=230), Wiebe (2004) found a significant relationship between lower scores in Agreeableness and Criminal Acts (-.25; p < .01).
Negative Correlation
Extrinsic success is negatively correlated with Agreeableness
Extrinsic career success (e.g., salary and promotions) refer to observable rewards from the job.
In a longitudinal study of gifted children, Judge (1999) found a significant negative relationship where higher childhood scores of Agreeableness were correlated with lower extrinsic career success later in life (p < .01).
Positive Correlation
Leadership is positively correlated with Agreeableness
Leadership behavior involves inspiring the support of followers to cooperate and take action.
Among a group of 316 potential community leaders, Judge & Bono (2000) found a significant correlation between Agreeableness and higher scores of transformational leadership (.27; p < .01).
Positive Correlation
Job attainment is positively correlated with Agreeableness
Occupational attainment is a construct representing different levels of success according to an objective (e.g., low-level unskilled jobs or high-level highly skilled jobs).
In a longitudinal study that followed over a thousand new borns over time as they grew up, Roberts (2003) found a significant positive relationship where higher scores in Agreeableness / Communal Positive Emotionality at age 18 predected higher occupational attainment at age 26.
Positive Correlation
Social occupational interests is positively correlated with Agreeableness
According to Hollands RIASEC model, Social occupational interests include helping, teaching, treating, counseling, or serving others through personal interaction (Holland, 1996).
Larson et al. (2002) and Barrick et al. (2003) both find meta-analytic evidence to suggest that those who score high on Agreeableness are likely to express interest in Social occupations.
Positive Correlation
Wear a mask as preventative health measure is positively correlated with Agreeableness
Masking refers to the practice of wearing a face covering when in the presence of other people, as a method to prevent the spread of airborne diseases.
In a study of over 1,000 participants, controlling for socioeconomic factors, Wilroth et al. (2021), found agreeableness to be positively associated with mask wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic (p < .001 in longitudinal analysis and p<.05 in a separate cross-sectional analysis). In a survey of 35,000 U.S. adults surveyed from July - December 2020, Rothwell reported a significant positive association between agreeableness and mask use in stores and (to a lesser significance) use of a mask near friends.
Positive Correlation
Volunteerism is positively correlated with Agreeableness
Volunteerism involves planned prosocial behavior benefitting strangers.
In a study of ~800 college students, Carlo et al. (2005) found a significant correlation between higher scores in Agreeableness and Volunteerism. In an online survey of 1,100 people, Penner (2002) found a similar relationship between volunteerism and other-oriented empathy (which is strongly associated with Agreeableness).
Positive Correlation
Adhere to Shelter in Place Policy is positively correlated with Agreeableness
In the context of a pandemic health crisis, sheltering in place refers to the act of adhering to publich health guidelines to stay at a primary residence, avoiding travel and other public settings as much as possible.
In a study of over 100,000 participants, controlling for socioeconomic factors, G?tz et al. (2020), found agreeableness to be positively associated with sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic (p < .001).
Negative Correlation
Vaccine hesitant is negatively correlated with Agreeableness
Vaccine hesitancy and resistance refers to a situation where someone is unsure of or against vaccination.
In a study with over 2,000 U.K. participants, Murphey et al. (2021) found that agreeableness was negatively related to vaccine hesitancy (p<.001).