Conscientiousness

The trait of Conscientiousness is concerned with organization and achievement; the way in which we control, regulate, and direct our impulses; prudence.


Facets

The below facets represent sub-constructs of the overall trait Conscientiousness.

Achievement-striving
Achievement-striving means working hard to achieve goals and striving for excellence.
Cautiousness
Cautiousness is the tendency to think carefully and be planful; deliberately thinking through possibilities before acting.
Dutifulness
Dutifulness is the tendency to be perceieved as reliable, adhere to their ethical principles, adhere to standards of conduct, and scrupulously fulfill their duty and moral obligations.
Orderliness
Orderliness refers to the tendency to be neat, tidy, and well-organized.
Self-Discipline
Self-Discipline refers to the ability to begin difficult or unpleasant tasks and persevere, persist, and carry them through to completion despite boredom or other distractions.
Self-Efficacy
Self-Efficacy is the sense that one is capable, competent, sensible, prudent, effective, and confident in their ability to accomplish things.


Related Social Outcomes

Over the last 100 years, there has been a growing body of academic research dedicated to defining and understanding human personality and how differences among personalities are related to important social constructs. A good summary of this research is provided by Ozer & Benet (2006). This section is meant to provide a summary of how the trait scores from this test relate to a curated selection of some of the most well defined personality relationships to social outcomes. The information below is divided into three categories of outcomes, based on the level of social impact: individual, interpersonal, and social-institutional.

Individual Outcomes

Ethnic-culture identification (for minorities)

Social Impact Level

Individual

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Ethnic-culture identification (for minorities) is positively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

Cultural identification refers to an individuals sense of belonging to a certain cultural group (e.g., Canadian, American, or Chinese).

Representative Findings

In a group of ~160 graduate students with Chinese ancestry, Ryder et al. (2000) found a significant positive relationship between scores in Conscientiousness and higher degree of identification with cultural heritage (p < .05).

Identity Achievement

Social Impact Level

Individual

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Identity Achievement is positively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

According to Marcia (1980), identity achievement is the identity status aligned with people who have experienced a decision-making period and are pursuing self-chosen occupation and ideological goals (in contrast to identity status types of foreclosure, identity diffusion, and moratorium).

Representative Findings

In a survey of ~200 undergraduate students, Clancy & Dollinger (1993) found a significant positive relationship indicating that higher scores in Conscientiousness are related to higher scores in identity achievement.

Religious beliefs and behavior

Social Impact Level

Individual

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Religious beliefs and behavior is positively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

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).

Representative Findings

In a study of 993 undergraduates, Macdonald (2000) demonstrate a significant relationship between Conscientiousness and two dimenstions of Expressions of Spirituality: Cognitive Orientation Towards Spirituality (.26; p < .001; perceptions and attitudes regarding spirituality) and Religousness (.21; p < .001; religious practices).

Risky behavior & longevity

Social Impact Level

Individual

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Risky behavior & longevity is negatively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

Risky behavior (e.g., substance abuse, hazardous driving, unprotected sex with multiple partners, attempted suicide) increases the likelihood of negative health outcomes. Longevity refers to the length of an individuals life.

Representative Findings

Meta-analysis from Bogg (2004) demonstrates a strong negative correlation between higher scores in Conscientiousness and more risky behavior. In a longitudinal study of intelligent children, Friedman (1995) found that Conscientiousness predicted longevity: those who scored higher were about 30% less likely to die in any given year.

Substance abuse

Social Impact Level

Individual

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Substance abuse is negatively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

Substance abuse refers to use of drugs or alcohol to the extent that it interferes with normal social behavior.

Representative Findings

Meta-analysis from Bogg (2004) demonstrates a negative correlation (p < .05) between higher scores in Conscientiousness and various types of substance abuse, including: excessive alcohol use (-.25), drug use (-.28), and tobacco use (-.14).



Interpersonal Outcomes

Family satisfaction

Social Impact Level

Interpersonal

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Family satisfaction is positively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

Family satisfaction in this context refers to quality of dyadic relationships between intergenerational family members (e.g., parent-child).

Representative Findings

Belsky et al. (2003) found a significant positive relationship in the quality of parent-child relationship: relationship quality is more positive when children score higher on conscientiousness/constraint. Relationship quality measures included intergenerational contact, closeness, conflict, and assistance.

Romantic satisfaction while pursuing a romantic relationship

Social Impact Level

Interpersonal

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Romantic satisfaction while pursuing a romantic relationship is positively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

Romantic satisfaction refers to dating partners evaluations of the romantic relationship.

Representative Findings

In a study of 136 dating couples, Watson et al. (2000) found a significant positive relationship between relationship satisfaction and Conscentiousness (p < .01).



Social-Institutional Outcomes

Antisocial behavior

Social Impact Level

Social-Institutional

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Antisocial behavior is negatively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

Antisocial behavior refers to actions that are deemed delinquent, deviant, against social norms, and violate the rights of others.

Representative Findings

In a mail survey study of hundreds of twin participants, Krueger (2001) found a significant negative correlation between lower scores in constraint / conscientiousness and antisocial behavior (-.27, p < .01).

Conservatism

Social Impact Level

Social-Institutional

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Conservatism is positively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

Conservatism is generally associated with the values of freedom [over equality], security, power, achievement, conformity, and tradition.

Representative Findings

In a summary of several related studies looking at thousands of Italian voters, Caprara & Zimbardo (2004) found a significant positive relationship between higher scores in Conscientiousness and endoresement of more right of center political platforms and views.

Criminal behavior

Social Impact Level

Social-Institutional

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Criminal behavior is negatively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

Criminal behavior indicates that someone has participated in an unlawful act (e.g., theft, vandalism, robbery, assault, public endangerment, etc.).

Representative Findings

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 (-.30; p < .01).

Extrinsic success

Social Impact Level

Social-Institutional

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Extrinsic success is positively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

Extrinsic career success (e.g., salary and promotions) refer to observable rewards from the job.

Representative Findings

In an intergenerational study, Judge et al. (1999) found signficant correlations between Conscientiousness and the following variables related to extrinsic success: Income (.34; p < .01), occupational Status (.48; p < .01), and extrinsic career success (.50; p < .01).

Intrinsic success

Social Impact Level

Social-Institutional

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Intrinsic success is positively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

Intrinsic success is measured in terms of an individuals job satisfaction regarding multiple facets of their career (e.g., income, supervision, job security, coworkers).

Representative Findings

In an intergenerational study, Judge et al. (1999) found a signficant positive correlation between Conscientiousness and job satisfaction (.20; p < .01) and intrinsic career success (.40; p < .01).

Occupational performance

Social Impact Level

Social-Institutional

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Occupational performance is positively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

Occupational performance refers to employee actions and behaviors that are relevant to an organizations goals and are measurable. Measures include proficiency such as performance ratings and productivity.

Representative Findings

Meta-analytic results from Barrick & Mount (1991) demonstrate a robust positive relationship between scores in Conscientiousness and job performance across occupational types. This finding was reinforced by Barrick et al. (2001) in a meta-analysis of 15 meta-analytic studies, analyzing results of over 100,000 participants, including performance in independent and non-independent samples, during training, and in teams with estimated true score correlations between mid .20s to mid .30s.

Adhere to Shelter in Place Policy

Social Impact Level

Social-Institutional

Relationship with Conscientiousness

Adhere to Shelter in Place Policy is positively correlated with Conscientiousness

Definition

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.

Representative Findings

In a study of over 100,000 participants, controlling for socioeconomic factors, G?tz et al. (2020), found conscientiousness to be positively associated with sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic (p < .001).



References

Barrick, M. R., & Mount, M. K. (1991). The Big Five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 44(1), 1-26. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1991.tb00688.x

Barrick, M. R., Mount, M. K., & Judge, T. A. (2001). Personality and performance at the beginning of the new millennium: What do we know and where do we go next? International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 9(1-2), 9-30. http://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2389.00160

Belsky, J., Jaffee, S. R., Caspi, A., Moffitt, T., & Silva, P. A. (2003). Intergenerational Relationships in Young Adulthood and Their Life Course, Mental Health, and Personality Correlates. Journal of Family Psychology, 17(4), 460–471. http://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.17.4.460

Bogg, T., & Roberts, B. W. (2004). Conscientiousness and Health-Related Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis of the Leading Behavioral Contributors to Mortality. Psychological Bulletin, 130(6), 887–919. http://doi.org/ 10.1037/0033-2909.130.6.887

Caprara, G. V., & Zimbardo, P. G. (2004). Personalizing Politics: A Congruency Model of Political Preference. American Psychologist, 59(7), 581-594. http://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.59.7.581

Clancy, S. M., & Dollinger, S. J. (1993). Identity, self, and personality: I. Identity status and the five-factor model of personality. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 3(3), 227-245. http://doi.org/10.1207/s15327795jra0303_2

Friedman, H. S., Tucker, J. S., Schwartz, J. E., Tomlinson-Keasey, C., Martin, L. R., Wingard, D. L., & Criqui, M. H. (1995). Psychosocial and behavioral predictors of longevity: The aging and death of the 'Termites.' American Psychologist, 50(2), 69-78. http://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.50.2.69

Judge, T. A., Higgins, C. A., Thoresen, C. J., & Barrick, M. R. (1999). The Big Five personality traits, general mental ability, and career success across the life span. Personnel Psychology, 52(3), 621-652. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1999.tb00174.x

Krueger, R. F., Hicks, B. M., & McGue, M. (2001). Altruism and antisocial behavior: Independent tendencies, unique personality correlates, distinct etiologies. Psychological Science, 12(5), 397-402. http://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.00373

MacDonald, D. A. (2000), Spirituality: Description, Measurement, and Relation to the Five Factor Model of Personality. Journal of Personality, 68: 153-197. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6494.t01-1-00094

Miller, J.D. and Lynam, D. (2001), Structural Models of Personality and Their Relation To Antisocial Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Review. Criminology, 39: 765-798. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.2001.tb00940.x

Ozer, Daniel & Benet, Veronica. (2006). Personality and the Prediction of Consequential Outcomes. Annual Review of Psychology. 57. 401-21. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190127

Ryder, A.G., Alden, L.E., & Paulhus, D.L. (2000). Is acculturation unidimensional or bidimensional? A head-to-head comparison in the prediction of personality, self-identity, and adjustment. Journal of personality and social psychology, 79 1, 49-65 . https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.79.1.49

Watson, D., Hubbard, B., & Wiese, D. (2000). General Traits of Personality and Affectivity as Predictors of Satisfaction in Intimate Relationships: Evidence from Self- and Partner-Ratings. Journal of Personality, 68(3), 413–449 https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6494.00102

Wiebe, R. P. (2004). Delinquent Behavior and the Five-Factor Model: Hiding in the Adaptive Landscape? Individual Differences Research, 2(1), 38-62. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2004-15382-004