Projects / Programmes
The general factor of personality: its psychological meaning, psychosocial correlates and biological basis.
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.09.00 |
Social sciences |
Psychology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S260 |
Social sciences |
Psychology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.01 |
Social Sciences |
Psychology and cognitive sciences |
personality, general factor of personality, personality structure, well-being, evolutionary psychology, neuropsychology, cognitive psychology, psychological processes
Researchers (12)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
The research of the general factor of personality (GFP; Musek, 2007), including its psychological nature, the associations with other prominent psychological variables and its biological (evolutionary, genetic and neurophysiological) bases became a very prominent and propulsive topic in personality psychology and in the psychology in general. In the most recent perspective of the research of the GFP, the major open problems that need to be solved in further investigations emerged very clearly. These problems could be grouped in the following way:
1. the problems concerning the interpretation of the psychological nature of GFP,
2. the problems concerning the relations of GFP to other prominent psychological and demographic variables,
3. the problems concerning the cross-cultural stability of GFP and
4. the problems concerning the biological basis of GFP.
The research project being proposed here is dedicated to the empirical verification of a general research model that addresses the essence of the above mentioned problems. The model is based on the previous research work of the project leader and others authors (since 2007) and could be briefly formulated in the following statements or hypotheses:
1. GFP is very robustly identified as a one single general factor occupying the apex of the hierarchical structure of personality dimensions (pyramidal model of personality structure);
2. GFP has substantial correlations with almost all most prominent psychological variables in the non-cognitive domains (emotionality, affect, motivation, coping, well-being, self-esteem and others);
3. GFP is a part of a very comprehensive general dimension underlying the entire non-cognitive domain of personality;
4. GFP represents a stable dimension across different cultural and national environments;
5. the characteristics of GFP, discovered so far, form a plausible rationale for the assumption of the biological basis of GFP, including the evolutionary, genetic and neurophysiologic aspects.
In this research project, the previously formulated hypotheses will be up-graded in the form of research models displaying the relationships between relevant psychological variables entered into the models. All models will be then empirically tested by means of systematically integrated assessment and research methods including the appropriate measures of the variables in the models and the methods and techniques of the research design (experimental, quasi-experimental, correlational and multivariate).
The results of the empirical testing of the research models could essentially contribute to the more comprehensive and precise theoretical framework of the GFP and of the personality structure. The expected results of the research should strongly improve our understanding of the personality structure and of the relations between major personality dimensions, but also our understanding of the relations between major psychological dimensions of the entire non-cognitive sphere of psychological variables. Moreover, the expected results should bring essential answers to some still unresolved questions concerning the GFP and its nature, including the very important question whether the GFP is based more on the correlations in the real behaviour or on the other less substantial or even artifactual factors causing the correlations between lower-order dimensions of personality (like the Big Five). Consequently, the results of the research can be important in the very fundamental theoretical evaluation of the bioevolutionary model of GFP, which could represent a great step toward a more thorough understanding of biological (evolutionary, genetic and neuroscientific) bases of human personality.
Significance for science
A systematic empirical testing of the model represented by these formulation essentially contributed to the definitely more decisive theoretical framework of the GFP and of the personality structure. The results of the research strongly improved our understanding of the personality structure and of the relations between major personality dimensions, but also our understanding of the relations between major psychological dimensions of the entire non-cognitive sphere of psychological variables. Consequently, the results of the research can be important in the very fundamental theoretical evaluation of the bioevolutionary model of GFP, which could represent a great step toward a more thorough understanding of biological (evolutionary, genetic and neuroscientific) bases of human personality. Additionally, the expected research results could have also very important applicative and practical consequences. For example, among the single dimensions of personality, GFP is probably the most (or at least among the most) predictive for a vast variety of very important psychological variables including self-esteem, well-being, happiness, psychological health, effectiveness of coping, as well for the successfulness in different life settings (education, job, career, family). The results of the empirical testing of the research models could essentially contribute to the more comprehensive and precise theoretical framework of the GFP and of the personality structure. The expected results of the research should strongly improve our understanding of the personality structure and of the relations between major personality dimensions, but also our understanding of the relations between major psychological dimensions of the entire non-cognitive sphere of psychological variables. Moreover, the expected results should bring essential answers to some still unresolved questions concerning the GFP and its nature, including the very important question whether the GFP is based more on the correlations in the real behaviour or on the other less substantial or even artifactual factors causing the correlations between lower-order dimensions of personality (like the Big Five). Consequently, the results of the research can be important in the very fundamental theoretical evaluation of the bioevolutionary model of GFP, which could represent a great step toward a more thorough understanding of biological (evolutionary, genetic and neuroscientific) bases of human personality. One of the most important conclusions drawn from the previous research on GFP and the structure of personality is the ascertainment that the GFP is a representative of still more general dimension which embraces the entire non-cognitive space of psychological variables (eGFP). According to this, we can formulate a general thesis that a single general dimension underlies the non-cognitive fields of personality including the basic dimensions of personality in the narrower sense (e.g. Big Five) and also the basic dimensions of well-being, health, coping, emotionality, motivation, self-concept, self-esteem, control, wisdom and others. Being a common denominator of all most important fields of personality beyond the cognition (Big Five, well-being, coping, emotionality, motivation, self-concept, self-esteem, control, wisdom and others), the eGFP represents extremelly strong single predictor of the quality of life, mental health and well-being, job career, academic success, the quality of family and interpersonal relations etc. The importance of this kind of predictor in the applied psychology is hardly to be fully imagined.
Significance for the country
The research of the project group represents a contribution to the development and progress of the Slovenian science, especially the psychological science. Also, it means the application of obtained psychological knowledge in Slovenian educational, schooling and academic system. It alleviates also the further implementation of practical work of psychologists and other professionals, for example in the prevention of mental well being, psychological care, and in the upgrading the professional work with the people in general. As said before, the advanced knowledge of GFP could make possible a number of new psychological assessment techniques very useful in psychological and related professional work. The research model includes psychological variables that are subjected to the efficient and accurate measurement or assessment by means of valid in reliable psychological instruments (mostly personality questionnaires, scales, tests and other measures). Empirical testing of the model requests the use of powerful and also sophisticated multivariate and experimentation methods and techniques including the verification of the (causal) models by means of structural equation modeling (SEM). The researchers included into the project were therefore selected among the methodologically most competent professionals. The inexpensiveness is a special advantage of the project: the proposed research promises theoretical and practical gains, which are in sharp contrast to the very low financial expenses and costs.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
