Is individual reliability responsible for the differences in personality differentiation across ability levels?

Identifier:  PC:3369

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/PC3369

Authors:  Navarro-Gonzalez, D.; Escorial, Sergio; Ferrando, P.J.; Vigil-Colet, A.

Abstract:
Differential reliability associated with ability level has been proposed as a possible (partial or total) explanation of personality differentiation across ability levels: that is to say, high ability individuals have more differentiated personalities. Recent studies have shown that person reliability is related to general intelligence, which is necessary to support this hypothesis. The present study analysed the factorial structure and variability of a personality measure (Revised NEO Personality Inventory) in a sample of 7988 adult job applicants to test whether the effects of personality differentiation hypotheses are present and whether they are modified depending on person reliability. The results showed that the dimensionality reflected by the factorial structure of the test depended on ability levels, but this effect was not found when the analysis was performed using individuals with higher person reliability. As regards the variability of scores, as in previous research the ability effects were almost negligible. The results relating to the factorial structure were coherent with the hypothesis that personality differentiation across ability levels may be reflecting an issue of differential reliability.