Relationship between affect intensity and personality traits among university students

ABSTRACT

The main objective of the present research -was to determine and understand relationship between Affect Intensity [AI] and personality traits. Keeping in view the literature review it was hypothesized that Extraversion, Agreeableness, Openness/ Intellect, and Conscientiousness would be positively correlated with Positive Affect Intensity and Emotional Stability would be negatively correlated with Negative Affect Intensity among ' students. It was also hypothesized that women would score high on Affect Intensity Measure as compared to men. Sample of 120 participants was taken comprising of equal number of men [n=60] and women [n=60], ranging in age from 18-25 years, and were students of B.Sc and M.Sc. from Bahria University [n=40], Air University [n=35], Islamic International University [n=25], Islamabad and Arid Agriculture University [n=20], Rawalpindi. Affect Intensity Measure [Larsen, 1984] to measure Affect Intensity and Mini Marker Personality Inventory [Saucier, 1994] were used to assess different personality traits like, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Openness/Intellect, Emotional Stability, and Conscientiousness, English versions of both ' measures were used. Alpha reliability coefficients were established to determine the psychometric properties of the two scales. Correlational analysis and Regression analysis was applied to determine the relationship between the variables, and t-test was employed to explore the gender differences. Results/findings indicates that Extraversion [r = .27, p<.01], Agreeableness [r = .29, p<, 01], Openness/Intellect [r = .30, p<.01], and Emotional stability [r = .29, p<.01] are positivelyrelated with Positive Affect Intensity whereas Conscientiousness has insignificant relationship with Positive Affect Intensity. Furthermore, Extroversion [r = -.27, p<.01] is found to he negatively related with Negative Affect intensity whereas insignificant relationship of Agreeableness, Openness/Intellect, Emotional stability and Conscientiousness with Negative Affect intensity is revealed. Regression analysis showed that Extroversion [B = .09, S.E = .05, beta = .17, t =1.97, p < .05] and Emotional Stability [B = .12, S.E = .04, beta = -23, t = 71, p < .01] significantly predicts Positive Affect Intensity, while Extraversion [B = -.22, S.E -.06, beta =-.35, t = -3.81, p < .05] and Emotional Stability [B = -.11, S.E = .05, beta =-.19, t = -2.06, p < .05] has significant negative prediction towards Negative. Affect Intensity. The findings of the present research suggest that Affect Intensity does have significant relationship with personality traits. For Positive and Negative Affect Intensity it can be concluded that Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Openness/Intellect are the major correlating traits. However, Extraversion and Emotional Stability significantly predicts Positive Affect Intensity whereas these traits do not predict Negative Affect Intensity. Gender differences on the Affect Intensity measure revealed that women's scores were significantly high on this construct