The nature and structure of correlations among Big Five ratings: the halo-alpha-beta model.
In light of consistently observed correlations among Big Five ratings, the authors developed and tested a model that combined E. L. Thorndike's (1920) general evaluative bias (halo) model and J. M. Digman's (1997) higher order personality factors (alpha and beta) model. With 4 multitrait-multimethod analyses, Study 1 revealed moderate convergent validity for alpha and beta across raters, whereas halo was mainly a unique factor for each rater. In Study 2, the authors showed that the halo factor was highly correlated with a validated measure of evaluative biases in self-ratings. Study 3 showed that halo is more strongly correlated with self-ratings of self-esteem than self-ratings of the Big Five, which suggests that halo is not a mere rating bias but actually reflects overly positive self-evaluations. Finally, Study 4 demonstrated that the halo bias in Big Five ratings is stable over short retest intervals. Taken together, the results suggest that the halo-alpha-beta model integrates the main findings in structural analyses of Big Five correlations. Accordingly, halo bias in self-ratings is a reliable and stable bias in individuals' perceptions of their own attributes. Implications of the present findings for the assessment of Big Five personality traits in monomethod studies are discussed.
Anusic
Ivana
I
Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. anusiciv@msu.edu
Schimmack
Ulrich
U
Pinkus
Rebecca T
RT
Lockwood
Penelope
P
D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010551:Personality / Q000502:physiology*; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires