Do Students With Different Majors Have Different Personality Traits? Evidence From Two Chinese Agricultural Universities

This paper explores whether a Student’s choice of major leads to certain personality traits and the reasons for this phenomenon. Specifically, we look at evidence from two Chinese universities, both of which specialize in agricultural studies. Using the Sixteen Personality Factor (16PF) questionnaire and the Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) questionnaire, we collected data from two groups of students: those who study agriculture-related majors (ARM), and those who study non-agriculture-related majors (NARM). The surveys all showed no significant change in personality traits during Students’ freshman year. However, after 3 years of university study, significant personality trait changes were noted between seniors in the ARM and NARM groups. Whereas ARM seniors tended to be socially shy and lower in communicative competence, NARM seniors were better at expressing themselves and communicating with others. Although a Student’s choice of profession has an influence on their personality traits, it is not the only factor. The differences between ARM and NARM training models and curricula are also undoubtedly significant. Moreover, the bias against ARM in Chinese society further magnifies the differences in personality traits among students with different majors.

Research on the Relationship Between Happiness and Trust in Students

One of the greatest predictors of happiness is the satisfaction with interpersonal relationships. The basis of development of interpersonal relationships is trust. At the same time, trust is preconditioned by history and culture and has national characteristics. In Russia during the 1990s the social psychological phenomenon «trust deficit» of the population was formed, that was manifested in every sphere of life. Today the generation that grew up in that atmosphere of «trust deficit» has reached the college-student age. In this article the results of the study of correlation of happiness and self-trust, trust to other people and to the world, and with such personal characteristic as gullibility are presented. A hundred students (23 male and 77 female) aged 18 to 22 took part in the study. The following diagnostic tools were used: «Update Oxford happiness questionnaire»; «Cattel 16PF questionnaire (factor L «Vigilance»)»; A.B. Kupreichenko method «Study of trustiness/untrustiness of a person towards the world, the people, themselves»; A.B Kupreichenko method «Measure of trustiness/untrustiness of a person towards other people». The study revealed significant positive correlation of happiness and self-trust, with such personal characteristic as gullibility, and negative correlation with the trust towards the world. The students who are more self-reliant, who rely on their own resources and don’t rely on the help from the outside world appear to be happier.

Assessing The Impact of Personality Characteristics on Students’ Visual Perception for Landscapes

As landscape plays a crucial role in people’s lives, it is of great importance that landscape is designed based on people’s interest. Therefore, identification of the landscapes that people prefer and the factors that influence their perception are imperative. This research attempts to investigate the contribution of personality characteristics towards students’ landscape perception in Isfahan, Iran. In this aspect, students’ characteristics of extroversion/ introversion, intelligence, and creativity were measured by using Cattell’s 16PF Questionnaire. Also, the respondents were asked to express their feeling of satisfaction and happiness towards six common landscape types of Iran, by rating 30 images of mountainous, urban, forest, desert, water, and farmland landscapes. The results of Pearson Correlation Coefficient indicated that extroverted students have a greater feeling for both mountainous and urban landscapes than introverts. Also, less creative students preferred mountainous, urban, and farmland landscapes. Moreover, perception for farmland landscape was negatively correlated with intelligence among students.

Assessing The Impact of Personality Characteristics on Students’ Visual Perception for Landscapes

As landscape plays a crucial role in people’s lives, it is of great importance that landscape is designed based on people’s interest. Therefore, identification of the landscapes that people prefer and the factors that influence their perception are imperative. This research attempts to investigate the contribution of personality characteristics towards students’ landscape perception in Isfahan, Iran. In this aspect, students’ characteristics of extroversion/ introversion, intelligence, and creativity were measured by using Cattell’s 16PF Questionnaire. Also, the respondents were asked to express their feeling of satisfaction and happiness towards six common landscape types of Iran, by rating 30 images of mountainous, urban, forest, desert, water, and farmland landscapes. The results of Pearson Correlation Coefficient indicated that extroverted students have a greater feeling for both mountainous and urban landscapes than introverts. Also, less creative students preferred mountainous, urban, and farmland landscapes. Moreover, perception for farmland landscape was negatively correlated with intelligence among students.

Digit ratio (2D:4D) and Cattell's personality traits

The ratio between second and fourth finger (2D:4D) is sexually dimorphic; it is lower in men than in women. Studies using broad personality domains yielded correlations of 2D:4D with neuroticism, extraversion or agreeableness, but the obtained results have been inconsistent. We correlated 2D:4D of 184 women and 101 men with their scores in Cattell's 16 Personality Factor (16PF) Questionnaire. We found women with a higher (more ‘feminine’) right hand 2D:4D to score lower in emotional stability and social boldness and higher in privateness. Mediator analysis showed emotional stability to be probably primarily correlated with 2D:4D and to act as a mediator between 2D:4D and social boldness. Privateness appears to be mediated by an even more complex path. We discuss the usefulness of primary‐level personality questionnaires and mediator analyses in the investigation of psycho‐morphological associations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Online University: Who are its Students and How are They Unique?

This study examined relationships between student personality and choice of traditional on-campus or online college classes. The personality profiles of online and on-campus students were determined using the Fifth Edition of the 16 Personality Factor (16PF) questionnaire. Students taking online classes scored higher than on-campus students on scales of abstract reasoning and apprehension, and lower on the scale for social boldness. Online students were also more comfortable with computers than on-campus students, and were more likely to be nontraditional students (26 and older). These data show that there are differences in personality, age, and computer experience between online and on-campus students and help to elucidate the characteristics of students selecting the online venue for college classes and/or curricula which are useful to instructors teaching on the Internet as well as companies working to architect these learning environments.

Sumatriptan Responsiveness and Clinical, Psychiatric and Psychologic Features in Migraine Patients

Objective:To compare sumatriptan responders and nonresponders in a migraine population with regard to a number of clinical, psychiatric and psychologic features.Methods:Patients were drawn from a referral headache clinic population, and classified as responders or nonresponders. Clinical features were assessed by a written questionnaire. The lifetime prevalence of several psychiatric disorders was determined by the National Institute of Mental Health diagnostic interview schedule and personality factors were measured by the 16 Personality Factors (16PF) Questionnaire.Results:Nonresponders indicated less influence on their migraine by menstrual factors, had a higher lifetime prevalence of generalized anxiety, and showed 16PF scores indicating greater shyness, self-sufficiency and perfectionism. Nonresponders were also more imaginative and less socially outgoing.Conclusion:Although they must be interpreted with caution due to small sample size and the multiple comparisons made, our results indicate that there may be differences between sumatriptan responders and nonresponders with regard to a number of clinical, psychiatric and psychologic factors. These results suggest that biological differences exist between the two patient groups which likely account for both the differences in their responses to sumatriptan and in the clinical features noted above.