Extraversion is associated with advice network size, but not network density or emotional closeness to network members

Malcolm, Connor, Saxton, Tamsin, Mccarty, Kris, Roberts, Sam G. B. and Pollet, Thomas (2021) Extraversion is associated with advice network size, but not network density or emotional closeness to network members. Personality and Individual Differences, 168. p. 110311. ISSN 0191-8869

Preview

Text Malcolm_et_al_PsyArxiv.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives 4.0. Download (310kB) | Preview

Abstract

Friendship networks are instrumental to a whole range of outcomes including career success and personal wellbeing, and as such it is important to ask how social networks are shaped by personality variables. However, previous research examining how extraversion is associated with social network size and closeness to social network members has produced inconsistent findings. Here, we assessed how extraversion (HEXACO model) was associated with three key features of advice networks (size, density, and emotional closeness to network members) in a sample of 199 participants (17–75 years, M = 25, SD = 11; 146 women). We found that higher levels of extraversion (and its four facets: social self-esteem, social boldness, sociability, and liveliness) corresponded to a significantly larger advice network, but not greater network density, or greater emotional closeness to network members. The social manifestation of extraversion here seems to be operationalised in terms of a greater number of interactive advice partners, but no increased probability of ensuring that contacts are connected to each other, or of developing emotionally deep relationships with contacts.

Actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads