Contemp study Cohn’s et al 2012

• Cohrs et al. (2012) aim was to examine the interrelations amount the big five personality dimensions, right wing authoritarianism (RWA) and Social

  Dominance Orientation (SDO)
• Christopher Cohrs, Nicole Kämpfe-Hargrave and Rainer Riemann (2012) aimed to build on previous research investigating John Duckitt's (2005) dual process model of prejudice by using both self and peer report, to investigate concerns that self- reported

  data may lack validity.
• An opportunity sample of 193 people (125 women and 64 men plus four who didn't specify gender), aged 18-67 years (mean age 34) from diverse social backgrounds were gathered from a region of East Germany.
• Participants completed self-reports which measured T' he Big Five' personality dimensions
• Generalised prejudice was measured using questionnaires about attitudes towards homosexuality, foreigners and people with disabilities.
• The data collected shows that specific personality traits are highly predictive of RWA and SDO which are in turn predictive of levels of generalised prejudice
• Based on peer reported data the researchers concluded they the findings of the previous research were valid in the main and not simply just the product of social desirability bias resulting from the self-report
• Criticisms include the fact that participants were only recruited from one area so it is unclear whether these results can be applied more widely across different regions or countries.
• Previous research had found RWA and SDO contribute to ideological attitudes (world views).
• The "big five" are broad categories of

  personality traits: openness,

  conscientiousness, extraversion,

  agreeableness, and neuroticism.
• You might find it helpful to use the acronym OCEAN when trying to remember the big five traits.

  Openness

  Conscientiousness

  Extraversion

  Agreeableness

  Neuroticism
• study two Opportunity sampling Half of the sample was gathered using the Jena Twin Registry of multiple births. Other half was from volunteers that called them or twin club
• One twin from each pair of twins was given a self-report questionnaire, which was also given to two peer acquaintances to complete about the participant.
• Quantitative data was gathered:

  1. One ppts plus one peer rater

  2. To measure personality dimensions e.g., openness to experience, a likert

  scale was used. 1 (not true at all) to 7 (completely true)

  3. To measure RWA, a 12-item scale was used inc. reverse order qus.

  4. To measure SDO, another scale was used (Pratto) translated into

  German.

  5. Prejudice was measured towards gay men and lesbians, foreigners (esp

  Turks) and people with disabilities.
• Study 1 : Results from the ppt were analysed to investigate correlations

  between personality traits, ideological attitudes and prejudice.

  • For example, openness was correlated with SDO.

  • SDO was correlated with generalised prejudice etc.
• • There is a relationship between the ‘Big Five’ personality dimensions,

  ideological attitudes (RWA and SDO) and prejudice. If someone is

  more conscientious, they are likely to be more RWA. If they have RWA

  or SDO, they are more likely to be prejudiced.
• Findings of previous research finding the same relationship between

  personality, prejudice and ideology which just uses self-reports were

  found to be reliable when compared with using self-reports and peer-

  reports from Cohrs’ data.
• There was still a concern about the validity of peer and self-report

  accuracy, despite being reliable, as both may be affected by social

  desirability bias.
• 3 aims 

  • Cohrs et al aimed to research the interrelations between the big five personality dimensions of: right wing authoritarianis,social dominance orientation,and prejudice 
  • Cohrs et al also wanted to find out if findings of previous research had found a link between specific personality traits and ideological views and relation to prejudice, me
  • The use of peer reports would be used to cross check self report data and see whether conscientiousness correlated positively to the personality dimensions of RWA as well as if RWA and SDO correlates positively with prejudice
• Sample: 

  • opportunity sample of 193 people (125 women and 64 men + 4 unspecified gender) 
  • Aged 18-67 (mean age 34)
  • Diverse social backgrounds 
  • Gathered from east Germany
  • The peers knew target person well or very well
  • Even split of peer raters aged 13-73 (mean age 34) 
• Procedure:

  • participants completed self reports measuring big five personality dimensions ( openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism = OCEAN) 
  • Ranked scales used for example 1-7 not true to completely true 
• 


  RWA measured 12 item question are while SDO was measured using shortened version of original scale translated into German

  • Generalised prejudice was measured using question are about attitudes towards homosexuality, foreigners and people with disabilities
• • Participates were asked to give a segregate set of the Questionnaires to one of their peers
  • Forms ensured anonymity using unique codes so they could be matched up when  completed 
  • Respondents were asked to answer spontaneously and honestly
  • Only responses from heterosexual, able bodied German nationals were analysed because people from any target group may not understandably express prejudice 
  • All participants received personality profile and 12 euros for their time
• Results procedure 1

  • Personalities did correlate positively with prejudice attitudes RWA 0.57, SDO 0.27.
  • Openness to experience correlated negatively with RWA -0.43 and prejudice -0.43.
  • Agreeableness is negatively correlated with SDO - 0.28 Prejudice -0.20.
  • Correlation with self- and peer- reports was shown, significant correlations with all but one the measures.
• Conclusions

  • The data showed that specific personality traits are highly predictive of RWA and SDO which are in turn predictive of levels of generalised prejudice
  • Based on peer report the researchers concluded that the findings of the previous research were valid not simply the product of social desirability bias
• Study 2

  Sample:

  • Opportunity sampling Half of the sample was gathered using the Jena Twin Registry of multiple births. The other half was from volunteers who called them or by approaching them at ‘twin club’.
  • One twin from each pair of twins was given a self-report questionnaire, which was also given to two peer acquaintances to complete about the participant.
  • The sample was made up of 424 participants 103 men and 321 women, aged between 18 and 82 years old. But only 371 had both peer reports available (the other 53 only had one peer report). Peer raters were 554 women and 224 men.
• Data Analysis

  Study 1

  • Results from the ppt were analysed to investigate correlations between personality traits, ideological attitudes and prejudice.
  • For example, openness was correlated with SDO.
  • SDO was correlated with generalised prejudice etc.

  Study 2

  • Results from the ppt were correlated with results from the two peers to see how valid and reliable the self-report results were.
• • There is a relationship between the ‘Big Five’ personality dimensions, ideological attitudes and prejudice. If someone is more conscientious, they are likely to be more RWA. If they have RWA or SDO, they are more likely to be prejudiced.
  • Findings of previous research finding the same relationship between personality, prejudice which just uses self-reports were found to be reliable when compared with using self-reports and peer- reports from Cohrs’ data.
  • was still concern about validity of peer/self-report accuracy, despite being reliable, as both may be affected by social desirability bias.