AP Psychology EBQ: Big Five Personality Traits and Impulse Control
Directions: Use the three sources provided to answer all parts of the question below. For Part B and Part C, you must cite the source that you used to answer the question. You can do this in two different ways:
- Parenthetical Citation: For example: “...(Source 1).”
- Embedded Citation: For example: “According to Source 1...”
Write the response to each part of the question in complete sentences. Use appropriate psychological terminology. Clearly label each part of your answer (A, B(i), B(ii), C(i), C(ii)).
Group 1
Using the sources provided, develop and justify an argument about which of the Big Five personality traits would be most predictive of a person’s ability to control their behaviors and emotions, known as impulse control.
1 Introduction
In this study, researchers investigated whether the Big Five personality traits were related to compulsive buying. Compulsive buying is a chronic tendency to purchase things that provide short-term rewards. However, compulsive buying results in longer-term negative consequences to the person buying the items and to those they care about. Researchers were interested in whether the Big Five personality traits were related to compulsive buying.
Participants
The sample included 1,093 university students from the nation of Spain, ranging in age from 18 to 23 years old (mean age = 20.5 years). There were 571 female and 522 male participants. 1 In this sample, 1,007 participants were non-compulsive
buyers, and 86 were compulsive buyers. No other race/ethnicity data beyond national origin were reported by the researchers.
Method
To indicate how much they engaged in compulsive buying, participants first responded to a 16-question self-report survey that included questions such as, “I often buy things just because they’re cheap.” Participants used a response range of 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). Higher scores indicated a stronger tendency to engage in compulsive buying.
To show how much they displayed each of the Big Five personality traits, participants then responded to a 44-question self-report survey. In the Big Five Survey, participants used a response range of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Higher scores indicated a higher degree of each of the traits.
Results and Discussion
Researchers compiled and analyzed the data from compulsive buyers and non-compulsive buyers for each Big Five trait. 2 Results from the analyses appear in the graph.
Question 1a
A. State a specific and defensible claim based in psychological science that responds to the question.
Question 1b
B(i) Support your claim using at least one piece of specific and relevant evidence from one of the sources.
Question 1c
B(ii) Explain how the evidence from Part B (i) supports your claim using a psychological perspective, theory, concept, or research finding learned in AP Psychology.
Question 1d
C(i) Support your claim using an additional piece of specific relevant evidence from a different source than the one that was used in Part B (i).
Question 1e
(ii) Explain how the evidence from Part C (i) supports your claim using a different psychological perspective, theory, concept, or research finding learned in AP Psychology than the one that was used in Part B (ii).
Test Booklet
Group 2
2 Introduction
In this study, researchers assessed how each of the Big Five personality traits predicted Pathological Internet Use (PIU). According to the researchers, PIU consists of, “behaviors that cause significant damage to the social and psychological functions of individuals from the excessive use of the Internet, seriously affecting one’s normal learning and work.”
Participants
The sample consisted of 1,127 college students from the nation of China, 58% of whom self-identified as men and 42% of whom self-identified as women. 1 Participants ranged in age from 16 to 24 years old (mean age = 20 years). No other race/ethnicity data outside of national origin were reported by the researchers.
Method
During their typical class meeting times, participants completed a 44-question self-report survey that measured the Big Five personality traits. The response range for the Big Five survey was 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Higher scores indicated a higher degree of each of the traits. Participants also completed an 11-question self-report question survey that measured the amount of PIU using a response range of 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Higher scores indicated more PIU.
Results and Discussion
The correlation coefficients between PIU and each of the Big Five personality traits appear in the table. Table 1: Big Five Personality Trait Correlations with PIU. All correlation coefficients are statistically significant.
Group 3
3 Introduction
In this study, researchers sought to examine the extent to which the Big Five personality traits predict hoarding behaviors. Hoarding behavior involves a person collecting, keeping, and having trouble parting with items that have no purpose or value to them. Such behavior can occur when the person believes that an item is or will become scarce in the future.
Participants
A total of 530 adults from the nation of Japan in their thirties, forties, and fifties, with a mean age of 44 years old, participated in this study. There were an equal number of men and women 1 in this sample. No other race/ethnicity data outside of national origin were reported by the researchers.
Method
To measure the Big Five personality traits, researchers first gave participants a list of 29 personality adjectives. Participants indicated how much they thought each adjective applied to them using a response range of 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). An example adjective for extraversion was “talkative,” and one for agreeableness was “kind.” Higher scores indicated a greater degree of a trait.
To measure hoarding behavior, researchers asked participants about eight items that were in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as hand soap and face masks. Participants rated each of the eight items using a response range of 1 (did not purchase) to 7 (purchased a lot), with higher scores indicating stronger hoarding behavior.
Results and Discussion
Correlation coefficients between hoarding behavior and each Big Five personality trait appear in the table. An asterisk (*) indicates a statistically significant correlation.
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