Who is interested in personality? The Interest in Personality Scale and its correlates

• Published in: Personality and individual differences 2016-10, Vol.101, p.185-191
• Main Authors: Goh, Jin X., Schlegel, Katja, Tignor, Stefanie M., Hall, Judith A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Interest in personality; Interests; Meta-analysis; Personality scale
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2016.05.366

This research introduces the Interest in Personality Scale (IPS), a self-report measure assessing individual differences in interest in, and attentiveness to, others' personalities. Seven studies were meta-analyzed to examine the correlates of the IPS, and participants (N=1004) were drawn from student and online population. The IPS demonstrated good internal reliability, and it correlated significantly with a number of traits and demographic characteristics. People who scored higher on the IPS were more likely to be women and to be younger; described themselves as more agreeable, conscientious, extraverted, open to experience, dominant, empathic, masculine, feminine, agentic, communal, and narcissistic; and reported more positive relations with others. Emotion recognition and humanitarianism correlated positively with IPS marginally. Neuroticism, a bipolar femininity-masculinity scale, personal distress, and Machiavellianism were unrelated to the IPS. •This research introduced the Interest in Personality Scale (IPS).•IPS showed good internal reliability in 7 studies (N=1004).•IPS correlated with gender, age, and several personality traits.•Correlates of IPS suggest interpersonal orientation and healthy adaptation.