Relationship of Values and Personality Traits in Malaysian College Students

Authors

  • Mazni Mustapha Faculty of Psychology and Education, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
  • Michael E. Hyland School of Psychology, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, Devon, United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11113/sh.v9n3-2.1282

Keywords:

Value importance, values, Schwartz Value Theory, personality traits, big five personality

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to investigate the relationships between personality traits and value importance amongst students at tertiary level of education in Malaysia. Two thousands and ninety students from various government and semi-government's higher learning institutions participated in this study. The Schwartz’s Short Value Scale (adapted version by Lindeman & Verkasaloo, 2005) was used as a measurement tool for value importance. All of 10 universal values i.e. Power, Hedonism, Self-direction, Stimulation, Achievement, Benevolence, Universalism, Tradition, Conformity, and Security as proposed by Schwartz (1992), were rated on the extent to which they act as “guiding principle of lifeâ€. Two underlying structures of values were identified as Conservation and Self-Transcendence. Personality traits were based on the five factor model of personality, i.e. Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism, measured through The Big Five Inventory by John, Donahue, and Kentle (1991). Results showed that Agreeableness and Conscientiousness were positively correlated with both Conservation and Self-Transcendence values. Whilst, Openness showed negative relationships with both types of values, and Neuroticism correlated negatively with Self-Transcendence values. 

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Published

2017-07-27

How to Cite

Mustapha, M., & E. Hyland, M. (2017). Relationship of Values and Personality Traits in Malaysian College Students. Sains Humanika, 9(3-2). https://doi.org/10.11113/sh.v9n3-2.1282