Examining Personality Traits as Moderating Factors in the Relationship Between Social Connectedness and Subjective Wellbeing

Abstract

Abstract Objective: A robust body of literature suggests that social connectedness (SC) enhances subjective well-being (SWB) while a lack of SC significantly impairs SWB (i.e., lower SC is linked to depression, maladaptive coping, risk of early mortality). The specific variables that impact the positive relationship between SC and SWB remain unclear. We sought to address this gap by assessing personality traits using the 5-factor personality model (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism- OCEAN) to understand if personality moderates the relationship between SC and SWB. These five traits are well established dimensions of personality and, individually, have demonstrated relationships with SWB. We hypothesize that each dimension will strengthen/ weaken the correlation between SC and SWB to differing degrees. Method: N=218 participants completed demographic information and two surveys measuring SWB via the Life Engagement Test (LET), Satisfaction w/ Life scale (SWL) and Flourishing measure, recent affect via the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-negative & PANAS-positive) and were scored on OCEAN via the Big Five Inventory. SC was measured via the General Belongingness scale (GBS). Data were scored, and analyzed with SPSS. Results: As predicted, GBS scores strongly positively correlated with all SWB measures. We examined only the Flourishing scale as the SWB measure in our moderations, because all SWB measures were highly correlated (Pearson’s r values exceeding ~ 0.7.) Out of OCEAN, only agreeableness moderated the relationship between GBS and Flourishing. Highly agreeable participants had a weaker correlation between their GBS scores and Flourishing vs less agreeable participants. Significance: This is a novel finding suggesting agreeableness and its components require further exploration, whereas the other big five personality traits may not be as important in strengthening/ weakening the relationship between belongingness and flourishing. A person\u27s agreeableness could contribute to the question of “when” and “for whom” the positive benefits of social connectedness are obtainable and translate it from a one-fits-all prescription into a tool that can be used with personal differences considered