Year

2018

Season

Spring

Degree Type

Honors Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree Name

Honors in the Major

First Advisor

Dr. Paul T. Fuglestad

Second Advisor

Dr. Lorie Lange

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge regarding personality and stress, with a focus on ambiverts, by investigating potential non-linear relationships and overall relationships between extraversion and stress levels, and neuroticism and stress levels. Two hundred thirty­-eight participants completed an online survey through SONA, consisting of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Social Stress Scenarios (SSS), the Big Five Aspects Scale (BF AS), and the Open Extended Jungian Type Scales 1.2 (OEJTS). In general, those lower in extraversion and those higher in neuroticism were found to have higher perceived stress levels. Both aspects of extraversion-enthusiasm and assertiveness-were negatively related to stress. The withdrawal aspect of neuroticism was more strongly related to stress than was the volatility aspect. With respect to stress in specific social scenarios, introverts anticipated experiencing more stress than ambiverts and extraverts when "at a party" and "interacting with strangers." In turn, ambiverts anticipated more stress than extraverts in these scenarios. Interestingly, the "waiting in line" or "at work" SSS found no differences related to extraversion. Overall, this study increased the body of knowledge on the role of personality in stressful experiences and provided support for prior research studies (e.g., Ebstrup, Eplov, Pisinger, & J0rgensen, 2011; Subhashini, 2017). The information learned could be applied to peoples' personal lives or to professional lines of work, such as counseling, to help people understand and cope with stress.

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