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PUBLISHED DATE: - 02-12-2024
PAGE NO.: - 7-13
THE ROLE OF PERSONALITY TRAITS IN DETERMINING
HIGHER EDUCATION PREFERENCES OF UNIVERSITY
STUDENTS
Dr. Namrata Chadda
Asst. Professor, Dept. of Psychology Punjabi University, Patiala, India
INTRODUCTION
The process of selecting higher education
pathways is a complex decision-making journey
that is influenced by a multitude of factors, ranging
from academic performance to socio-economic
background. However, one of the most
underexplored yet pivotal aspects is the role of
personality traits in shaping students’ higher
education preferences. As students navigate
through various academic disciplines, career paths,
and institutional environments, their inherent
personality traits
—
shaped by both genetic and
environmental influences
—
may play a significant
role in their decision-making process.
Personality psychology, particularly the Big Five
personality model, has gained widespread
acceptance in understanding human behavior
across different contexts. The Big Five
dimensions
—
openness
to
experience,
conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness,
and neuroticism
—
serve as a framework for
examining how individuals differ in their
preferences and behaviors. Each of these traits is
thought to influence various aspects of life,
including academic and career choices. For
instance, students who score high on openness are
often more inclined toward creative and
intellectual pursuits, while those with higher
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Open Access
Abstract
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conscientiousness tend to favor structured,
achievement-oriented environments. Extraversion
and agreeableness can influence preferences for
group work or leadership roles, and neuroticism
may affect students’ resilience in coping with
academic stress or their preference for less
challenging fields.
While much research has been dedicated to
understanding how personality traits influence
academic performance, there is limited exploration
of how these traits specifically determine the types
of higher education environments, fields of study,
and career goals that students choose. The
interaction between personality and academic
preferences can have profound implications for
academic advising, career counseling, and
institutional policy-making, ensuring that students
are guided toward paths that align with both their
academic potential and personal inclinations.
This study aims to explore how personality traits,
as defined by the Big Five model, affect university
students’ preferences for higher education choices.
By examining the relationship between personality
and academic preferences, the research seeks to
provide a deeper understanding of the
psychological factors driving students' educational
decisions, which can help educators and academic
institutions offer more tailored guidance and
support for students in their academic journeys.
METHOD
This study aims to explore how personality traits
influence
university
students'
preferences
regarding their higher education choices, including
their selection of academic disciplines, institutional
environments, and career aspirations. To achieve
this, a mixed-methods approach was employed,
combining quantitative surveys and qualitative
interviews
to
provide
a
comprehensive
understanding of the relationship between
personality traits and educational preferences.
Study Design
The research adopted a cross-sectional design,
collecting data from university students at a single
point in time across multiple academic disciplines.
This design allowed for an in-depth analysis of the
role of personality traits in shaping students'
higher education preferences in a broad range of
disciplines. The study was conducted across three
universities, representing different academic
focuses (e.g., humanities, social sciences,
engineering, and natural sciences), to explore
whether personality traits influenced the choice of
academic fields.
Participants
The study targeted university students from
different year groups and academic programs. A
total of 500 students were selected through
stratified random sampling, ensuring that the
sample represented a diverse range of academic
backgrounds, gender, age, and socio-economic
status. This approach ensured that the findings
would be broadly applicable to the general student
population. Participation was voluntary, and all
students provided informed consent.
The inclusion criteria required that participants
were enrolled in undergraduate programs, aged 18
to 30, and able to complete the survey in English.
Students from graduate programs or non-degree
programs were excluded, as the study focused on
undergraduates who are still in the process of
deciding their educational and career pathways.
Data Collection Tools
1. Personality Assessment (Big Five Personality
Inventory):
To measure students' personality traits, the Big
Five Personality Inventory (BFI), a well-
established psychological assessment tool, was
used. The BFI is a self-report inventory that
measures the five core personality traits
—
openness to experience, conscientiousness,
extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The
inventory contains 44 items rated on a five-point
Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to
5 (strongly agree). Each of the five dimensions was
measured using eight items.
Openness to Experience: Assesses the extent to
which an individual is imaginative, curious, and
open-minded.
Conscientiousness: Measures traits such as
organization, dependability, and goal-oriented
behavior.
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Extraversion: Reflects sociability, assertiveness,
and the tendency to seek stimulation from external
sources.
Agreeableness: Indicates the tendency to be
cooperative, empathetic, and compassionate
toward others.
Neuroticism: Evaluates emotional stability, with a
focus on how prone an individual is to experiencing
negative emotions such as anxiety and depression.
The BFI has demonstrated high reliability and
validity across different populations and has been
widely used in educational psychology research to
assess the personality characteristics of students.
2. Higher Education Preferences Survey:
To measure students' preferences regarding their
higher education choices, a custom-designed
survey was created. The survey aimed to assess
students’ preferences in three major areas:
academic
discipline,
type
of
academic
environment, and career goals. The survey
included both closed and open-ended questions.
The closed-ended questions were based on a Likert
scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree),
asking participants to rate the extent to which they
valued certain academic attributes such as:
Interest in discipline: The degree to which students
preferred specific academic disciplines based on
personal interest.
Learning environment: Preferences for types of
learning environments (e.g., traditional lecture-
based, collaborative group work, hands-on
learning).
Career aspirations: Alignment between academic
choices and career goals, including preferences for
fields with high job prospects or those aligned with
personal values.
The open-ended questions allowed participants to
elaborate on their reasons for choosing their
academic programs, describing any personal,
academic, or career-related factors influencing
their decisions.
3. Semi-structured Interviews:
To supplement the quantitative data, semi-
structured interviews were conducted with a
subset of 50 participants (10 from each academic
program). These interviews provided deeper
insights into the factors influencing students'
educational choices and how personality traits
played a role in these decisions. The interviews
were designed to allow for open-ended responses
while keeping the conversation focused on relevant
topics.
Key questions included:
"Can you describe what influenced your choice of
academic discipline?"
"How do you think your personality traits have
impacted your educational and career choices?"
"What factors do you consider when choosing
between different academic environments or
programs?"
"Do you feel that your academic preferences align
with your personal characteristics? How so?"
The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and
analyzed for thematic content related to
personality traits and educational preferences.
Procedure
The data collection process involved several
stages:
Survey Distribution: The surveys were distributed
online through university platforms (e.g., learning
management systems) to ensure accessibility for
all participants. The survey was open for
completion over a two-week period, with
reminders sent to encourage participation.
Students could complete the survey at their
convenience within this timeframe.
Personality Assessment: After completing the
survey, participants were asked to complete the
Big Five Personality Inventory online. This was also
administered using an online platform, ensuring
that responses were anonymous and securely
stored.
Interview Scheduling: Participants for the semi-
structured interviews were selected based on their
survey responses, aiming for a mix of students
across different academic programs, genders, and
personality types. The interviews were conducted
either in person or via video calls and lasted
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approximately 30 minutes each.
Data Coding and Analysis: The quantitative data
from the personality inventory and higher
education preferences survey were analyzed using
descriptive and inferential statistics. Specifically,
correlation and regression analyses were
performed to explore the relationships between
personality traits and educational preferences.
Factor analysis was also used to identify latent
factors that may underlie students' preferences.
The qualitative data from the interviews were
coded using thematic analysis. Transcripts were
read and re-read to identify key themes related to
personality traits and educational choices. The
interviews provided contextual insights that
helped explain the statistical findings from the
surveys.
Statistical Analysis
Descriptive Statistics: Mean scores and standard
deviations were calculated for each personality
trait and educational preference.
Correlation Analysis: Pearson’s correlation
coefficients were computed to examine the
relationships between each personality trait and
students’ preferences for academic disciplines,
learning environments, and career aspirations.
Multiple Regression Analysis: Multiple regression
models were used to predict students’ educational
preferences based on their personality traits. This
allowed for the identification of the most
significant predictors of academic choices.
Factor Analysis: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA)
was used to identify underlying factors in students'
preferences and see how they grouped based on
personality dimensions.
Ethical Considerations
Ethical approval for this study was obtained from
the university's research ethics board. All
participants were provided with an informed
consent form outlining the study’s purpose,
confidentiality measures, and their right to
withdraw at any time without penalty. The
anonymity and confidentiality of participants were
ensured by using coded identifiers for all data and
keeping the data securely stored.
Limitations
The study's limitations include the reliance on self-
reported data, which may be subject to biases such
as social desirability or self-perception errors.
Additionally, the cross-sectional design only
captures a snapshot of students' preferences at a
single time point, which may not account for
changes in preferences over time. Future research
could benefit from a longitudinal approach to track
changes in educational preferences as students
progress through their academic journeys.
RESULTS
The data analysis revealed several significant
patterns regarding the relationship between
personality traits and university students'
preferences for academic disciplines, learning
environments, and career aspirations. The results
were derived from both quantitative analysis
(survey responses and personality inventories)
and qualitative data from interviews.
Personality Traits and Academic Preferences
Openness to Experience: Students scoring high on
openness were more likely to express a preference
for interdisciplinary, creative, and research-
focused academic disciplines. They tended to favor
fields such as arts, humanities, and social sciences,
where exploration and intellectual curiosity are
central. In contrast, students with lower openness
scores were more inclined toward structured,
practical fields such as business, engineering, and
natural sciences.
Conscientiousness: Highly conscientious students
exhibited a strong preference for fields requiring
discipline, organization, and achievement-oriented
structures. Programs such as law, medicine, and
engineering were common choices for these
students. Additionally, students with high
conscientiousness favored academic environments
that were well-organized and provided clear
guidance, such as lecture-based learning or
structured curricula.
Extraversion: Extraverted students gravitated
toward fields that involved significant interaction
with others, such as communications, social work,
or management. They also preferred interactive
learning environments that promoted group work,
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team projects, and class discussions. Extraverted
students felt more comfortable in collaborative
academic settings and expressed greater interest in
careers requiring social engagement and
leadership.
Agreeableness: Agreeable students demonstrated
a preference for academic disciplines that focused
on helping others, such as healthcare, education,
and social sciences. They were also more likely to
choose
environments
that
emphasized
collaboration and cooperation over competitive
atmospheres. Agreeable students often expressed
career aspirations in fields that involved service,
support, or humanitarian work.
Neuroticism: Students with higher neuroticism
scores showed a preference for more structured
and predictable academic disciplines that would
minimize stress and uncertainty, such as
accounting or certain areas of social sciences.
These students were also more likely to choose
academic environments with clear guidelines,
avoiding highly competitive or unpredictable
settings. Additionally, neuroticism was associated
with a preference for career paths that were
perceived as stable and secure.
Personality Traits and Learning Environment
Preferences
The results from the learning environment
preferences surv
ey indicated that students’
personality traits played a significant role in their
desired modes of learning.
Openness was positively correlated with
preferences for creative and experiential learning
environments, including project-based work,
research opportunities, and flexible curriculum
structures.
Conscientiousness correlated with preferences for
traditional, lecture-based learning environments
that provided clear structures, deadlines, and
performance metrics.
Extraversion was linked to a preference for
collaborative
and
interactive
learning
environments, including group discussions,
presentations, and peer interactions.
Agreeableness favored learning environments that
prioritized cooperation and teamwork, with less
emphasis
on
competition
or
individual
performance.
Neuroticism correlated with a preference for
structured, low-stress environments with clear
expectations and feedback.
Personality Traits and Career Preferences
Students' career preferences were also influenced
by their personality traits. For example, students
with high openness expressed interest in careers in
the arts, research, and creative industries, where
innovation
and
autonomy
are
valued.
Conscientious students were more likely to be
interested in professions with clear progression
paths, such as law, business management, and
engineering. Extraverted students gravitated
toward careers in public relations, human
resources, or management, where social
interaction and leadership are key. Agreeable
students preferred careers in healthcare,
education, and non-profit sectors, where they
could directly help others. Finally, neuroticism was
associated with a preference for careers perceived
as more stable and predictable, such as
administrative roles or technical fields.
Statistical Results
Correlation
Analysis:
Significant
positive
correlations were found between the Big Five
personality traits and students’ preferences for
academic disciplines and career paths. Openness to
experience had the strongest positive correlation
with preferences for arts and humanities (r = 0.42),
while conscientiousness was most strongly
correlated with preferences for fields like
engineering and business (r = 0.48).
Multiple Regression Analysis: Multiple regression
analysis revealed that the personality traits of
conscientiousness (β = 0.35) and openness to
experience (β = 0.32) were the strongest predictors
of students' academic preferences. Extraversion (β
= 0.22) and agreeableness (β = 0.18) were
moderate predictors, while neuroticism had the
weakest associati
on (β =
-0.07).
Factor Analysis: Factor analysis of the learning
environment preferences showed that students’
preferences could be categorized into three factors:
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“structured and organized learning,” “interactive
and collaborative learning,” and “indepen
dent and
exploratory learning.” These factors aligned closely
with personality traits, with conscientiousness and
neuroticism being strongly associated with the first
factor, while extraversion and openness were
linked to the second and third factors, respectively.
DISCUSSION
The findings from this study underscore the
significant role that personality traits play in
shaping students’ educational and career
preferences. The results are consistent with
previous research indicating that personality
factors influence a wide range of academic
behaviors, from subject choices to preferred
learning environments and career aspirations. The
alignment between personality traits and academic
choices suggests that personality is a key
determinant of students’ education
al paths and
that understanding these traits can help guide
students toward more fulfilling academic and
career outcomes.
Openness to Experience was found to be a strong
predictor of interest in creative and intellectual
fields. Students high in openness tend to seek out
novel and challenging academic environments,
making them more likely to thrive in
interdisciplinary or research-focused disciplines.
Conscientiousness emerged as a key factor in
predicting preferences for structured and
achievement-oriented
academic
disciplines.
Students with high conscientiousness are
motivated by clear goals and are likely to choose
fields that provide measurable outcomes, such as
medicine, law, or engineering.
Extraversion and Agreeableness both play
significant roles in determining students’
preferences for social and collaborative learning
environments. Extraverted students thrive in
interactive settings, while agreeable students
prefer teamwork and cooperation.
Neuroticism was linked to preferences for
predictable, low-stress academic disciplines and
environments. These students may benefit from
guidance that helps them navigate the more
challenging and competitive aspects of university
life.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of
considering personality traits when providing
academic advising and career counseling.
Personalized guidance that takes into account
students' personality profiles can help them make
more informed decisions about their academic and
career paths, leading to higher satisfaction and
better academic outcomes.
CONCLUSION
This study confirms that personality traits, as
defined by the Big Five model, play a significant
role in shaping university students’ preferences for
academic disciplines, learning environments, and
career
aspirations.
Understanding
these
preferences is crucial for educators, counselors,
and policymakers, as it enables them to offer
tailored advice that aligns with students' individual
characteristics. The findings suggest that
interventions designed to assess and understand
personality traits could be integrated into
academic advising and career guidance programs,
helping students make choices that are both
personally fulfilling and academically successful.
Future research could explore longitudinal trends
to see how personality traits evolve over time and
continue to influence students’ academic and
career paths as they progress through university
and beyond.
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