Homophily in Personality Enhances Group Success Among Real-Life Friends

Frontiers in Psychology

article

Michael Laakasuo¹  Anna Rotkirch²  Max van Duijn³  Venla Berg²  Markus Jokela¹  Tamas David-Barrett⁵  Anneli Miettinen⁸  Eiluned Pearce⁹  Robin Dunbar^1,10 

[1] Department of Digital Humanities, Cognitive Science Unit, University of Helsinki;Population Research Institute;Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS), Leiden University;Institute of Criminology and Legal Policy, University of Helsinki;Universidad del Desarrollo;Trinity College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom;Väestöliitto Population Research Institute;National Folk Pention Institution;Division of Psychiatry, University College London, United Kingdom;Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

关键词: friendship;    personality;    Big Five;    groups;    group performance;    inclusion-of-other-in-self;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00710

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Personality affects dyadic relations and teamwork, yet its role among groups of friends has been little explored. We examine for the first time whether similarity in personality enhances the effectiveness of real-life friendship groups. Using data from a longitudinal study of a European fraternity (10 male and 15 female groups), we investigate how individual Big Five personality traits were associated with group formation and whether personality homophily related to how successful the groups were over 1 year ( N = 147–196). Group success was measured as group performance/identification (adoption of group markers) and as group bonding (using the inclusion-of-other-in-self scale). Results show that individuals’ similarity in neuroticism and conscientiousness predicted group formation. Furthermore, personality similarity was associated with group success, even after controlling for individual’s own personality. Especially higher group-level similarity in conscientiousness was associated with group performance, and with bonding in male groups.

【 授权许可】

CC BY