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Original Article

Leisure Interests and Engagement

Distinct Dispositions or Only Expressions of Personality Traits?

Published Online:October 09, 2019https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000308

Abstract

Abstract. Individual differences in interests and related engagement are often hypothesized to be mere expressions of core personality differences in specific contexts, such as occupation and leisur. However, previous research has found only moderate correlations between personality traits and operationalizations of interests. Moreover, interests showed comparable or even higher stability than personality traits. In the current study, we examined the correlations between different measures of Big Five personality traits and leisure interests as well as engagement in various leisure activities based on a sample of 407 individuals (132 males and 275 females). Furthermore, we compared rank-order and profile stability estimates, and analyzed the directionality of effects between the variables across two measurement occasions. Even though we found some systematic correlations between personality traits and leisure interests/engagement, most of them were small or only moderate. Estimates of profile stability tended to be larger for interests and engagements, whereas rank-order stability tended to be larger for Big Five traits. Moreover, we found bidirectional associations between personality traits and leisure interests/engagement. Thus, the results of our study provide strong support for a conceptualization of leisure interests as systematically linked with personality traits, but reflecting dispositions to behavior that are sufficiently distinct from personality traits.

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