Directionality of Person-Situation Transactions: Are There Spillovers Among and Between Situation Experiences And Personality States?
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Published online on May 26, 2016
Abstract
To elucidate temporal sequences among and between person and situation variables, this work examines cross-measurement spillovers between situation experiences S (on the Situational Eight DIAMONDS characteristics [Duty, Intellect, Adversity, Mating, pOsitivity, Negativity, Deception, Sociality]) and personality states P (on the Big Six HEXACO dimensions [Honesty/Humility, Emotionality, eXtraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Openness to Experience]) in experience sampling data. Multi-level modeling of lagged data at tn-1 and non-lagged data at tn grants the opportunity to examine (a) the stability (P -> P, S -> S), (b) cross-sectional associations (S P), and (c) cross-lagged associations among and between situation experiences and personality states (S -> P, P -> S). Findings indicated that there were (a) moderate stability paths, (b) small to moderate cross-sectional paths, and (c) only very small cross-lagged paths (though the different situation characteristics and personality states showed differential tendencies toward no directionality, S -> P or P -> S unidirectionality, or bidirectionality). Findings are discussed in light of refining studies on dynamic person–situation transactions.