An interlocking, multimethod program of research will examine the origins and maintenance of individual differences in agreeableness in two minorities (Mexican-American & African American) and majority children and adolescents, and its links to adjustment. Agreeableness materializes with many different theoretical labels, but this dimension appears to be a general dispositional summary for processes of social valuation and attraction. Socialization patterns, both within cultures and between cultures, may be systematically related to its development, but there is little prospective scientific work on validity of assessments or underlying processes. Our goal is to continue basic, process-oriented, foundational work. The first research module will focus on reliability and convergent validity, using a computer assessment methodology to obtain self-ratings from Mexican-American, African American, and majority children and adolescents. This evidence will be compared with adult ratings of the same children for the convergent validity of agreeableness assessments. We will also use a prospective longitudinal design to follow the children and adolescents for evidence on the stability and predictive validity of agreeableness during periods of life transition. The second module focuses on specific processes linking agreeableness to emotional self-regulation. The third module links agreeableness to social Cognition. The fourth module examines interpersonal interaction. The four modules are designed to build basic empirical bridges toward an understanding of individual differences in adaptation in social environments.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01MH050069-05
Application #
2666967
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZMH1-BRB-N (01))
Project Start
1994-08-01
Project End
2003-07-31
Budget Start
1998-08-20
Budget End
1999-07-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Texas A&M University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
047006379
City
College Station
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77845
Tobin, Renée M; Graziano, William G (2011) The disappointing gift: dispositional and situational moderators of emotional expressions. J Exp Child Psychol 110:227-40
Graziano, William G; Habashi, Meara M; Sheese, Brad E et al. (2007) Agreeableness, empathy, and helping: a person x situation perspective. J Pers Soc Psychol 93:583-99
Graziano, William G; Bruce, Jennifer; Sheese, Brad E et al. (2007) Attraction, personality, and prejudice: liking none of the people most of the time. J Pers Soc Psychol 93:565-82
Sheese, Brad E; Graziano, William G (2005) Deciding to defect: the effects of video-game violence on cooperative behavior. Psychol Sci 16:354-7
Hair, Elizabeth C; Graziano, William G (2003) Self-esteem, personality and achievement in high school: a prospective longitudinal study in Texas. J Pers 71:971-94
Graziano, William G (2003) Personality development: an introduction toward process approaches to long-term stability and change in persons. J Pers 71:893-903
Graziano, William G; Tobin, Renee M (2002) Agreeableness: dimension of personality or social desirability artifact? J Pers 70:695-727
Tobin, R M; Graziano, W G; Vanman, E J et al. (2000) Personality, emotional experience, and efforts to control emotions. J Pers Soc Psychol 79:656-69