Personality Strength : A New Variable for OpinionAttitude Research

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Personality Strength A New Variable for
Opinion-Attitude Research

• Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann
• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
• Friedrich Tennstaedt

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On the personality of opinion Leaders

• Goal measure the elusive concept of opinion
  leadership
• The concept Personality Strength ( PS )
• why some individuals influence public
  opinion

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1) How about individual personality traits
?2) Do they relate to opinion leadership ?
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Test to measure this personality syndrome

• What is the relationship between PS ans related
  constructs ?
• Do people who score high or low on PS differ in
  terms of life goals ?
• Do such differences hold independently of gender,
  age and social class status ?

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The PS Scale

• Scale of 10 items
• Based on 3 important dimensions
• Self confidence
• Committment
• Leadership

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PS Scale Score

• The High PS 111- 149 ( 23)
• The High Average 91- 110 ( 30)
• Low Average 81- 91 ( 30)
• Low PS 75- 80 ( 17)

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Distribution of Personality Strength by
Demographic Factors

• Sex
• Men
• High PS 28
• Low PS 14

• Women
• High PS 19
• Low PS 20

• Age
• High PS 30 50
• Low PS over 70

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Relationship between Interviewers ratings and
respondents PS score

• 1) Whether the interviewer thought the
  respondent radiated strength and energy as
  opposed to being boring.
• 2) Whether the respondent gave the impression of
  being a model for others.
• 3) Whether he (or she) appeared self-assured
  during the interview.

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Life Goals of High and Low SES Respondents with
Different Levels of PS

• If PS reflects a generalized attitude towards
  life, members of the High group should endorse a
  different pattern of personal goals than members
  of the Low group.
• The results suggest that PS indeed makes a
  difference in the kind of life-goals people
  develop.

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Personality Strength and Rates of Participation
in Community Affairs

• 58 of High PS are members of political parties,
  clubs, or associations.
• 29 of Low PS
• Altruism and Soaciability
• Persons with strong personality and leadership
  qualities might be self-centered, arrogant, or
  uninterested in helping other people !

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Contribution of PS and Social Structural Factors

• Contribution to variations in responses to
  Personal Goals, Community Participation, and
  Sociability.
• Generalized Linear Interactive Modelling (
  GLIM )
• Most likely to report many friends are High PS,
  younger, more affluent men.

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Conclusions

• PS, measured by the PS Scale, is generalized
  disposition to take a self-confident, active role
  in life.
• Persons with high PS are more strong and
  self-assured, participate more in community
  affairs and take positions of leadership in
  social groups.
• The PS score changes with the SES, age, sex or
  social class.

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Main Question

• How does Personality Strength develop ?

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Thank you for your attention !