There is much research in psychology that emphasizes the role of personality in predicting health and health-related behaviours (Vollrath and Toergersen 2002). In the main personality research reflects a more stable, trait-like approach to the individual than much cognitive work and covers a range of personality traits such as the ‘big five’ which are agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, extraversion and intellect. These aspects of personality have been shown to be associated with a range of health behaviours such as smoking and diet (Bogg and Roberts 2004). Ingledew and Ferguson (2006) explored the role of personality alongside motivation in predicting safer sex in university students and concluded that the traits of agreeableness and conscientiousness predicted safer sex and this effect occurred due to the impact of these personality traits upon an individual’s motivation.

Tags: , ,