Abstract

The relationship between personality traits and harvesting behavior was investigated in a resource dilemma situation. Two questions were examined: Under what conditions of resource dilemma will personality traits have significant relationship with, and are which personality traits related to cooperative behavior? Groups of four subjects (Military Academy male cadets) were asked to harvest points from a replenishable resource pool. Two factors were crossed in a factoral design; group membership (ingroup vs outgroup membership) and feedback type (individual vs aggregated group level). The primary dependent measure was mean group harvest. Subjects had completed 3 personality tests before they participated in the experiment. The tests were MMPI, Standardized Diagnostic Personality Inventory, and Self-Actualization Inventory. Personality traits measured through the tests were correlated with harvest points. There was no significant correlation between psychopathological traits and harvest points under the individual level feedback condition, in which conformity pressure was strong. In other conditions, the two variables were positively correlated. Healthy personality traits were negatively correlated with harvest points. Additionally, some personality traits were found to be related to individuals' willingness to give up free access to the resource in favor of a leader. Future research agenda was discussed in relation to these results.