2019 Annual Conference

Adult Development

Concurrent Session (45 minutes)

Personality trait is a narrative method indicating individual differences and it has various forms based on different developmental theories. Additionally, the diverse social support types are also influenced by the different personality traits. This session will discuss the correlation between the adult personality traits and the social support options.

Target audiences are adult learners and educators who are interested in adult development, adult personality theory, and adult social support.

The outcomes of this session are to present a basic narrative form of adult personality characteristics of adult learner population. The relationship between the adult personality characteristics and diverse social support types will also be concluded. It is expected that findings of the study would help adult educators to understand the basic pathway that summarizes the personality traits and the social support options which stimulated by diverse personality characteristics. Additional to that, results could also inspire adult educators to provide more suitable learning supporting approaches for adult learners in order to promote their personal development.

Personality traits are often used to explore individual differences. There are many psychometric methods to generalize individual personality traits depending on diverse developmental theories. McDougall (1932) considers that, “personality may to advantage to broadly analyzed into five distinguishable but separate factors, namely intellect, character, temperament, disposition, and temper…” (p. 15). Using this argument, the “Big Five” personality assessment was developed to measure the personality traits of individuals. Social support is one of the apparent interactive human behaviors. Indeed, the adult social support types are largely depending on individual options. Lin (1986) defined “social support” as perceived or actual instrumental and/or expressive provisions supplied by the community, social network, and confiding partners.” (p. 9). In order to explore the correlation between the personality traits and social support options, this study will use survey research method to reveal the “Big Five” personality characteristics of adult participants and its relationship with each social support types. It is expected that this study will provide a correlation model for adult personality traits and social support types, as well as enlightening adult educators and/or trainers to select and use suitable strategies to help adult learners adapt to social and leaning environment.

The initial part will introduce the concepts of personality traits and social support as well as the factors that influence the social support options. The second section will present the research method and instruments include “Big Five” Personality traits assessment and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Data analysis process and a correlation analysis for personality traits and social support types will then be demonstrated. Finally, findings and practical implications will be provided for adult educators to better assist adult learners.