Science University Research Symposium (SURS)
Publication Date
Fall 2023
College
Sciences and Mathematics, College of
Department
Psychological Science, Department of
SURS Faculty Advisor
Abigail Heller
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Previous research has demonstrated that an individual’s self-concept has an impact on their academic achievement (Steinmayr et al., 2019). Aspects of a person’s self-concept include their personality and feelings of imposter syndrome, fear of failure, and academic self-efficacy. Personality, specifically neuroticism and openness, has been used to predict individual’s academic motivations (Komarraju et al., 2009), as well as their academic achievement (Wang et al., 2023) and prevalence of imposter syndrome (Bernard et al., 2002). However, research has not elaborated on how specific aspects of personality influence one’s self-concept as expressed through imposter syndrome, fear of failure, and academic self-efficacy during the stage of emerging adulthood. This study examined how neuroticism and openness are associated with imposter syndrome, fear of failure, and academic self-efficacy in emerging adults. In this study, college students (N = 46) filled out a survey on Qualtrics that measured demographics, fear of failure, imposter syndrome, academic self-efficacy, and personality. Results indicated that openness was not associated with impostorism, r(44) = .02, p = .905, fear of failure, r(44) = .02, p = .898, or academic self-efficacy, r(44) = .04, p = .790. Neuroticism was not associated with impostorism, r(44) = .14, p = .368, or fear of failure r(44) = -.03, p = .831. Higher levels of neuroticism were associated with lower levels of academic self-efficacy, r(44) = -.53, p < .001. Results suggested that openness was not associated with achievement-related factors, but neuroticism was related to academic self-efficacy. Thus, this research can inform future studies that seek to understand how students of different personalities may approach achievement in academic environments.
Recommended Citation
Yake, Olivia; Grant, Sophie; Downey, Kate; and Bosman, Emma, "The Relationship between Personality and Achievement-Related Factors" (2023). Science University Research Symposium (SURS). 117.
https://repository.belmont.edu/surs/117
