A surprising connection between the ghost and the character has just seen the light of day. Scientists from the University of Minnesota have found that our personality can influence our perception and vice versa.
Our personality shapes our feelings, thoughts and actions. It determines whether we are outgoing, polite, curious or fearful. On the other hand, our cognitive abilities help us to master complex situations, such as understanding language or solving mathematical problems.
Image illustration Pixabay
The researchers reviewed more than 1,300 studies involving more than two million participants from 50 countries. They examined 79 personality traits and 97 cognitive abilities, ranging from humility to agreeableness and from reading speed to memory.
“Understanding how personality and intelligence are related is important because it allows us to ask deeper questions about human nature,” said study co-author Deniz Ones. “These discoveries revolutionize our understanding of human diversity and individuality.”
In particular, the key findings of this research suggest that:
– Active and energetic people tend to be better at various cognitive skills. They generally have better memories and can process information faster.
– People with depression or anxiety may have greater difficulty accumulating knowledge or thinking logically.
– More compassionate people generally have better verbal and quantitative skills.
This finding suggests an interesting connection between personality traits and the way we learn.
“We spent over 13 years collecting and analyzing all of this data,” said study co-author Kevin Stanek. “We are extremely grateful to everyone who has contributed to this project.”
What has surprised researchers is the consistency of research methods over the past century. To counteract this stagnation, they are now working on using innovative methods to record personality traits and cognitive abilities.