Personality Correlates of Social Attitudes and Social Distance

Sociologist Emory Bogardus introduced the concept of social distance between groups and subsequently developed the Bogardus Social Distance Scale for measuring social attitudes (1933).  The study coauthored by Dr. Edel Sanders examined the influence of personality on the level of social distance toward certain social groups by using the BSDS scale in addition to the Big Five Inventory, which assesses personality traits (Donahue & Kentle, 1991). A relationship between social distance, agreeableness, and openness to experience was revealed. Agreeableness appeared to lower the level of social distance toward all of the groups studied. Openness to experience appeared to lower the level of social distance toward “groups that evoke more polarized attitudes in the majority of the population (e.g., migrants).” We also found that demographic characteristics such as age, education level, and gender influenced social distance. A key finding in this study showed that personality related significantly to social distance and the expression of prejudicial attitudes. 

For more details see: Jonáš, J., Doubková, N., Heissler, R., Sanders, E. M., Preiss, M. (2023). Personality correlates of social attitudes and social distance. Current Issues in Personality Psychology.

https://doi.org/10.5114/cipp/166031