An Investigation Into the Interactions Between Positive and Negative Aspects of Personality, Perfectionism, Coping, and Locus of Control: a Latent Profile Analysis

Abstract

Our main aim was to investigate whether a taxonomic or a continuum model best fit to the associations between positive and negative aspects of trait psychological constructs. Using a factor analytic approach, we found that positive aspects of personality, perfectionism, coping, and locus of control were discernible from negative aspects of these constructs. Adhering to latent profile analysis procedure, we found four latent homogenous subsets among which individuals differentiated in their levels of positive traits. These four latent homogenous groups were labeled as 'Extremely low positive traits with high agreeableness', 'Low positive traits', 'High positive traits with high agreeableness', and 'High positive traits'. Latent class analyses demonstrated that participants who reported greater scores on positive traits were classified into two groups based on agreeableness scores (latent class 3 vs latent class 4). However, these two high positive traits groups did not significantly differentiate in other positive or negative traits. At the other extreme, those who scored extremely low on positive traits were also distinguishable from 'Low positive traits' group (latent class 2) dependent on high agreeableness scores (latent class 1) and at higher risk in terms of lowest positive traits among these four latent homogenous groups. It was appeared that agreeableness operates counterproductively among low positive individuals. It is concluded that multidimensional trait constructs seem to have two aspects including positive and negative facets rather than operating along a continuum or being simple opposites.