Examining Equity Sensitivity: An Investigation Using the Big Five and HEXACO Models of Personality

Abstract

The construct of equity sensitivity describes an individual's preference about his/her desired input to outcome ratio. Individuals high on equity sensitivity tend to be more input oriented, and are often called “Benevolents.” Individuals low on equity sensitivity are more outcome oriented, and are described as “Entitleds.” Given that equity sensitivity has often been described as a trait, the purpose of the present study was to examine major personality correlates of equity sensitivity, so as to inform both the nature of equity sensitivity, and the potential processes through which certain broad personality traits may relate to outcomes. We examined the personality correlates of equity sensitivity across three studies (total N = 1170), two personality models (i.e., the Big Five and HEXACO), the two most common measures of equity sensitivity (i.e., the Equity Preference Questionnaire and Equity Sensitivity Inventory), and using both self and peer reports of personality (in Study 3). Although results varied somewhat across samples, the personality variables of Conscientiousness and Honesty-Humility, followed by Agreeableness, were the most robust predictors of equity sensitivity. Individuals higher on these traits were more likely to be Benevolents, whereas those lower on these traits were more likely to be Entitleds. Although some associations between Extraversion, Openness, and Neuroticism and equity sensitivity were observed, these were generally not robust. Overall, it appears that there are several prominent personality variables underlying equity sensitivity, and that the addition of the HEXACO model's dimension of Honesty-Humility substantially contributes to our understanding of equity sensitivity.

Moral relevance varies due to inter‐individual and intra‐individual differences across big data technology domains

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Individual Differences in Selfishness as a Major Dimension of Personality: A Reinterpretation of the Sixth Personality Factor

“…Participants who were lower in honesty–humility made more selfish allocations, which in turn led others to view them negatively on traits related to honesty–humility (Hilbig, Thielmann, Hepp, Klein, & Zettler, 2015). More broadly, in a study of equity sensitivity (i.e., an individual's preference regarding his or her desired input-to-outcome ratio), participants who were low in honesty–humility focused more on what they could get out of the situation (e.g., outcome-oriented), whereas those high in honesty–humility tended to be more focused on what they could give (e.g., input-oriented; Woodley, Bourdage, Ogunfowora, & Nguyen, 2015). All of these patterns seem to reflect differences in selfishness.…”

Collaborative dishonesty: A meta-analytic review.

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