1. Relationships between Big Five Diagonals, Turnover Intent, and Workplace Accidents David A. Periard, Megan B. Morris, Elizabeth A. Shoda, Gary N. Burns Wright State University
Introduction
The purpose of the current study was to explore the criterion related validity of the Big Five Diagonals contained within the AB5C for accidents and turnover intent.
Accidents
In 2009 there were 3.6 million accidents in the U.S.A, with 1.8 million of these resulting in missing work, transferring, or restriction (Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 2011).
The estimated cost of these accidents was approximately $50.1 billion dollars in worker’s compensation cases only (Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety [LMRIS], 2011).
Accidents are negatively correlated with the Big Five Factors conscientiousness (Christian, Bradley, Wallace, & Burke, 2009), emotional stability (Christian, Bradley, Wallace, & Burke, 2009) and agreeableness (Clarke & Robinson, 2008).
Turnover
Turnover costs, on average, 12% of an employer’s pretax income (Saratoga Institute, 2006); costs can be up to 40% of total earnings in companies with high turnover rates (Saratoga Institute, 2006).
Turnover is negatively correlated with organizational performance (Shaw, Duffy, Johnson, & Lockhart, 2005).
Turnover Intent is negatively correlated with emotional stability (Zimmerman, 2008).
Actual turnover is negatively correlated with agreeableness and conscientiousness (Zimmerman, 2008).
Big Five Diagonals
AB5C Circumplex was developed by Hofstee, de Raad, and Goldberg (1992).
Each circumplex is a blend of two Big Five Factors.
Research Questions
Are the Big Five Diagonals relatively more important than their corresponding Five Factor traits in predicting accidents and turnover intent?
Method
Participants
Participants were 289 workers recruited from StudyResponse database.
Mean age: years young (SD = 11.06).
78.5% Caucasian.
52.5% male.
Average tenure at current company: 8.7 years (SD = 7.29).
The occupations held by the participants varied (e.g. CEO, postal worker, administrative assistant).
Measures
Accidents were measured using a single item from Wallace and Vodanovich (2003) in an open ended numeric response format.
“Over the last three years, how many workplace accidents have you been involved in?”
Turnover intent was measured by averaging 3 items derived from Jaros (1997; α = .91).
“I intend to search for a position with another employer within the next year.”
Big Five personality factors and circumplexes were assessed using the AB5C-IPIP from the International Personality Item Pool (Goldberg, 2006). Specifically we examined agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability and their associated positive circumplexes.
Results
Correlations M SD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1) Agreeableness (II+/II+)
4.05
.64
 (.88)
2) Conscientiousness (III+/III+)
3.99
.61
.53**
(.87) 
3) Emotional Stability (IV+/IV+)
3.44
.75
.34**
.41**
 (.87)
4) Morality (II+|III+)
4.09
.62
.78**
.67**
.37**
5) Pleasantness (II+|IV+)
3.77
.64**
.59**
.61**
6) Dutifulness (III+|II+)
4.15
.72**
.79**
.42**
.86**
.66**
 (.91)
7) Purposefulness (III+|IV+)
3.80
.45**
.77**
.55**
.50**
.48**
(.79) 
8) Calmness (IV+|II+)
3.69
.74
.82**
.54**
.75**
.60**
.57**
(.88) 
9) Moderation (IV+|III+)
3.53
.63
.40**
.58**
.73**
.47**
.56**
.71**
.69**
10) Accidents
0.74
1.96
-.33**
-.32**
-.03
-.37**
-.21**
-.18**
-.15*
-.10
 - -
11) Turnover Intent
2.23
1.14
-.23**
-.42**
-.19**
-.31**
-.25**
-.40**
-.34**
-.29**
-.30**
.16*
Note. N = 215. *p < .05, **p < .01.
Dominance Analyses
Accidents
Turnover Intent
Predictor b β
General Dominance B
(Constant)
6.378
5.507
Agreeableness (II+/II+)
-0.303
-0.099
0.035
0.108
0.061
0.015
Conscientiousness (III+/III+)
-0.294
-0.092
0.031
-0.519
-0.280**
0.083
Morality (II+|III+)
-0.522
-0.165
0.047
0.130
0.071
0.028
Dutifulness (III+|II+)
-0.266
-0.082
0.042
-0.526
-0.279
0.066 R2
0.154
0.192
4.446
4.215
-0.967
-0.316**
0.079
-0.157
-0.088
0.020
Emotional Stability (IV+/IV+)
-0.500
0.191
0.023
0.168
0.110
0.013
Pleasantness (II+|IV+)
-0.138
-0.045
0.016
-0.050
-0.028
Calmness (IV+|II+)
-0.101
0.007
-0.470
-0.306*
0.040
0.125
0.094
4.186
5.460
-1.425
-0.445**
0.092
-0.695
-0.374**
0.100
0.073
0.004
0.048
0.010
Purposefulness (III+|IV+)
0.278
0.088
0.018
-0.005
-0.003
0.043
Moderation (IV+|III+)
0.148
0.005
-0.196
-0.109
0.030
0.120
0.182
Note. N = 214. *p < .05, **p < .01. β = Standardized Regression Coefficient.
(II+/II+) Agreeableness
(II+/III+) Morality
(II+/IV+) Pleasantness
(III+/III+) Conscientiousness
(III+/II+) Dutifulness
(III+/IV+) Purposefulness
(IV+/IV+) Emotional Stability
(IV+/II+) Calmness
(IV+/III+) Moderation
Discussion
Dominance Analysis Results
For accidents, morality demonstrated higher relative importance than agreeableness and conscientiousness.
For turnover intent, calmness displayed higher relative importance than emotional stability and agreeableness.
Limitations
Narrow focus on only positive circumplexes.
Self-reports leading to possible common method variance.
Conclusion
AB5C-IPIP circumplexes can be better predictors of accidents and turnover intent than the Big Five Factors.
Purposefulness
(III+/IV+)
Conscientiousness (+III/+III)
Analyses
Data was cleaned by removing outliers (Z > 3.5) and by whether the participants correctly answered check questions.
Correlations were calculated between the measured Big Five Circumplexes, turnover intent, and accidents.
Several hierarchical regressions were conducted to examine incremental validity of the Big Five diagonals, followed by dominance analyses.
Moderation (IV+/ III+)
Emotional Stability
(-IV/-IV)
Emotional Stability (+IV/+IV)
Cool-Headedness
(IV+/III-)
Conscientiousness (-III/-III)
Perfectionism (III-/IV+)