General Personality Types of College Engineering Students Influencing Their Academic Success

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: Examining STEM Students' Learning and Academic Experiences in Postsecondary Education

Abstract

This study was to explore whether and to what extent the Big Five personality traits correlate with and explain unique variance of academic success among undergraduate civil engineering students. In total, 151 college engineering students completed the 240-item NEO Personality Inventory-3 (NEO-PI-3). Neuroticism (positively), Extroversion (negatively), and Agreeableness (negatively) were significantly correlated with current term GPA. Neuroticism (positively) and Agreeableness (negatively) were significantly correlated with cumulative GPA. The NEO-PI-3 model explained an additional 13.5% of the variance in the current term GPA and 12.8% of the variance in the cumulative GPA. Neuroticism (3.4%) and Agreeableness (3.3%) explained unique variance in the current term GPA. Neuroticism (6.1%), Agreeableness (2.3%), and Conscientiousness (3.6%) explained unique variance in the cumulative GPA.

Authors

• Naser Hourieh, Fordham University

• Yi Ding, Fordham University

• Qian Wang, Manhattan College

• Eric C. Chen, Fordham University

• John Craven, Fordham University