Alan Newman https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alangnewman Alan Newman https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alangnewman PERSONALITY HEALTH and WELLBEING You want to influence my behaviour. How confident are you you know which buttons to push, and in what order? And what are the buttons that you shouldnt push? 2 alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist HOW DO YOU INFLUENCE THE BEHAVIOUR OF SOMEBODY WHO DOES NOT THINK LIKE YOU DO ? ( You probably dont ) alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 3 alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 4 Globally we are seeing an increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Examples include cancers, diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. This is in sharp contrast to the communicable diseases (e.g. flu, malaria, measles, or tuberculosis) that dominated the health agenda until recently. These NCDs are often associated with certain lifestyles so governments and the medical profession, in particular, want many of us to change our behaviour. However, attempts to change behaviour on a large scale have generally been unsuccessful. There are a number of reasons for this but an important one is obvious yet overlooked: people are complicated and personality matters. (The way you respond to a particular health-and-lifestyle message will very probably be different to the way I respond to it. And in both cases the message may not be interpreted as intended and it may not be acted on as intended because the people sending the message didnt know enough about you or me to get it right.) People are.... COMPLICATED. Consisting of many parts intricately combined; difficult to analyze, understand, or explain. alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 5 alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 6 The scientific study of personality has had a long and chequered history but as a body of knowledge has developed over the years things are become clearer. Today psychologists usually see personality as comprising 3 major facets: 1.Personality as having: personality traits and strengths. 2.Personality as doing: personal goals and accomplishments. 3.Personality as being: the narratives we construct and how we communicate with others. PERSONALITY (1) alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 7 (a)HAVING (c) BEING(b) DOING alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 8 Within the context of HAVING personality we encounter The Big 5 Openness reflects the tendency to seek out new experiences and knowledge. People who score high on openness tend to stay in education longer and change jobs more frequently than average. Those who score low value tradition and find change unsettling. Conscientiousness is the personality trait of being thorough, reliable, careful, or vigilant. People who score low on the trait tend to be easy-going and rather disorganised. Their To Do lists may not have very many ticks. Those who score high are Robinson Crusoes (their work is done by Friday). Those who score very high may be viewed as obsessive or compulsive. Extraversion. Those who score high on this trait enjoy social attention, readily express emotions and are talkative. Those who score low are content with isolation, prefer small-scale socialising and keep themselves to themselves. Agreeableness. People who score high on this trait avoid conflict, are co-operative and trusting, and sensitive to the feelings of others. Low scorers are more likely to be competitive. They may not seek conflict but are not uncomfortable with it and will typically say they like straight talking. Low scores on this scale are associated with a higher-than-average incidence of cardiovascular disease later in life. Neuroticism can be viewed as emotional stability. Those who score high on this trait tend to be anxious, realistic, threat sensitive, and prone to fatigue. A low score indicates that setbacks are taken-in-stride and that we dont worry about things we cant influence. THE BIG 5 PERSONALITY TRAITS alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 9 O penness C onscientiousness E xtraversion A A greeableness N euroticism HAVING alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 10 PERSONALITY & HEALTH For our purposes the two most important traits are conscientiousness and neuroticism. High conscientiousness is strongly linked to better health and longevity. High scorers on this trait tend to eat healthy diets, use seat belts, and not smoke. High extraversion is associated with good personal networks which correlate with good health but it is also associated with hedonism such as drinking too much or using recreational drugs. There is a link with cardiovascular disease. High scores on neuroticism are associated with eating disorders and substance abuse. THE BIG 5 PERSONALITY TRAITS alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 11 O penness Conscientiousness E xtraversion A A greeablenessNeuroticism HAVING alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 12 THE 5 Ts PERSONALITY & HEALTH Until recently there has been little empirical evidence relating personality traits and health-related behaviours. This has mainly been because the science of personality has not been strong enough to underpin solid research. The Big 5 Personality Test has helped to change that. Applying insights from personality research to health behaviour and health related outcomes focuses on the 5 Ts: 1.Targeting 2.Tailoring 3.Training 4.Treatment 5.Transformation The 5 Ts of Personality & Health alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 13 TARGETINGTAILORING TRAININGTREATMENT TRANSFORMATION alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 14 AUDIENCE Exhortation has no sustainable effect on behaviour change. Physicians and high-achievers in corporate world tend to have high scores on conscientiousness. But a consequence of this is that the language of engagement with those in the population who have average or low scores on this trait is that of a well- intentioned but nagging parent. Communications may be well intentioned but they are (subconsciously) ignored. AUDIENCE AUDIENCE AUDIENCE alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 15 QUESTION 1. Do physicians and those who are successful in corporate world tend to score high or low on Conscientiousness? QUESTION 2. Do those of us who eat too much, or drink too much, or smoke too much, or dont take enough exercise tend to score high or low on Conscientiousness? QUESTION 3. So why do we expect you must change your behaviour messages that emanate from conscientious folks and their mindsets to have an impact on those who are less conscientious? (Would we expect an atheist to be much influenced by a biblical quotation? Or a creationist to be influenced positively by a quotation from The Origin of Species?) HAVING alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 16 PERSONALITY AS DOING Each of us interacts with the world in our own way. To what extent do you and I view success in the same way or intimacy, or risk, or health? What do you love doing? What do you loathe doing? PERSONALITY (2) alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 17 (a) HAVING (c) BEING (b) DOING alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 18 PERSONALITY AS DOING Within personality-as-doing we see how people view achievement, power and intimacy. Those who score high on achievement motivation keep score (for themselves and others), focus on tasks where wins are clear and achievable, value dominance and hate to fail. Those with a very high score on need-to-achieve are less effective than those with high scores probably because of an unwillingness to compromise. In this context power refers to the desire to have an impact on others. Those with a high score on this trait are not only more willing than most to argue but also are more likely to be elected to positions of authority. A very high score, however, is associated with over-controlling and abusive behaviour. Those with a high score on need-for-affiliation and intimacy invest a lot of time in friendships and experience more happiness and less stress than those who score low. Women tend to score more highly than men do on this trait. (Transcendence, generativity and mindfulness are relevant here too. ) ACHIEVEMENT POWER INTIMACY alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 19 DOING alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 20 MOVING TO or MOVING FROM Just as we exhibit a preference for being left handed or right handed people exhibit a preference for one of two approaches the world around them. Some people have an approach that focuses on moving to achievement of a goal or an anticipated reward. In relationships these promotion- orientated people look for matches. Others have an approach that focuses on safety and security and moving from perceived risk or danger. In relationships these prevention-orientated people focus on avoiding mismatches. PROMOTING or PREVENTING alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 21 DOING FOCUS ON MOVING TO achievement or growth. Aka Promotion FOCUS ON MOVING FROM danger or risk. Aka Prevention alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 22 PERSONALITY AS BEING When somebody asks you to say something about yourself, what comes to mind? We (subconsciously) construct stories that make up a life history a work in progress. These stories (or narratives in the jargon) help us make sense of who we are and our place in the world. Our narratives are shaped by our culture, our generation, and our listener(s). PERSONALITY (3) alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 23 (a) HAVING (c) BEING (b) DOING alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 24 PERSONALITY AS BEING Lets return to that question, Tell me about yourself. Set aside concerns about being judged as if you were at an interview and really think about it. What do I need to know about you in order to know you well? Whats your story? Research in to personal narratives is relatively new but it appears that a number of themes crop up time and again: CCAMPER. Communion: Connections with other people. Contamination. When good things have turned bad. Agency. Ways in which weve changed our lives. Meaning making. Insights weve gained from a particular experience. Positive resolution. Ways in which weve solved problems or resolved conflict. Exploration. Ways in which weve reviewed and re-visited our lives via our stories. Redemption. Those times when weve overcome adversity. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 25 BEING alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 26 PERSONALITY AS BEING Obituaries and epitaphs are narratives that are public and personal at the same time. What would your (500 word) obituary say about you if your life had finished yesterday? What might we see on your gravestone ? (On Jeffersons gravestone there was no reference to his having been the 3 rd President of the United States.) How interesting would your autobiography be? Or an unauthorised biography? What will genealogists of your family say about you? This matters. If I dont know how health and wellbeing fit in to your personal narrative, or that of your family, there is a good chance that my communications with you on these topics will be unproductive. NARRATIVES alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 27 BEING Here was buried Thomas Jefferson Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and father of the University of Virginia. Id rather be on safari and at least Ive stopped talking alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 28 WELLBEING and PERSONALITY In the UK The Office for National Statistics (ONS) measures national wellbeing based on citizens responses to four questions (HALL): 1.Happiness. How happy did you feel yesterday? 2.Anxiety. How anxious did you feel yesterday? 3.Life satisfaction. How satisfied are you with your life nowadays? 4.Life meaning. To what extent do you feel the things in your life are worthwhile? (Money is a poor predictor of wellbeing btw.) The personality factors at play here include Grit, Self regulation, Mindfulness. PERSONALITY and WELLBEING alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 29 Connect with the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day. Be Active Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness. Take Notice Be curious. Celebrate beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters. Keep learningTry something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Learn how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things is fun. Give Do something for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Were social animals. Being linked to a wider community is invariably rewarding. A 5 FACTORS VIEW OF WELLBEING alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 30 alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 31 The 5 Components of Wellbeing CLANG CONNECT Be ACTIVE Take NOTICE KeepLEARNING GIVE alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 32 WELLBEING and PERSONALITY 1.GRIT refers to a combination of perseverance and passion. We perhaps see it most clearly in top athletes or musicians who have to train or practice for thousands of hours. 2.SELF-REGULATION is associated with strong impulse control and deferred gratification. It is strongly associated with conscientiousness. 3.MINDFULNESS refers to a state of mind where we pay attention to the present moment: to our thoughts. feelings, and the world around us. It is an attribute long believed to promote well-being. alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 33 Grit, Self regulation, Mindfulness alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 34 TO SUMMARISE..... If we are to engage with our target audience we need to know what buttons to press, and when: and what buttons NOT to press. When it comes to Health and Wellbeing there are a lot of factors to consider and no silver bullet. Always bear this in mind: ITS COMPLICATED ! To Summarise PEOPLE ARE COMPLICATED. Changing our behaviour is difficult. PERSONALITY and HEALTH: Having: The Big 5 Factors (OCEAN). Doing: Achievement, Power, Intimacy. Being: Narratives. CCAMPER. Promoting vs Preventing. The 5 Ts of Personality and Health PERSONALITY and WELLBEING: The 5 Components of Wellbeing ( CLANG). Grit, Self Regulation, Mindfulness. BOTTOM LINE: How well are we applying insights from these areas in order to engage with our audience? alan g newmanBusiness Psychologist 35