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Running head: Openness, Stress, Well-Being 1
Openness to Experience in Relation to Stressful Life Events and Subjective Well-Being
Skyler Williams
Dixie State University
November 12, 2014
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 2
Abstract
Evidence suggests that individuals with high levels of the personality trait of openness to
experience have a greater sense of well-being. There are many individual differences in levels of
stress and amounts of stressful life events that may have an impact on an individual’s subjective
well-being. This was a correlational study on whether or not individuals with high levels of the
personality trait of openness to experience are able to cope with stress more efficiently than those
who have lower levels of openness to experience. Participants consisted of 69 individuals with
ages ranging from 18-60, and an average of 30 years of age. Each participant completed an
online survey measuring openness to experience, subjective well-being, and stressful life events
experienced in the past year. This experiment found a correlation between openness to
experience and subjective well-being suggesting that there is a relationship between individuals
with higher levels of openness to experience and higher levels of subjective well-being.
However, there is no evidence that suggests that individuals with high levels of openness to
experience and high levels of stress were any happier than individuals with low levels of
openness to experience and high levels of stress.
Key words: Openness to experience, Subjective well-being, Stressful life events, Personality
The present experimental study
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 3
Openness to Experience and its Relationship to Well-Being
A sense of happiness and well-being is something that is valued and desired by most, if
not everybody. Many struggle their whole lives to achieve happiness and well-being, but they
are hindered in their quest by stressful life events. Personality can play a large role in whether or
not an individual reaches a satisfying level of happiness and well-being (Ryan, Laguardia, &
Rawsthorne, 2005). Research on the relationship between openness to experience (OTE),
stressful life events (SLE), and subjective well-being (SWB) may guide further understanding on
how personality type may suggest different methods of coping style. It is possible that this
research could improve future treatment.
The personality trait of OTE is something that affects the way that individuals deal with
stress, and their overall SWB. This paper will cover various topics relating to these subjects.
Stress is perceived and handled differently for everybody. To understand the differences in how
stress affects humans, it is necessary to research personality and individual coping styles for
stress. The purpose of this paper is to better understand why and how some individuals have the
ability to have a healthier sense of well-being than others after experiencing SLE. It is important
to understand the personality traits that may impact one’s ability to cope with SLE.
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 4
Many factors influence one’s volume of happiness and well-being. Stress cannot be
avoided by anybody throughout life, and it can also be quite difficult for individuals to handle
(Ryan, Laguardia, & Rawsthorne, 2005). Although everybody experiences stress, there are
diverse levels of stress (i.e., being late for work as opposed to a death of a spouse), but evidence
suggests that dissimilarities arise in personality and the way that individuals cope with the stress
(Ryan, Laguardia, & Rawsthorne, 2005).
A chronic stressor in life can very difficult because it is something that is on-going.
Individuals deal with these on a daily basis initiating constant stress (Suh, Diener, & Fujita,
1996). One part of life that is largely associated with stress and well-being has to do with
employment, and occupational stress. Occupational stress is something that is on-going, and can
be difficult for an individual to escape (Grant & Langan-Fox, 2007). Personality is something
that is not changed by the occupation, but can be a predictor of the outcome of specific stressful
situations as a result of perception (Tornroos, et al., 2013).
One way that people are able to deal with chronic stressors is by having a large self-
complexity. The personality trait of OTE gives heed to self-complexity because of one’s
willingness, and need to be open to change. When individuals have a larger self-complexity, one
factor does not define the central product of happiness. These individuals recognize that
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 5
happiness can be found elsewhere, giving them a sense of freedom (Ryan, Laguardia, &
Rawsthorne, 2005). OTE has been shown to further one’s ability to reason with disaster in a
positive manner. Prior research suggests that having a positive outlook on stressful situations
promotes a greater sense of well-being (Schiffrin & Nelson, 2010).
SLE can have a significant impact on one’s SWB. An individual may be a very happy
person before experiencing a drastic change because of an un-controllable event. These events
and experiences can affect individuals in all aspects of life, making it important for everybody to
consciously employ healthy coping habits in order to work through the experience and carry on
with life (Caunt, Franklin, & Brodaty, 2013). Personality involves diverse approaches to how
individuals cope with disaster. Evidence suggests that individuals high in OTE are more likely
to think about how they are going to cope with a situation, use humor as a coping strategy, and to
think about the positive outcome of the situation (Lee-Baggley, Preece, & DeLongis, 2005).
Dissimilarities in coping style are one reason why people who have experienced
enormous amounts of stressful life events may be happier than others who have experienced the
same type of stress (Lee-Baggley, Preece, & DeLongis, 2005). Some individuals who
experience traumatic events utilize the event to make positive changes to improve their lives.
This is a phenomenon known as adversarial growth (Linley & Joseph, 2004). Because
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 6
individuals high in OTE focus on the positive outcome of a stressful life event, it is possible that
they are likely to induce adversarial growth.
Happiness is measured as subjective well-being (SWB) which is broken into the
categories of cognitive SWB, and affective SWB (Tay & Kuykendall, 2013). The cognitive
component of (SWB) is inclusive of an evaluation of happiness throughout the life-time, and the
affective component of (SWB) is an evaluation of positive emotions and outlooks versus
negative (Tay & Kuykendall, 2013). There are factors such as culture that may have an impact
on (SWB). For example, some cultures are corrupt, giving individuals less freedom and
necessities (i.e, food, shelter, clothing). (Diener, 2012).
Cultural values have many variations. For example, in an individualistic culture, self-
esteem is a good predictor of life satisfaction, but in a collectivist culture it’s not just about the
individual. In a collectivist culture, life satisfaction depends on the happiness of the community
(Diener, 2012). Goal orient and achievement is something that drives happiness. When we are
achieving our goals, and doing what we want to do we have a greater sense of well-being. When
we are not achieving our goals, or we don’t have goals to achieve we are not as happy (Vitters,
2004).
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 7
While it is important to have goals and achievements, it is also important to note that not
everything has to be perfect. Perfectionism has been found to have a relationship to maladaptive
psychological symptoms (Chang, 2006). Part of having a good sense of well-being is having a
positive outlook on everything, and knowing that not everything is going to fall into place as
planned (Chang, 2006).
Research suggests that happiness is genetic, and is stable throughout a lifetime (Caunt,
Franklin, & Brodaty, 2013). This means that people who experience SLE will utilize individual
coping styles, varying on recovery time (Caunt, Franklin, & Brodaty, 2013). Personality is also
something that is stable throughout a lifetime (Lee-Baggley, Preece, & DeLongis, 2005). There
are ways that an individual can increase happiness while decreasing stress, and personality and
interests can play a role in this (Schiffrin & Nelson, 2010).
Research has shown that OTE can have an impact on individual differences in how
people perceive stressful experiences (Williams, Rau, Cribbet, & Gunn, 2009). A part of being
open to experience is one’s keen interest in exploring new opportunities, having an imagination,
being attentive to feelings, and having an abstract perception on life (Williams, Rau, Cribbet, &
Gunn, 2009). Personality affects people cognitively, physically, and physiologically consistently
throughout life (Caunt, Franklin, & Brodaty, 2013).
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 8
Openness may be associated with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex functioning which is
instrumental to self-regulation (Williams, Rau, Cribbet, & Gunn, 2009). Individuals who are
high in OTE have a lower blood pressure than individuals who are low in openness when
reacting to a stressor giving them a lower chance of cardiovascular disease (Williams, Rau,
Cribbet, & Gunn, 2009)
It is important to have emotional intelligence. Openness is related to emotional
intelligence in adaptability, and intrapersonal relationships (Day, Therrien, & Carrol, 2005).
Individuals who are high in OTE are more likely to be empathetic towards others, and to pay
attention to the feelings of others (Lee-Baggley, Preece, & DeLongis, 2005). Personality also
effects where we live, how much we travel, perceptions of situations, family life, etc. (Caunt,
Franklin, & Brodaty, 2013). An individual’s belief and confidence that he has the ability to
achieve the goals set in place is called self-efficacy. Past studies have suggested that OTE is
positively related to self-efficacy, and personal growth (Strobel, Tumasjan, & Sporrle, 2011).
This can be a factor when an individual has recently experienced a SLE. Carl Rogers stated that
one thing that indicates self-actualization is being open to experience (Vitters, 2004).
Big 5 traits that have a relationship with growth are: OTE, agreeableness, extraversion,
and conscientiousness (Linley & Joseph, 2004). Individuals whose personality is high in OTE
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 9
are generally more open to their feelings as well as other people’s feelings. Because of this,
people high in OTE have more of a relationship-based coping style (Lee-Baggley, Preece, &
DeLongis, 2005). Interpersonal relationships can be a key factor in adversarial growth (Linley &
Joseph, 2004).
As you can see, there is evidence that would suggest that in many cases, individuals who
are open to experience have a way of dealing with stress in a positive manner. Because of their
positive outlook on stressful situations, individuals high in OTE may be more adept to
adversarial growth, building a positive future from a negative experience. People high in OTE
are also more likely to participate in activities that help to reduce stress. Another feature that
suggests that individuals high in OTE may have a higher level of SWB is that their blood
pressure is lower than other individuals when reacting to stressful situations, and OTE is related
to the dorso-lateral pre-frontal cortex helping them in self-regulation.
Hypothesis:
Based on the above information from prior research there is a perception that there are
aspects of the personality trait of OTE that may be accommodating in the action of the reduction
of stress. Evidence suggests that SLE can have an effect on SWB, and this experiment will
analyze the possibility that OTE may have an effect on SLE and SWB as well. The prediction
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 10
and hypothesis for this experiment is that people who score higher on the scale of OTE will have
a more positive relationship between SLE and SWB than those who score low on the scale of
OTE.
Method
Sample
The sample for this study consisted of 20 male participants, and 48 female participants
for a total of 68 participants. The age range of the participants was 18-60 years of age, and the
average age for the participants was 29.54, with a standard deviation of 9.74. Only two ethnic
groups participated in the experiment and 97.1% of the participants were Caucasian. The other
.029% of the participants was Hispanic. There were 25 participants who were single, 30
participants who were married, and 14 of the participants had a boyfriend/girlfriend. Participants
included students from Dixie State College, users of social media, and anyone else over the age
of 18 who was willing to participate.
Measures
This study was presented to the Institutional Review Board at Dixie State University to
be approved for research. After gaining approval the survey was opened for participants to
complete. In order to gain participants, the survey was announced through educational e-mail
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 11
and social media (Facebook). Prior to taking the survey, each participant was asked to consent to
taking the survey through informed consent. Following all participation of the survey data was
downloaded and analyzed.
Measurements for the personality trait of OTE were found in the NEO Five-Factor
Inventory (NEO-FFI), written by Costa and McCrae (Costa, McCrae, 1992). These
measurements have been used in several previous studies, and they have been tested to be
reliable. The measurements for OTE consisted of ten questions measured with a six point likert
scale of answers ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (6). The higher the average
score, the higher levels of OTE (see appendix A).
Measurements of SWB were taken from the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being
scale, which was used in the research in quality of life and found reliable (Bartram, Sinclair, &
Baldwin, 2013). This measurement consisted of 14 questions measured with a six point likert
scale of answers ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (6). The higher average
scores are the higher SWB outcomes (see appendix B).
The measurement for SLE originated in a previous study done by Holmes & Rahe and is
called the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (Holmes & Rahe, 1967). This scale consisted of 42
SLE, and each event had a value depending on how stressful the life event could be. The scores
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 12
ranged from 11-100, and the highest possible total value of stress was 1,418. Participants were
asked to check each stressful life event that he or she had experienced in the past year. The
demographics measured in the experiment were age, race, relationship status, gender, and how
many children conceived (see appendix C).
Results
Preliminary:
The testing for the inter item reliability of the questions for two of the variables measured
was done using a Chronbach alpha analysis. Both subscales were found to be reliable while the
subscale for OTE had a standardized alpha of α = .772, and the subscale for SWB had a
standardized alpha of α = .914. The subscale of SLE was taken from a previous study, and it had
already been found to be valid.
Demographics and main study variables were analyzed using Pearson’s correlational
coefficient in order to determine whether or not there was a statistical demographical difference.
Each statistical analysis was tested against an alpha level of α ≤ .05. There was a significant
negative correlation between age and amount of children, r(63) = -.66 p<.01. When age
increased, the amount of children decreased. A significant result was found between the
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 13
variables of age and relationship status, r(63) = .29, p < .05. As the age of the participants
increased, the likeliness of being married increased. There was not a significant result found
between the variables of OTE and age, r(63) = -.06, p = .61, age and SWB, r(63) = -.07, p = .61,
age and stress, r(63) = -.10, p = .45, age and race, r(63) = .17, p = .18, OTE and amount of
children, r(63) = .08, p = .53, amount of children and SWB, r(63) = .12, p = .33, amount of
children and stress, r(63) = -.10, p = .84, amount of children and race, r(63) = -.17, p = .18,
relationship status and OTE, r(63) = .74, p = .56, relationship status and SWB, r(63) = -.13, p =
.33, relationship status and stress, r(63) = -.12, p = .35, relationship status and race, r(63) = .21, p
= .11, race and OTE, r(63) = -.03, p = .82, race and SWB, r(63) = -.11, p = .38, or race and
stress, r(63) = .08, p = .54.
Primary:
Measurements were analyzed between the variables of OTE, SWB, and SLE using
Pearson’s correlational coefficient. A statistically significant correlational result was found
showing that as OTE increases, SWB increases, r(63) = .38, p = .02. There was not a
statistically significant correlation between SLE and SWB, r(63) = -.15, p = .25, or OTE and
SLE, r(63) = .21, p =.10. A 2x2 analysis of variance was conducted for the variables of the
hypothesis. Low OTE and low SLE (OTE = < 4.65, SLE < 182) (group 0) while high OTE and
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 14
high SLE (OTE ≥ 4.65, SLE ≥ 182) (group 1). There was not a statistical significance between
either of the groups, low OTE and high stress, F(3,64) = 1.17, p = .33, (M = 4.63, SD = .52), and
high OTE and high stress, F(3,64) = 1.17, p = .33 (M = 4.81, SD = .60), (see figure 1).
Discussion
One statistically significant positive correlation found between OTE and SWB supports
empirical research on this topic. The experiment was conducted to understand whether or not
OTE had an effect on how individuals cope with stressful life events in order to have a higher
sense of SWB. While it may not have an effect on the outcome variable of SWB when speaking
in terms of SLE, there is a positive relationship meaning that as OTE increases, SWB increases
as well. This suggests that it does not take an individual with a high level of OTE to cope with
stress correctly, and that coping styles are unequivocal in all areas of human life. Another
interesting result was the fact that as age increases, the likelihood of being married increases.
This result gives reason to believe that older individuals are more relationship oriented, and that
they are not interested in being alone.
There was also no difference in demographics pertaining to all three of the variables
suggesting that males and females are very closely related in their amount of SLE, OTE, and
SWB. This also implies that age, gender, amount of children, and relationship status, do not
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 15
impact these variables. Through these findings, we can conclude that stereotypes of these
demographic variables are not valid. The question about whether these variables are related to
stress or well-being often arises. These results show that anybody and everybody endure stress
and heartache. Many individuals across the world feel like they have a harder life than others,
but there are different types of stressful life events that are inevitable in a life time. It does not
matter your age, gender, or relationship status because things just happen.
Limitations
The experiment for this research had some limitations that would be important to adjust
in future studies of this topic. One limitation was that most of the participants were Caucasian
while only two were from a different ethnic group (Hispanic). Because of this limitation, it is
hard to say whether or not race has an impact on any of the variables. In future studies it will be
important to include a greater level of diversity so that it can be a reliable source of racial
information.
It was difficult to find participants for this study because there was not any incentive
given to the participants to complete the survey. Incentive would have employed a larger
sample, and may have also urged the participants to answer the questions more carefully. It is
possible that some questions were answered without thought.
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 16
It may have been wise to include more demographic variables. In this study there were
only five demographics, and some important information may have been left out of this study.
The research may have been under-developed and could have included much more information
to further the research.
Implications:
It is important to understand how individuals gain a sense of SWB so that we can insert
suggestions for improvement into the daily lives of our human race. A sense of well-being is
something that everybody battles on a daily basis, and knowing how to improve can make a
difference. It is also appealing to know that there is a positive relationship between OTE and
SWB, validating the opinion that it is healthy for individuals to be open minded and participate
in activities that may seem unfamiliar. It is also important for empirical research to be validated,
so that society really has a good idea about the validity of the results of this research. There have
been many studies on variables that help in the aspect of SWB, and many variables pertain to the
trait of OTE. It is important to further study this because future results may contain significance.
It is always interesting for individuals to see how SLE can impact others because it is something
that they can relate to. Everybody experiences SLE, and everybody wants their feelings to be
validated so that they know that they are not psychologically damaged. People want to know
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 17
that the feelings that they are feeling are normal. Reading research on these topics can make an
impact on SWB and self-esteem.
Future Studies:
When this research is conducted in the future, it will be important to employ a larger
sample size with an equal sample of male and female participants. It will also be important for
the sample to have a greater diversity of ethnicity. It may be of interest to create a longer survey,
and a way of knowing the validity of the participant’s answers to analyze whether the participant
is taking the time to answer the questions, or just casually clicking answers to finish the survey
quickly.
Future studies will also include a broader range of demographic variables to further
research and information in this field of study. It is important to gain all possible knowledge
from each subject of study for a variety of reasons including finding extraneous variables. It is
also interesting to see which variables may have a relationship to each other because some may
have never been researched, and these findings can develop new research questions.
Future studies should also include more variables on personality. They should include
other factors from the Big 5 Personality traits including agreeableness, conscientiousness, and
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 18
extraversion. It might also be interesting to include other personality types like introversion to
understand more about all of the different personalities and their affect on SLE and SWB.
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 19
References
Bartram, D. J., Sinclair, J. M., & Baldwin, D. S. (2013). Further validation of the Warwick-
Edinburgh Mental Well-being scale (WEMWBS) in the UK veterinary profession: Rasch
analysis. Quality of Life Research, 22(2), 379-391.
Caunt, B. S., Franklin, J., & Brodaty, N. E. (2013). Exploring the Causes of Subjective Well-
Being: A Content Analysis of Peoples' Recipes for Long-Term Happiness. J Happiness
Stud, 14, 475-499.
Costa, P. T., Jr., & McCrae, R. R. (1992). NEO PI-R professional manual:Revised NEO
Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). Odessa,
FL: Psychological Assessment Re-sources
Chang, E. C. (2006). Perfectionism and Dimensions of Psychological Well-Being in a College
Student Sample: A Test of A Stress-Mediation Model. Journal of Social and Clinical
Psychology, 25(9), 1001-1022.
Day, A. L., Therrien, D. L., & Carrol, S. A. (2005). Predicting Psychological Health: Assessing
the Incremental Validity of Emotional Intelligence Beyone Personality, Type A
Behaviour, and Daily Hassles. European Journal of Personality, 19, 519-536.
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Diener, E. (2012). New Findings and Future Diretions for Subjective Well-Being Research.
American Psychologist, 590-596.
Grant, S., & Langan-Fox, J. (2007). Personality and the Occupational Stressor-Strain
Relationship: The Role of the Big Five. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology,
12(1), 20-33.
Holmes, T. U., & Rahe, R. (1967). Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Journal of Psychosomatic
Research, 11(2), 213-218.
Lee-Baggley, D., Preece, M., & DeLongis, A. (2005). Coping With Interpersonal Stress: Role of
Big Five Traits. Journal of Personality, 73(5), 1141-1182.
Linley, P. A., & Joseph, S. (2004). Positive Change Following Trauma and Adversity: A
Review. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 17(1), 11-21.
Palmieri, P. (2012). Signals, cochlear mechanics and pragmatism: a new vista on human hearing.
Journal of Experimental & Theoretical Artificial Intelligence, 24(4), 527-545.
Ryan, R. M., Laguardia, J. G., & Rawsthorne, L. J. (2005). Self-Complexity and the Authenticity
of Self-Aspects: Effects on Well Being and Resilience to Stressful Events. North
American Journal of Psychology, 7(3), 431-448.
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 21
Schiffrin, H. H., & Nelson, S. K. (2010). Stressed and Happy? Investigating the Relationship
Between Happiness and Perceived Stress. J Happiness Stud, 11, 33-39.
Shaw, J. S. (1982). Psychological Androgyny and Stressful Life Events. Journal of Personality
and Psychology, 43(1), 145-153.
Strobel, M., Tumasjan, A., & Sporrle, M. (2011). Personality and Social Psychology: Be
yourself, believe in yourself, and be happy: Sellf-efficacy as a mediator between
personality factors and subjective well-being. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 52,
43-48.
Suh, E., Diener, E., & Fujita, F. (1996). Events and Subjective Well-Being: Only Recent Events
Matter. Journal of Personailty and Social Psychology, 70(3), 1091-1102.
Sutton, A. R., Paul T. Costa, J., Wethington, E., & Eaton, W. (2010). Turning Points and Lessons
Learned: Stressful Life Events and Personality Trait Development Across Middle
Adulthood. Psychology of Aging, 25(3), 524-533.
Tay, L., & Kuykendall, L. (2013). Promoting Happiness: The malleability of individual and
societal subjective well-being. International Journal of Psycholgy, 48(3), 159-176.
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 22
Tornroos, M., Hintsanen, M., Hintsa, T., Jokela, M., Pulkki-Raback, L., & Hutri-Kahonen, N.
(2013). Associations Between Five-Factor Model Traits and Perceived Job Strain: A
Population-Based Study. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 18(4), 492-500.
Vitters, J. (2004). Subjective Well-Being Versus Self-Actualization: Using the Flow Simplex to
Promote a Conceptual Clarification of Subjective Quality of Life. Social Indicators
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Openness, Stress, Well-Being 23
Table 1
Inter-correlational table including mean and SD of main measures.
Measures Age Children OTE SWB SLE
Age -
Children -0.66** -
OTE -0.06 0.08 -
SWB 0.07 0.12 0.38* -
SLE -0.11 0.03 0.21 0.15 -
M 29.53 1.52 4.63 4.73 231.58
SD 9.74 0.50 0.52 0.68 201.95
Note: * = p ≤ .05 and **= p ≤ .01.
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 24
Table 2
Gender and main research variables.
Gender
Variables Female Male t p
OTE 4.62
(0.59)
4.64
(0.33)
0.11 0.92
SWB 4.71
(.68)
4.71
(.67)
0.04 0.97
SLE 221.80
(219.60)
217.10
(135.40)
-0.09 0.93
Note: Mean values are representative of the sample. Standard deviations are
placed under the mean in parenthesis.
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 25
Table 3
Demographic Variability
Variables Male Female Total
Age 27.90 30.19 29.04
Relationship Status
Single 8.00 17.00 25.00
Married 8.00 22.00 30.00
Boyfriend/Girlfriend 4.00 10.00 14.00
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 19.00 48.00 67.00
Hispanic 1.00 1.00 2.00
Note: Age for male and female is representative of the mean.
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 26
Figure 1
Main study 2x2 variables and subjective well-being.
Note: Values are representative of the mean.
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
5
Lo OTE Hi OTE
SWB Hi Stress
Lo Stress
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 27
Appendix A
Survey for Openness to Experience
1. I believe in the importance of art.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
2. I have a vivid imagination.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
3. I tend to vote for liberal political candidates.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
4. I carry the conversation to a higher level.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 28
5. I enjoy hearing new ideas.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
6. I enjoy thinking about things.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
7. I can say things beautifully.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
8. I enjoy wild flights of fantasy.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 29
9. I get excited about new ideas.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
10. I have a rich vocabulary.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
Total =
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 30
Appendix B
Subjective Well-Being
1. I feel optimistic about life.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
2. I feel like I am useful.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
3. I feel relaxed
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
4. I feel interested in other people
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 31
5. I have energy to spare
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
6. I deal with problems well.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
7. I am able to think clearly
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
8. I feel good about myself
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
9. I feel close to other people
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 32
10. I feel confident
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
11. I am able to make up my own mind
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
12. I feel loved
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
13. I am interested in new things
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 33
14. I feel cheerful
1 2 3 4 5 6
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Tend to
Disagree
Tend to
Agree Agree
Strongly
Agree
Total =
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 34
Appendix C
Life Event X Value
Had a death of a spouse 100
Gone through a divorce 73
Had a marital separation from mate 65
Been detained in jail or other institution 63
Been through a death of a close family member 63
Had a major personal injury or illness 53
Got marriage 50
Been fired at work 47
Had a marital reconciliation with mate 45
Retired from work 45
Had a major change in the health or behavior of a family member 44
Been pregnant, or somebody carried your baby 40
Had sexual difficulties 39
Gained a new family member 39
Had a major business readjustment 39
Had a major change in finances 38
Had a death of a close friend 37
Changed to a different line of work 36
Had a major change in the number of arguments with spouse 35
Taken on a mortgage 31
Had a foreclosure on a mortgage or loan 30
Had a major change in responsibilities at work 29
Son or daughter has left home 29
Had troubles with the in-laws 29
Had an outstanding personal achievement 28
Had your spouse beginning or ceasing work outside the home 26
Began or ceased formal schooling 26
Had a major change in living condition 25
Openness, Stress, Well-Being 35
Life Events Y/N Value
Revised of personal habits 24
Had troubles with the boss 23
Had major changes in working hours or conditions 20
Had a change in residence 20
Changed to a new school 20
Had a major change in usual type of recreation 19
Had a major change in church activity 19
Had a major change in social activities 18
Taken on a loan 17
Had a major change in sleeping habits 16
Had a major change in number of family get-togethers 15
Had a major change in eating habits 15
Gone on vacation 13
Had a minor violation of the law 11