How does the personality influence the level of income?
The high level of stress suffered by modern societies causes a high level of mental exhaustion, but in theory we can expect that certain personality types will protect us more from these effects and help us to ascend to the best jobs. Personality traits, after all, are closely related to the way in which we experience our work life.
A few days ago, the work of "Is personality related to permanent earnings?" ("Is the personality related to the level of income?") Of the online journal Journal of Economic Psychology, by Terhi Maczulskij and Jutta Viinikainen. In this report, we explain how The characteristics of our personality can influence our salary directly and professional career.
- Maybe you're interested: "Burnout (Burning Syndrome): how to detect it and take action"
Personality and income level
In the world of economics, the personality of individuals has been affected on numerous occasions to determine the success or failure of each worker, depending on their psychological characteristics such as empathy, affection or emotional stability. To determine the personality-salary correlation, a cross of several variables is made.
As a starting point, we take the data from the Center Saving Survey, from the Economics Research Center of the University of Tilburg (The Netherlands), a data panel that provides information about the personality. But, in addition to personality, differences between the male and female gender are also taken into account. From the analysis of these data curiosities have been found; For example, men tend to consider empathy negatively in order to be successful, while women value it positively.
The vast majority of studies conducted on the effect of personality in the future employment, conclude, roughly, with the same precepts: the effect of personality can have an impact on professional success based on the money earned , this influence being above that of the cultural level that is acquired in our environment.
Neuroticism, which is a low emotional control load, and emotional stability (planning, prudence, confidence) are by far the most explanatory factors of the relationship with job success, measured by promotion, valuation and wages. A work carried out in the United States with 5000 individuals, showed in 2014 that self-control in adolescence was a good predictor of success or failure at work.
- Maybe you're interested: "Self-control: 7 psychological tips to improve it"
Personality, exclusive factor?
Returning to the topic described in the introduction, by the hand of Terhi Maczulskij and Jutta Viinikainen (2018), these researchers include a new element to determine and specify the study of personality. They resort to previous studies and cross the data with studies with homozygous (with the same DNA) or dizygotic (with different DNA) twins. We proceeded to a study of almost 5000 twin individuals, 53% of them being women.
In absolute terms, the results have been revealing. Comparing monozygotic twins to the dizygotic twins, the former present many more similarities between them in terms of salary, personality and demographics it is referred to, while the second ones present more disparity in those terms.
This research also shows that the level of neuroticism of each person is a determining factor . According to results, this has been the personal trait with a greater effect on the possibilities of earning more or less, whatever the culture and education of the individuals, although it is especially relevant in women. In particular, the less level of neuroticism, the greater the possibility of earning a lot of money. The authors affirm that personality is a key element in job success, but that it is not exclusive either, since biological factors also affect our personality.
In short, you could say that everything is connected. Personality is influenced by biological effects; the cultural environment provokes a concrete development in the personality and, ultimately, our cognitive level represents a clear evidence of how we move in the labor market. The more education, assertiveness, happiness and self-control, the richer and fuller we will feel.
