An investigation of the relationship between personality traits and academic performance

Abstract

This current study extended prior research not only examined the relationship between various personality traits and academic performance but also explored how the possible mediator variables affected the relationship between personality traits and academic performance among the university students in Hong Kong. A total number of 150 university students who aged 18-25 participated in this current study. The online questionnaire included four sections which were ‘Demographic profile’, 'Big Five Inventory', 'Student Stress Inventory' and 'Academic Motivation Inventory', it was distributed to the university students randomly. Data were analyzed by using IBM SPSS Statistics Software. Regarding to the result of this current study, conscientiousness and agreeableness predicted to university student’s average GPA significantly and positively. Findings not only showed that conscientiousness and agreeableness predicted university student’s average GPA significantly and positively but also revealed that no factor was found to mediate the relationship between conscientiousness and academic performance. Findings also showed that neuroticism, openness and extraversion not significantly predicted university student’s average GPA.