A personalidade com base nos cinco grandes fatores : investigação da estrutura fatorial por meio de modelagem de equações estruturais exploratórias

Abstract

This study examined the personality structure based on the Five Factor Model (FFM) using exploratory structural equation modeling analysis (ESEM). For this purpose, the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) was used in two different contexts: the selection of people for hiring and university students. The subsample of selection context consisted 450 individuals who participated in the selection process for private companies, and the universitary subsample (n = 560) consisted of undergraduate students from different courses in private and federal schools of Belo Horizonte - MG. The total sample (N = 1.010) was composed by individuals of both sexes (54% female), aged between 17 and 61 years (M = 26; SD = 7,7). From the total sample eight personality factor structure models were tested from the 30 facets of FFM investigated on the NEO-PI-R. The results revealed that the first order factor models (FFM) and two of the bifactor models showed better adjustment rates in ESEM analysis. The hierarchical models observed did not meet the adjustment criteria stated in literature. In one of the bifactor models, two main factors emerged: Alpha, as a source of variation of Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability and Agreeableness facets, and Beta, which explains characteristics shared on Openness and Extraversion facets. From the other bifactor model, the General Factor of Personality (GFP) emerged as a source of variation in all facets of big five. The invariance analysis was carried out in bifactor models with better adjustments comparing groups in different contexts. The results showed that the structure was maintained invariant in bifactor models, either with Alpha and Beta, or GFP. The positive results for the bifactor models are consistent with recent studies that consider personality structures in a different way from that traditionally proposed by FFM as being more parsimonious, and by Alpha and Beta factors or GFP, understood as broader psychological phenomena, can offer theoretical and practical contribution for its possible interpretations in personality assessment.