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The Effect Of Personality On Academic Performance: Evidence From Two University Majors

Author

Listed:
  • András István Kun
  • Marietta Kiss
  • Anna Kapitány

Abstract

Our study focuses on the effect of personality type and personality preferences measured by the Myers– Briggs typology, on higher education students’ choice of profession and on their academic performance. We statistically analyzed a sample from two slightly similar bachelor majors studied at the University of Debrecen, Hungary, to reveal both the general and major-specific effects of personality. We have found that the most frequent types in both majors were ENFJ and ESFJ; however, differences were revealed in the relative frequencies in the ESTJ, ISTJ and ENFJ types. We identified significant differences between the majors in the average preferences along the introversion-extraversion scale and in the sensingintuition dichotomies (the latter was significant only for female students). We also found differences in the explanatory power of personality for the two majors and also in the types and preferences which contribute positively or negatively to academic success

Suggested Citation

  • András István Kun & Marietta Kiss & Anna Kapitány, 2015. "The Effect Of Personality On Academic Performance: Evidence From Two University Majors," Business Education and Accreditation, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 7(1), pages 13-24.
  • Handle: RePEc:ibf:beaccr:v:7:y:2015:i:1:p:13-24
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Paul J. Andrisani, 1981. "Internal-External Attitudes, Sense of Efficacy, and Labor Market Experience: A Reply to Duncan and Morgan," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 16(4), pages 658-666.
    2. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Tan, Michelle, 2011. "Noncognitive skills, occupational attainment, and relative wages," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 1-13, January.
    3. Mary O. Borg & Stephen L. Shapiro, 1996. "Personality Type and Student Performance in Principles of Economics," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(1), pages 3-25, January.
    4. Paul J. Andrisani, 1977. "Internal-External Attitudes, Personal Initiative, and the Labor Market Experience of Black and White Men," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 12(3), pages 308-328.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Business Education; Higher Education; Career; Personality Type; MBTI;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • A23 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Graduate
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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