A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship between Personality and Preferred Conflict Style

Abstract

This meta-analysis of six studies demonstrates that preferred conflict styles are all predicted by personality traits of the Big Five framework. Collaboration is predicted by high extraversion, agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness and by low neuroticism. Competition is predicted by high extraversion and openness in younger adults and by low agreeableness in older adults. Avoidance is predicted by low extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness and by high neuroticism and agreeableness. Accommodation is predicted by high agreeableness and perhaps low extraversion. In addition, the predictive ability of conscientiousness for collaboration and avoidance is stronger in older adult populations than in younger adult populations.

Keywords: meta-analysis, personality, conflict style