Do honest people take fewer risks? Personality correlates of risk-taking to achieve gains and avoid losses in HEXACO space

Research has demonstrated that broad HEXACO personality dimensions predict domain-specific risk-taking (Weller & Tikir, 2011). We extend this research by testing the degree to which HEXACO dimensions, especially the Honesty-Humility dimension, differentially predicted risk preferences as a function of whether the decision was presented as a potential gain or loss. In a university sample (n = 231), participants completed the HEXACO-PI-R (Lee & Ashton, 2004) and a risky decision-making task of choices involving either potential gains or potential losses. We found that HEXACO dimensions differentially predicted risk-taking as a function of the outcome valence. Specifically, Honesty-Humility was associated with greater risk-taking for both domains. Emotionality was associated with less risk-taking in both domains. In contrast, low Conscientiousness was only associated with greater risk-taking to achieve gains. These results help to further demonstrate the utility of assessing the Honesty-Humility dimension, as well as to illuminate potential underlying mechanisms associated with increased risk-taking in individuals reporting lower Honesty-Humility.

► Measured associations between HEXACO personality dimensions and risk-taking to achieve gains and avoid losses.
► Low Honesty-Humility associated with greater risk-taking for both domains, but stronger to avoid potential losses.
► Higher (negative) Emotionality associated with less risk-taking across both domains.
► Low Conscientiousness only associated with greater risk-taking to achieve gains.