Robust predictors of flux, pulse, and spin

Trait predictors for personality constructs that describe intraindividual variability in interpersonal behavior were examined across three event-contingent recording studies. Flux refers to variability about an individual's mean score on an interpersonal dimension and was examined for the four poles of the interpersonal circumplex. Pulse and spin refer to variability about an individual's mean extremity and mean angular coordinate on the interpersonal circumplex. Moderate to high temporal stability was found for pulse, spin, and flux in dominant, submissive, agreeable, and quarrelsome behaviors. Neuroticism was a robust predictor of greater spin. Extraversion was a robust predictor of greater flux in agreeable and quarrelsome behaviors. In contrast, Agreeableness was a robust predictor of less flux in quarrelsome behavior and less spin. Flux, pulse, and spin provide reliable additions for describing individual differences which are related to, but not redundant with, five-factor traits.