Further Tests of Belief-Importance Theory

Belief-importance (belimp) theory hypothesizes that personality traits confer a propensity to perceive convergences or divergences between the belief that we can attain certain goals and the importance that we place on these goals. Belief and importance are conceptualized as two coordinates, together defining the belimp plane. We tested fundamental aspects of the theory using four different planes based on the life domains of appearance, family, financial security, and friendship as well as a global plane combining these four domains. The criteria were from the areas of personality (Big Five and trait emotional intelligence) and learning styles. Two hundred and fifty eight participants were allocated into the four quadrants of the belimp plane (Hubris, Motivation, Depression, and Apathy) according to their scores on four reliable instruments. Most hypotheses were supported by the data. Results are discussed with reference to the stability of the belimp classifications under different life domains and the relationship of the quadrants with the personality traits that are hypothesized to underpin them.

信念重要性（Belief-importance, belimp）理论提出，人格特质会使个体产生特定倾向，即感知个体达成特定目标的信念与个体对这些目标赋予的重要性二者间的趋同或差异。该理论将信念与重要性界定为两个维度，共同构建belimp平面。本研究基于外貌、家庭、经济保障与友谊四大生活领域分别构建专属belimp平面，并整合四大领域构建全局belimp平面，以此检验该理论的核心内涵。本研究的效标涵盖人格领域（大五人格（Big Five）与特质情绪智力（trait emotional intelligence））以及学习风格领域。研究共纳入258名被试，依据四项可靠测评工具的得分，将其划分至belimp平面的四个象限：自大（Hubris）、动力（Motivation）、抑郁（Depression）与淡漠（Apathy）。绝大多数研究假设得到了实证数据的支持。最后，本研究围绕不同生活领域下belimp分类的稳定性，以及各象限与被假设为支撑该分类的人格特质之间的关联，对研究结果展开讨论。