Time-on-task mediates the conscientiousness–performance relationship

• Published in: Personality and individual differences Vol. 44; no. 4; pp. 887 - 897
• Main Authors: Biderman, Michael D., Nguyen, Nhung T., Sebren, Jennifer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Big Five; Biological and medical sciences; Conscientiousness; Educational psychology; Factor scores; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Mediation; Method bias; Personality traits; Personality. Affectivity; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Pupil and student. Academic achievement and failure; Time-on-task; Validity; Conscientiousness; Method bias; Validity; Big Five; Time-on-task; Factor scores; Mediation; Human; University environment; Personality; Student; College academic achievement; Big Five personality model; Young adult; Predictive factor; Performance
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2007.10.022

The relationships between conscientiousness, time-on-task, and academic performance were investigated in a mediation model. When simple summated conscientiousness scores were analyzed, relationships with performance and time-on-task were not significant. When factor scores estimated in the context of a model assuming common method bias were analyzed, conscientiousness was a significant predictor of test performance, and time-on-task fully mediated the conscientiousness–performance relationship. The relationships held for conscientiousness alone and for conscientiousness controlling for cognitive ability.