PERSONALITY-CORRELATES OF CONCEPTUAL COMPLEXITY

Conceptual complexity has been viewed as a personality variable reflec ting information processing tendencies or style. However, its relation ship to more traditional personality constructs has not been well defi ned. Conceptual complexity was measured in 277 university students, by a form of the Paragraph Completion Test (PCT) that avoids response re striction due to rime pressure. Complexity was reliably related to a n umber of personality characteristics. Conceptually complex subjects we re more extroverted, gregarious and socially adept. They showed more w armth and nurturance in social interactions. In addition, they were hi gher in sensation seeking tendencies and nonconformity. In conjunction with earlier studies, these findings are consistent with viewing conc eptual complexity as an independent characteristic combining aspects o f intellectual and personality factors.