THE BIG-5 AS STATES - HOW USEFUL IS THE 5-FACTOR MODEL TO DESCRIBE INTRAINDIVIDUAL VARIATIONS OVER TIME

This study investigated the similarity between the factor structure of longitudinal variations in states and the factor structure of individ ual differences in traits. On 90 consecutive days, 22 students self-ad ministered 30 self-report items that were markers of the Big Five. Mos t participants showed good discrimination among the 90 measurement occ asions. Correlations were computed between items across measurement oc casions. These P-correlations were factored, and the factor matrices w ere target rotated toward a reference factor structure of individual d ifferences, using orthogonal Procrustes rotations. A substantial match was obtained between the factor structure of longitudinal correlation s that had been averaged across participants and the factor structure of individual differences. For individual participants, this factor ma tch was worse. It is concluded that the Big Five are useful to describ e longitudinal variations in states. A sharp distinction between the f ive-factor model and the trait approach is recommended. (C) 1998 Acade mic Press.