FACETS OF EXTROVERSION RELATED TO LIFE SATISFACTION

The relationship between six facets of extraversion (activity, asserti veness, excitement-seeking, gregariousness, positive emotion, warmth) and life satisfaction was studied in a sample of 162 university studen ts. Positive emotion and assertiveness showed the strongest relationsh ips, followed by gregariousness and warmth. Separating the data by gen der indicated that life satisfaction for women was primarily related t o levels of positive emotion and warmth, while for men the most import ant facets were assertiveness and gregariousness. Regression analyses indicated that the only significant predictor of life satisfaction for males was assertiveness, and the only such predictor for females was positive emotion; The results underscore the importance of gender as a context for trait expression, and the consequences of this for life s atisfaction. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.