Personality and intelligence as predictors of economic behaviour in Scottish farmers

The effects of personality and intelligence on economic behaviour in a samp le of 207 Scottish farmers were investigated. Data were available on the fa rmers' attitudes, objectives, and business-related behaviours, together wit h personality trait and cognitive test scores. Structural equation models o f production-oriented business behaviour and environmentally oriented behav iour were constructed. It was found that farmers who score highly, on Extra version (E), Openness to Experience (O), Conscientiousness (C), and cogniti ve ability are more likely to show production-oriented behaviour and that t he effects of personality and cognitive ability are mediated by a more open attitude towards farming. For environmentally, oriented behaviour, high sc ores on E, O, C, and cognitive ability were associated with this behaviour, with mediation by an achievement-oriented attitude to farming, chemical us e attitude, and off-farm/diversification objectives; there was also a posit ive effect of Neuroticism, mediated by pessimistic attitudes to farming and off-farm/diversification objectives. These results show that that personal ity, and intelligence have substantial and measurable effects on farmers' e conomic behaviour. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.