BIS and BAS Sensitivities at Different Levels of Personality Description: A Latent-Variable Approach with Self- and Informant-Ratings

Abstract

We examine the structural overlap of the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) and the Behavioral Approach System (BAS) with Stability and Plasticity, the two higher-order factors encompassing the Big Five. Carver and White’s BIS/BAS and the Big Five Inventory were administered to a sample of 330 adults, serving both as targets and informants. Self- and other-ratings were modeled by using the Correlated Trait-Correlated Method model. BIS and BAS correlated highly with metatraits, after method variance and measurement error were partialled out: BIS was positively related to Stability, while BAS was positively related to Plasticity and negatively related to Stability. After the higher-order factors were controlled, the BIS was highly and positively related to Emotional stability, whereas the BAS had a small but significant relationship with Extraversion. Findings are discussed with regard to the most appropriate level of generality/specificity at which the personality correlates of BIS and BAS can be investigated.

Notes

1 A third system has been identified in the Fight-Flight-Freeze System (FFFS), which is activated by frustrating, punishing, and threatening stimuli that require immediate action. The FFFS is responsible for simple active avoidance (e.g., escape), and is accompanied by fear and panic (defensive avoidance) (Corr, 2013; Gray & McNaughton, 2000). A preliminary version of the manuscript included the FFFS, as measured by three items of Carver and White’s (1994) BIS/BAS Scales (see, for example, Poythress et al., 2008). However, due to the poor psychometric properties of the FFFS measure, and considering its marginal importance for the research questions, we decided to focus the study on BIS and BAS.

2 The theoretical and empirical bases for a multidimensional BAS are detailed by Corr (2016).