“But, Who Do I Say That I Am?” The Self-Reported Personality Traits of Catholic Deacons

Abstract

Ordained, permanent deacons in the Catholic Church (N = 1,717; M age = 45.9 years old, SD = 6.9) participated in a self-report study of personality traits by completing the HEXACO-60. There were no significant differences (by generational cohort or geographic region) on reported personality traits. No significant partial correlates (controlling for social desirability) by chronological age, years since ordination, or years residing in the current parish emerged on HEXACO variables. Deacons, however, reported mean honesty–humility dimension scores much higher than men from a previously reported community sample. Results suggest that for nearly 50 years, U.S. Catholic deacons have similar personality traits regardless of their generation or geography.

KEYWORDS:

• Catholic deacons
• generational/age cohorts
• geographic regions
• HEXACO-60
• personality traits