An Analysis of Personality Traits and Learning Styles as Predictors of Academic Performance

Abstract

The present study examined the influence of Big Five personality traits and learning styles on cognitive and affective academic performance, and gender differences in learning styles. A survey research was employed to collect the data from the target population of students. Participants (N = 1,529) were students who enrolled in Business Administration and Communication Arts at Assumption University of Thailand.

Overall, the results indicated that personality traits found to be better predictors of cognitive and affective academic performance than did learning styles. Conscientiousness was a significant contributor of academic performance. Among five personality traits, Conscientiousness, Openness, Agreeableness significantly predicted cognitive academic performance, whereas Conscientiousness, Openness, Agreeableness, and Emotional Stability significantly predicted affective academic performance. Learning styles were also related to cognitive academic performance. Moreover, students in Business Administration reported higher scores in Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Emotional Stability than those in Communication Arts. The results showed no significant differences in learning styles between genders.