Personality is one of the most popular subjects in psychology, so it’s no surprise that this broad area is rife with fascinating research topics. Are you looking for a great topic for a paper, presentation, or experiment for your personality psychology class? Here are just a few ideas that might help kick-start your imagination.

Possible Topics for Personality Psychology Research

• • How does temperament relate to creativity? Are people with certain temperaments more or less creative? For your project, you might try administering scales measuring temperament and creativity to a group of participants.
  • Are certain personality traits linked to prosocial behaviors? Consider how traits such as kindness, generosity, and empathy might be associated with altruism and heroism.
  • How do personality assessments compare? Consider comparing common assessments such as the Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, and the 16PF Questionnaire.
  • Do people tend to marry individuals with similar personalities?
  • What impact does birth order have on personality? Are first-born children more responsible, and are last-borns less responsible?
  • Is there a connection between personality types and musical tastes? Do people who share certain personality traits prefer the same types of music?
  • Are people who participate in athletics more likely to have certain personality characteristics? Compare the personality types of athletes versus non-athletes.

• Are individuals with high self-esteem more competitive than those with low self-esteem? Do those with high self-esteem perform better than those who have lower self-esteem?
• Is there a correlation between personality type and the tendency to cheat on exams? Are people low in conscientiousness more likely to cheat? Are extroverts or introverts more liable to cheat?
• How do personality factors influence a person’s use of social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter? Are individuals who use social media frequently more or less extroverted?
• How does Type A behavior influence success in school? Are people who exhibit Type A characteristics more likely to succeed?
• Is there a connection between a person’s personality type and the kind of art they like?
• Do people tend to choose pets based on their personality types? How do the personalities of dog owners compare to those of cat owners?

What to Do Before You Begin Your Research

Once you find a suitable research topic, you might be tempted just to dive right in and get started. However, there are a few important steps you need to take first.

How to Get Started With Your Research

Whether you are doing an experiment, writing a paper, or developing a presentation, background research should always be your next step.