This document summarizes and compares two journal articles on the influence of personality traits on decision making. The first article by Daniel Heck et al. uses data from 5,002 participants to determine that humility/honesty personality traits best predict unethical or dishonest decisions. The second article by Annamaria Di Fabio and Donald Saklofske uses a survey of 194 students to find that emotional intelligence influences career choices, with those of lower EI choosing less demanding careers. Both articles agree that personality traits significantly impact the decision making process. While providing supporting evidence, the document also notes weaknesses like not accounting for change over time or inherent dishonesty separate from consequences.

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Effect of Personality Traits on Decision Making
Introduction
Individuals follow various dynamics when making decisions and this makes the decision
making process very unique for each person. The two most common types of people in decision
making are those who make swift decisions and are later not able to stick to those decisions. The
other group is that of people that take a lot of time to make a decision and may for a moment
seem indecisive but later stick to the decision that they have made. According to multiple sources
of data, personality traits take center stage when it comes to how a person makes a decision. A
person’s view on their environment and events in their past forms their personality traits
(Annamaria and Donald 174). These parameters also contribute to the kinds of decisions people
make and the processes they follow in making those decisions. Daniel and his co-authors have
conducted in depth research on this matter however with an inclination towards decision making
in the aspect of dishonesty and honesty (Daniel et al. 352). Their results were published in the
Judgment and Decision making journal in the year 2018 and are discussed below. Additionally,
Anna Maria and Donald have undertaken a research on this topic too with a keen eye on career
options as discussed below.

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Heck, Daniel W., et al. "Who lies? A large-scale reanalysis linking basic personality traits
to unethical decision making." Judgment and Decision Making 13.4 (2018): 356-371.
In this Journal article, Daniel assesses the underlying causes of people making decisions
to take part in unethical practices such as being dishonest. The article aims at proving that
personal traits have a clear cause on decision making. This article is a research article and it uses
various methodologies to reach its conclusion. Daniel and his co authors focused on available
data regarding a total of 5,002 that were interviewed using yes and no responses on
questionnaires. The authors then followed up this with a statistical analysis to unearth key
indicators of personality traits on the various individuals. They tested for personality traits which
were identified as the continuous variables and the probability to be dishonest. The research
found out after a detailed questionnaire performed on the participants that the most effective
factor in determining dishonesty or honesty was the Humility Honesty. The HH is a type of
personality trait which they also used to test for the personality types of various individuals. The
research also found out that there was a clear reminiscence between a person’s demography and
their decision making processes. Therefore, the authors concluded that personality traits do have
a strong effect on a person’s decision making processes.
This article also agrees with factors stated by Anna Maria and Donald as stated in their
article, “Comparing ability and self-report trait emotional intelligence, fluid intelligence, and
personality traits in career decision.” These authors discuss the role of personal traits in making
decisions regarding careers. They also agree that personality traits are key factors when it comes
to the decision making process. Heck and Co authors have displayed a number of strengths in
their article. These strengths are such as the fact that their article uses various studies totaling 16.
This helped in ensuring that any bias in the previous studies would be offset. Therefore, one

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could completely state that their research is accurate and bears no bias. However, their research
also bears one weakness which is that they do not prove substantially how effective the HH
element can be in other cases apart from choosing whether to be ethical or not. They also do not
consider the fact that one might be dishonest inherently but choose not to be in the view of the
repercussions of their actions.
Di Fabio, Annamaria, and Donald H. Saklofske. "Comparing ability and self-report trait
emotional intelligence, fluid intelligence, and personality traits in career
decision." Personality and Individual Differences 64 (2014): 174-178.
Through this article, Annamaria and Dominic try to establish the premises that
personality traits have a profound effect on one’s career choice. The lay the foundation by stating
that people choose careers based on their acknowledgement of the ability to complete tasks in
that particular career. On the contrary, one will leave on career and look for another one with
tasks they feel they can complete. All of this is fully entrenched within a person’s personality
traits. The journal article is a research type of article. The authors came to a conclusion through
the application of surveys which they conducted on a total of 194 students that had undertaken
two years of their High School education system. The survey sought to identify the underlying
factors that formed personality such as Emotional Intelligence and how they affected decision
making in the long term. The survey found that them that had a much lower Emotional
Intelligence level were not willing to take up popular and tasking careers. They opted for more
artistic and less mentally involving careers. On the other hand, those with a low EI level proved
to be willing to take up very involving careers that required a lot of commitment and learning.
This article holds similar attributes to the article by Daniel and Co authors, “Who lies? A
large-scale reanalysis linking basic personality traits to unethical decision making.” The article

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also comments on the ability of personality traits to affect decision making. As much as there is
secondary proof to the accuracy of this article, there are also various weaknesses that it displays.
One of its main weaknesses is that it does not bring in change of mind in the decision making
process. Rather, it takes one stand that personality is completely developed by the time one gets
to teenage which is a completely untrue premise. However, its similarity with other resources in
relation to the relationship between personality and decision making, is a strength.
In conclusion, human beings are always faced with opportunities to make decisions.
Research proves that personality traits are a key causative factor to decision making. The
decision making process is unique to every human being and this is evident through the
parameters of time, effort and final results of the decisions people make. Annamaria and Donald
make resounding remarks on the role of personality traits in making career decisions. Daniel and
his co-authors on the other hand also make their remarks on the role of personality traits in
decisions regarding ethical and unethical behavior. Through surveys and statistical analysis the
two articles prove that personality traits contribute towards decision making.

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Works Cited
Di Fabio, Annamaria, and Donald H. Saklofske. "Comparing ability and self-report trait
emotional intelligence, fluid intelligence, and personality traits in career
decision." Personality and Individual Differences 64 (2014): 174-178.
Heck, Daniel W., et al. "Who lies? A large-scale reanalysis linking basic personality traits to
unethical decision making." Judgment and Decision Making 13.4 (2018): 356-371.