Date of Award
Spring 5-11-2018
Document Type
Thesis
First Advisor
Derek Braun
Second Advisor
Cara Gormally
Abstract
A common observation in higher education is that most deaf undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) do not continue on to STEM careers. A smaller pool of deaf individuals persists in STEM and succeed in becoming scientists. Various reasons may explain this observation, one of which may involve personality traits. Certain personality traits have been found in scientists in the general population that differ from the general population: scientists have greater extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness on the Big Five Inventory (BFI) However, no study has focused on personality traits in deaf scientists. This study sought to discover whether deaf scientists have personality traits which may have allowed them to persist in science careers. Findings indicate that, just like scientists in the general population, deaf scientists exhibit more extraversion and openness than deaf aspiring scientists. However, unlike scientists in the general population, deaf scientists also exhibit more agreeableness than deaf aspiring scientists.
Recommended Citation
Majocha, Megan, "Three Personality Traits of Deaf Scientists: Openness, Extraversion, and - uniquely - Agreeableness" (2018). Undergraduate University Honors Capstones. 60.
https://ida.gallaudet.edu/honors_capstones/60
