Personality Correlates of Complexity-Simplicity

Abstract

To test inferences derived from previous research in personality and creativity, 61 undergraduates were given a variety of personality measures and a group of 28 Ss were exposed to an authoritarian speech to see whether the speech would increase their liking of hostile humor. Although the authoritarian speech did not influence humor preferences, the personality correlates of complexity-simplicity preferences were consistent with research by Barron (1963) and others. Number of points on the polygons correlated .90 with subjective ratings of complexity by males and .92 with subjective ratings of complexity by females. Implications are discussed, including whether or not symmetry may be equated with simplicity and asymmetry with complexity.