Toward understanding the relationship between personality and well-being states and traits.

OBJECTIVE: Although there is a robust connection between dispositional personality traits and well-being, relatively little research has comprehensively examined the ways in which all Big Five personality states are associated with short-term experiences of well-being within individuals. We address three central questions about the nature of the relationship between personality and well-being states: First, to what extent do personality and well-being states covary within individuals? Second, to what extent do personality and well-being states influence one another within individuals? Finally, are these within-person relationships moderated by dispositional personality traits and well-being?

METHOD: Two experience sampling studies (N = 161 and N = 146) were conducted over 2 weeks.

RESULTS: Across both studies, all Big Five personality states were correlated with short-term experiences of well-being within individuals. Individuals were more extraverted, emotionally stable, conscientious, agreeable, and open in moments when they experienced higher well-being (greater self-esteem, life satisfaction and positive affect, and less negative affect). Moreover, personality and well-being states dynamically influenced one another over time within individuals, and these associations were not generally moderated by dispositional traits or well-being.

CONCLUSIONS: Behavior and well-being are interconnected within the context of the Big Five model of personality.