Discussion: What makes some *want* to deal with BF--but most tune it out?

[Theresa42]

Re: Discussion: What makes some *want* to deal with BF--but most tune it out?

What then makes a person "by nature" proactive in general....

Well, I think you've hit at the heart of the answer right here -- some people are "by nature" more alert to, aware of, concerned about and proactive about such a potential threat as a flu pandemic. In other words, we're genetically predisposed to be inclined to think about, worry about and plan for such an event (that's not to say that our behaviors are 100% genetically based -- clearly "nurture" plays a big role as well).

Many personality traits have been shown to be heritable to one degree or another:
http://www.personalityresearch.org/bg.html

I'd say that a lot of the people on the flu boards probably have "genes for" (over-simplification) such personality traits as Conscientiousness, Neuroticism and Openness to Experience amongst others. Not to mention probably above average IQs [ ] and a preference for thinking logically (possibly a lot of folks around here with Asperger's or something like that?).

 

[4-ABBA]

Re: Discussion: What makes some *want* to deal with BF--but most tune it out?

THERESA42....YOU hit a bullseye on this:

"Openness to Experience" Link:

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Fi...ticism_or_.28inversely.29_Emotional_Stability)

Openness to Experience describes a dimension of personality that distinguishes imaginative, creative people from down-to-earth, conventional people. Open people are intellectually curious, appreciative of art, and sensitive to beauty. They tend to be, compared to closed people, more aware of their feelings. They therefore tend to hold unconventional and individualistic beliefs, although their actions may be conforming (see agreeableness).

People with low scores on openness to experience tend to have narrow, common interests. They prefer the plain, straightforward, and obvious over the complex, ambiguous, and subtle. They may regard the arts and sciences with suspicion, regarding these endeavors as abstruse or of no practical use. Closed people prefer familiarity over novelty; they are conservative and resistant to change.


Sample Openness Items
I am full of ideas.
I am quick to understand things.
I have a rich vocabulary.
I have a vivid imagination.
I have excellent ideas.
I spend time reflecting on things.
I use difficult words.

(opposite...closed):
I am not interested in abstract ideas. (reversed)
I do not have a good imagination. (reversed)
I have difficulty understanding abstract ideas. (reversed)


...It is possible that openness is a mechanism facilitating access to novel thoughts - this would explain the ... creativity measures such as imagining different uses for common objects.

Openness is often presented as healthier or more mature by psychologists.

However, open and closed styles of thinking are useful in different environments.
The intellectual style of the open person may serve a professor well, but research has shown that closed thinking is related to superior job performance in police work, sales, and a number of service occupations.

OHMYGOSH. Does the above describe characteristics fairly well that we have all encountered in different people's reactions to BF?

 

[Theresa42]

Re: Discussion: What makes some *want* to deal with BF--but most tune it out?

The intellectual style of the open person may serve a professor well, but research has shown that closed thinking is related to superior job performance in police work, sales, and a number of service occupations.

Yeah -- the 'Openess' aspect of human personality sure is an interesting one. I really do think most people following bf closely would probably score pretty high on openess on a Big-5 Personality test.

I know that in my own life, I tend to favor people who have a high degree of Openess, as well -- in all things, not just bf. But the Wikipedia article you quoted is very right that this life does take all sorts of people and that 'closed thinking' (or less open thinking) is important and valuable in this world, too. My mother, for instance, is a very closed thinker (oh, we do have a fun time trying to communicate! ) -- but to her credit she is a much more responsible person than I am and worked very hard and responsibly all her life in taking care of people (i.e. health care -- one of the service occupations).

It takes all kinds!

 

[LMonty]

Re: Discussion: What makes some *want* to deal with BF--but most tune it out?

wow, theresa that is one neat find! sure does seem very relevant!

 

[Theresa42]

Re: Discussion: What makes some *want* to deal with BF--but most tune it out?

wow, theresa that is one neat find! sure does seem very relevant!

Yes, personality research is very interesting! -- at least I find it to be.

The "Big Five" personality traits -- neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience -- are quite commonly referred to in psychology research and do, to my mind, go a long way to describe the differences between people (not all psychologists follow the Big 5 scheme, of course -- I find them useful categorizations though).

Recognizing these personality types, of course, doesn't get to the 'why' of why people are like this. Personally I think there are probably pretty strong genetic elements governing personality, but of course how someone is raised and in what environment -- and in what sort of environment they live in as an adult -- are all clearly very important, too.

I got interested in personality research a couple of years ago while I was struggling to understand why some relationships in my life didn't seem to work very well (like the one I mentioned above between my mother and myself!). Understanding these things has helped me to no end -- helped me to understand what makes me tick, what makes other people tick, and why sometimes communication and understanding can be very, very difficult. Different people just simply view the world through different colored lenses! (Duh!!! Nothing like growing up when one is already an adult! )

It's very useful, I think, to know these sorts of things (about personality types, etc.) 'cause it can really facilitate communication. Took me a loooooong time, but I finally did get my mother to prep (a little anyway) -- and the only way to go about doing it was to point directly to what a higher authority (i.e. the U.S. gov't) had to say (now I'm going to drop the foreign embassy prep suggestions on her). There was just NO WAY she was going to listen to me and my ramblings and theories -- it's just not her way of thinking.