PERSONALITY AS A CORRELATE OF PREJUDICE AGAINST OVERWEIGHT INDIVIDUALS IN LAGOS METROPOLIS.

Abstract

The importance of the influence of personality in shaping people’s attitude towards individuals who are overweight is notable. It has been argued that weight bias towards overweight individuals have a negative consequence on their psychological well-being and quality of life. This study investigated the relationship that exists between personality traits and prejudice against overweight individuals. The study used purposive sampling techniques to select the four hundred and Forty-Two (442) students that participated in the study. It employed a cross-sectional correlation design using the survey method. The Big Five Inventory (BFI) and the Anti-Fat Attitude (AFA) Scales were used for data collection. The data generated was analyzed based on the research objectives and the formulated hypotheses using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) statistics. From the analysis, findings revealed that four personality traits had no significant relationship with prejudiced attitude towards overweight individuals. The study found that agreeableness personality traits is negatively but significantly related to prejudice against overweight people, while the remaining four (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism) did not. The study established that people who have the dominant 
agreeableness trait are more tolerant and exhibit a significantly lower level of dislike or prejudice towards overweight people. The findings were discussed using extant theories.