Personality Traits Mediating Sense of Belonging and Academic Curiosity among Students in Ghana

Abstract

The sense of being part of a learning community is a known explanatory variable for learners’ explorative behaviors, but the extent to which this explanation interferes with stable characteristics appears inconclusive. Therefore, this study examined the mediating roles of personality traits in the relationship between sense of belonging and academic curiosity. A sample of 400 high school students was randomly selected to respond to adapted versions of the Big Five Personality Inventory, the Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale, and the 5-Dimensional Curiosity Scale. The data collected with the scales were analyzed inferentially using structural equation modeling. The study found that open-mindedness and agreeableness predicted curiosity, but not all dimensions of personality traits mediated a sense of belonging and academic curiosity. For example, open-mindedness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism mediated the relationship between sense of belonging and curiosity. In this regard, students with a high degree of sense of belonging tend to have a well-developed academic curiosity since they tend to be open-minded, conscientious, agreeable, and emotionally stable. Therefore, school authorities should use personality traits, a sense of belonging, and curiosity in profiling students for academic programs.