Copyright © The British Psychological Society
Reproduction in any form (including the internet) is prohibited without prior permission from the Society
Predicting integrity with the HEXACO
personality model: Use of self- and observer
reports
Kibeom Lee
1
*, Michael C. Ashton
2
, David L. Morrison
3
,
John Cordery
3
and Patrick D. Dunlop
3
1
University of Calgary, Canada
2
Brock University, Canada
3
University of Western Australia, Australia
Recent research has suggested that a six-dimensional model of personality called the
HEXACO framework may have particular value in organizational settings because of its
ability to predict integrity-related outcomes. In this series of studies, the potential value of
the HEXACO factor known as Honesty–Humility was further examined. First, the
empirical distinctness of this construct from the other major dimensions of personality
was demonstrated in a high-stakes personnel selection situation. Second, Honesty–
Humility was found to predict scores on an integrity test and a business ethical decision-
making task beyond the level of prediction that was possible using measures based on a
traditional Big Five model of personality. This finding was also observed when Honesty–
Humility was assessed by familiar acquaintances of the target persons. The applicability of
the HEXACO model within industrial and organizational psychology was then discussed.
Research on personality remains an important topic in industrial and organizational
(I/O) psychology. Numerous primary and meta-analytic studies investigating the role of
personality traits in various work-related outcomes have been conducted since the
1990s, when personality re-emerged as an important focus after the ‘dark ages’ of the
1970s (Hogan, 2005). As Hogan and Roberts (2002) pointed out, the comeback of
personality in I/O psychology is owed, at least in part, to the advent of the Big Five or
Five-Factor Model (B5/FFM) of personality structure. According to this model, the
diverse array of human personality traits can be effectively summarized by the five
broadly independent dimensions that are generally labelled as Extraversion,
Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability and Intellect/Imagination
(or Openness to Experience). This taxonomic framework has facilitated a
* Correspondence should be addressed to Dr Kibeom Lee, Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N
1N4, Canada (e-mail: Kibeom@ucalgary.ca).
The
British
Psychological
Society
147
Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology (2008), 81, 147–167
q 2008 The British Psychological Society
www.bpsjournals.co.uk
DOI:10.1348/096317907X195175