# Trait agreeableness moderates the relationship between induced state agreeableness and feeling states

## TL;DR

People who are naturally agreeable feel better when they act agreeably, while this is less true for those with lower agreeableness.

## Contribution

This study shows that trait Agreeableness moderates the emotional outcomes of acting agreeably.

## Key findings

- Higher trait Agreeableness is linked to better feelings after acting agreeably.
- Trait Conscientiousness did not affect the emotional outcomes of conscientious behavior.
- Results align with prior research on counterdispositional behavior and personality traits.

## Abstract

The idea that counterdispositional behavior is depleting, stressful, or less rewarding than trait-consistent behavior has received much attention in personality science in recent years. In an experience sampling study with a within-person intervention design (N = 74), participants first went through a baseline ESM protocol and were then prompted to behave in an agreeable and conscientious way for 4 days each. Trait Agreeableness moderated the relationship between agreeable behavior and momentary feelings; the higher the participant's trait Agreeableness, the better and less stressed they felt after behaving agreeably. In contrast, trait Conscientiousness did not moderate conscientious behavior-outcome relations. The results were in line with previous studies on counterdispositional Conscientiousness and suggested that those with higher trait Agreeableness may find it easier or more rewarding to act agreeably than those with lower trait Agreeableness.