The #1 Personality Trait That Determines 82% Of Your Reputation, According To A Princeton Study
Reputation is everything.
Davide Angelini | Shutterstock Most aspects of our personalities are deeply ingrained within us. Nurture has an effect on the people we become, yet nature determines a huge part of who we are and how we relate to the world around us.
There are some people who just have that “it” factor: No matter where they are, people seem drawn to them. In a world where reputation is everything, people with one particular personality trait truly shine.
According to a Princeton study, one personality trait accounts for 82% of how people see you.
Our ability to influence others is determined by one distinct characteristic: Our charisma.
Charisma is defined by the combination of a person’s warmth and their perceived level of competence.
Career expert Hanna Goefft dove into the defining factors of charisma, noting that “what sets charisma apart from the other personality traits is that you’re not born with it. It’s actually something you can practice and grow and develop over time.”
Charisma determines our ability to influence people. Goefft touched on the various ways that having charisma can benefit your professional life, from negotiating a higher salary to really nailing that job interview.
The Princeton study, “Universal Dimensions of Social Cognition: Warmth and Competence,” was published in 2007. The study emphasized the importance of both warmth and competence, explaining that people who are seen as warm and competent evoke positive reactions from others, while people without those traits receive negative reactions.
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A common struggle people have in harnessing their charisma is overemphasizing warmth or competence, instead of striking the perfect balance of both traits at once.
The study noted other personality traits associated with warmth: friendliness, sincerity, helpfulness, trustworthiness, and morality. The secondary traits that are associated with competence have to do with perceived ability, like intelligence, skill, efficacy, and creativity.
Charisma is a personality trait you can actively cultivate.
“Building charisma is actually quite simple,” Goefft revealed.
She noted that some people come off as “bubbly and effusive but don’t really command respect,” while others are “very matter-of-fact or competent” but seem cold and aloof, which highlights why it’s so important to strike that perfect balance.
She explained that coming off as more charismatic has to do with more than just what we're saying: It comes down to how we express ourselves.
Our tone of voice and body language convey our level of warmth and competence, often more so than the words we're using.
The Princeton study revealed the evolutionary reasoning that warmth and competence are so important in our society.
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Upon meeting a new person, we ask ourselves if that person is a friend or foe. Are they going to help us or harm us?
Warmth signals social acceptance, which is why it’s such a crucial personality trait.
After we establish that we’re safe in the presence of a new person, we ask a second question that pertains to competence: Does this person have the skill and ability to enact whatever intentions they have?
Charisma might seem like an elusive trait, but breaking it down into smaller elements helps demystify it.
It isn’t so hard to signal warmth: It’s rooted in having compassion for the person you’re talking to. If you truly listen to what someone is saying and connect with them, you’re already halfway to having charisma.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.