Who Blogs?

According to a recent article in the journal Computers in Human Behavior (whoa, that's a journal with a niche) entitled, "Who Blogs: Personality Predictors of Blogging", there are certain traits shared by many bloggers. Whether we believe this data or not, it's based off the Big Five traits of personality which include:

1. neuroticisim
2. extraversion
3. agreeableness
4. openness to experience
5. conscientiousness

The authors reference a growing body of evidence suggesting that variations in the above traits are linked to differences in ways individuals use the Internet. My take is that variations in the individual recipe predict how we interface with modern technology (e.g. Internet, but not limited to blogging). Interesting concept.

Whether you choose to believe the results of this study or not, the authors suggest that those persons with high scores on openness to experience and high scores (in women only) on neuroticism tend to be bloggers. The other three traits were not predictors of the tendency or desire to blog. Here's how Wikipedia defines openness to experience and neuroticism.

I get it with the neurotic bit. The openness to experience part was the surprising piece for me. If the Wikipedia authors are correct, I might just fit in that category as well. At first glance my conclusion about openness to experience meant that words like this would readily exit my mouth: "Hey dude, sign me up for that bungee jump or let's gear up for the rock climb adventure on Mt. Rainier!". Apparently that sort of shit can be stored away in the "Dumb Ideas" file and I can still be considered open. Revelation.

Ok, so I'm female, neurotic, and open and therefore drawn to blogging. Endlessly.