Influence and personality: relationships among superdiffuser traits and big five traits

A survey was conducted (N = 632) to determine which of the Big Five personality traits tended to be related to each of the three traits specified in the superdiffuser model of diffusion and influence (connector, persuader, maven). The purpose of the study was to better understand the traits that form the core of the superdiffuser model of opinion leadership and to inform methods of recruiting superdiffusers for behavior change campaigns. The connector and persuader measures were both associated with extraversion, as predicted. Persuader scores were somewhat negatively associated with agreeableness and positively with openness. Six types of mavenness were tested and found to vary substantially in their associations with Big Five personality traits. Clothing mavenness was positively associated with neuroticism whereas sports mavenness was negatively associated. These results suggest that mavenness for one topic may exist in a different nomological network than mavenness for another.