Exploring the impact of personality traits on immersive tendencies

Have you ever found yourself so engrossed in a book or a movie or video game that you lost track of time? This state of deep immersion varies widely among individuals, and our personality traits might hold the key to understanding why. 

Immersiveness is a state of being deeply involved in the activity you do, while being aware of the emotions or experiences that this activity arises while carrying it out. This research study was aimed to understand whether there are specific traits that can influence the likelihood of being immersed. In simpler words, can someone's trait decrease or increase immersion levels during everyday activities and why? 

An abundance of research can be found on personality traits and individual differences. However, research between personality traits and immersiveness has not been explored widely. Previous research, specifically, the Big Five Personality traits show a link betweenan  individual's levels of immersion being affected by how engaged and absorbed one is during the activities they are doing. 

In particular, openness to experience and empathy are known to make the individual more likely to be immersed (Lukka, 2014). Research also shows emotional experiences play a key role in influencing individuals' state of being 'present' (Bouchard et al., 2008). 

Motivation behind this study

This study measured anxiety and impulsivity, two traits that often co-occur and influence each other. Individuals with high anxiety levels frequently experience heightened impulsivity as a coping mechanism to manage their anxious thoughts. This impulsivity can manifest as hasty decisions or actions without considering the consequences, further exacerbating anxiety. 

Conversely, impulsive behavior can lead to situations that increase anxiety, creating a cyclical effect. Understanding how these intertwined traits impact immersive tendencies is crucial, as they are likely to moderate each other's effects. For instance, a person with high anxiety may find it challenging to immerse themselves in an activity due to constant worry, while their impulsive nature could lead them to frequently switch tasks, preventing deep engagement.

Similarly, research previously done on children's impulsivity caused by ADHD shows they exhibit lower levels of concentration and individuals with low impulse-control in general have a hard time making right decisions which may affect their ability to simply take decisions consciously, by being entirely present in the moment. 

Lastly, we measured talkativeness because it is a facet of extraversion and with that association, individuals who are highly talkative will exhibit lower levels of anxiety, which could help them be calmer and therefore more immersed in activities such as, having a conversation. It is associated with sociability and active engagement, which can enhance one's ability to immerse themselves in activities by fostering a more interactive and participatory approach. 

My hypothesis is grounded in the Big-Five Personality Theory, which categorises personality traits into five broad dimensions, including extraversion and neuroticism. Anxiety and impulsivity are facets of neuroticism, often associated with negative emotionality and poor self-control, respectively. Talkativeness is a facet of extraversion, linked to sociability and engagement. We hypothesised that higher anxiety and impulsivity would negatively affect immersion due to their disruptive nature, while higher talkativeness would positively influence immersion by promoting engagement.

How was this study conducted? 

I invited 131 people from various ethnic backgrounds to participate in a 15-minute online survey. This survey was designed to understand different personality traits scores corelate with a person's ability to become deeply involved in activities. They were asked to answer four questionnaires that included each personality trait followed by immersive tendencies questionnaire. To ensure our results were accurate, we did not include individuals who were diagnosed with mental disorders or those taking medications or drugs that cause drowsiness. 

What was discovered? 

Anxiety on immersiveness: A complex relationship

Study results showed that people who have higher levels of anxiety tend to have a harder time getting deeply involved in activities. This makes sense because anxious people often worry a lot, which can distract them from focusing on what they're doing. However, in our study, this link between anxiety and immersion wasn't strong enough to be considered certain.

Double Trouble: How two traits together affect immersion 

The findings further discovered that when people have both high anxiety and high impulsivity, their ability to become immersed in activities is significantly reduced. Impulsivity, or acting without thinking, combined with anxiety creates a powerful distraction. These individuals might frequently switch tasks and struggle to focus, making it hard for them to get deeply engaged in any one activity. This combined effect was clear and statistically significant, meaning it's a reliable finding.

Talkativeness: The unexpected boost to immersive experiences

Interestingly, people who are more talkative tend to get more immersed in activities. Talkative individuals, who enjoy social interactions, might find it easier to engage deeply in what they're doing. However, like anxiety, this connection wasn't strong enough to be considered definite in our study, which indicated that talkativeness alone cannot have a positive effect on immersiveness. 

While there are indications of relationships between these personality traits and immersive tendencies, only the negative relationship between impulsivity and immersive tendencies is statistically significant. Anxiety and talkativeness show trends in their expected directions (negative for anxiety and positive for talkativeness) but do not reach statistical significance. This implies that impulsivity may play a more critical role in influencing an individual's ability to become immersed in activities compared to anxiety and talkativeness. Further research with larger sample sizes or additional variables may be needed to clarify these relationships.

What can be done to improve immersiveness and help those who struggle? 

Everyone is unique, and every trait influences an individual's perception and experience of the world. Personalities affect our mental state and mood, impacting our ability to work, interact, and engage in activities. For individuals who struggle with focus and immersion due to heightened anxiety and impulsivity, the first step is to develop self-awareness of their behaviors and triggers. Keeping a journal to track moments of distraction and anxiety can be a helpful tool.

Therapeutic strategies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can provide structured approaches to manage anxiety and impulsivity. Practising mindfulness and meditation has also been shown to reduce anxiety and improve focus, helping individuals become more immersed in their tasks. Creating a comfortable and organised environment can further support immersiveness by reducing external distractions and promoting a sense of calm.

In educational settings, understanding how personality traits influence engagement can help tailor teaching methods to enhance student learning. For instance, engaging in mindfulness exercises or structured tasks can improve immersive experiences for anxious or impulsive students. This study shows that anxiety and impulsivity negatively affect peace and comfort, diverting attention needed for immersiveness and by creating environments that foster calmness and comfort, educators can increase student engagement and concentration. Addressing the specific needs of students with different personality traits enables the creation of more effective and immersive learning experiences.

Additional reading 

Poushaneh, K., Bonab, B. G., & Namin, F. H. (2010). 'Effect of training impulse control on increase attention of children with attention – deficit/ hyperactivity disorder'. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, 983–987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.222