The economics of global personality diversity

Paul X. McCarthy; Xian Gong; Marieth Coetzer; Marian-Andrei Rizoiu; Margaret L. Kern; John A. Johnson; Richard Holden; Fabian Braesemann

arXiv · 2503.19388

The economics of global personality diversity

Paul X. McCarthy·Xian Gong·Marieth Coetzer·Marian-Andrei Rizoiu·Margaret L. Kern·John A. Johnson·Richard Holden·Fabian Braesemann

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Abstract

This study explores the relationship between personality diversity and national economic performance, introducing the Global Personality Diversity Index ($Ψ$-GPDI) as a novel metric. Leveraging a dataset of 760,242 individuals across 135 countries, we quantify within-country diversity based on the Big Five personality traits. Our findings reveal that personality diversity accounts for 19.9% of the variance in GDP per person employed and provides an additional 5.7% explanatory power beyond institutional quality and immigrant diversity, underscoring its unique contribution to economic vitality. Through multi-factor analysis, we demonstrate how personality diversity complements existing economic frameworks, offering actionable insights for policymakers seeking to enhance innovation, productivity, and resilience. This research positions psychological diversity as a critical yet under explored factor in driving economic growth, bridging the fields of psychology and economics.

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Paul X. McCarthy, Xian Gong, Marieth Coetzer, Marian-Andrei Rizoiu, Margaret L. Kern, John A. Johnson, Richard Holden, Fabian Braesemann. 2026-09-01. The economics of global personality diversity. https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.19388

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