The Implicit Trait Function: Effectiveness as a Function of a Trait-Driven Antecedent Disposition
Abstract
An implicit trait policy (ITP) comprises of a form of general domain knowledge (GDK), for which a worker’s knowledge of effectiveness interacts with (trait-driven antecedent) dispositions like agreeableness. Through this interaction, an ITP succeeds in predicting and explaining effective work behavior. Studies therefore use an ITP as a validation mechanism in research that aims to predict and explain future work behavior like situational judgement tests (SJTs). Currently, ITP literature still debates the nature and the validity of the ITP concept, while also pointing towards methodological problems in the field. The present study introduces the implicit trait function (ITF) that transforms the dimension of a trait-driven antecedent disposition into the dimension of effectiveness, for both workers as well as behavioral responses. Proactive and retrospective applications of this function demonstrate that an ITP exhibits ample levels of construct-related validity, provided that the measuring instrument, the measurement scoring key, and the subsequent ITP calculations are properly facilitated. The ITF thus renders a comprehensive framework that not only integrates key contributions from the ITP literature but also addresses contemporary challenges within the field.
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BibTeX
@misc{schelfhout2026implicit,
title = {{The Implicit Trait Function: Effectiveness as a Function of a Trait-Driven Antecedent Disposition}},
author = {Stijn Schelfhout and Femke Timmerman and Eva Derous},
howpublished = {PsyArXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.31234/osf.io/sqxbc_v1},
url = {https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/sqxbc_v1/},
note = {CC0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - The Implicit Trait Function: Effectiveness as a Function of a Trait-Driven Antecedent Disposition
AU - Stijn Schelfhout
AU - Femke Timmerman
AU - Eva Derous
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/17
PB - PsyArXiv
DO - 10.31234/osf.io/sqxbc_v1
UR - https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/sqxbc_v1/
AB - An implicit trait policy (ITP) comprises of a form of general domain knowledge (GDK), for which a worker’s knowledge of effectiveness interacts with (trait-driven antecedent) dispositions like agreeableness. Through this interaction, an ITP succeeds in predicting and explaining effective work behavior. Studies therefore use an ITP as a validation mechanism in research that aims to predict and explain future work behavior like situational judgement tests (SJTs). Currently, ITP literature still debates the nature and the validity of the ITP concept, while also pointing towards methodological problems in the field. The present study introduces the implicit trait function (ITF) that transforms the dimension of a trait-driven antecedent disposition into the dimension of effectiveness, for both workers as well as behavioral responses. Proactive and retrospective applications of this function demonstrate that an ITP exhibits ample levels of construct-related validity, provided that the measuring instrument, the measurement scoring key, and the subsequent ITP calculations are properly facilitated. The ITF thus renders a comprehensive framework that not only integrates key contributions from the ITP literature but also addresses contemporary challenges within the field.
ER -