Who earns more? Explicit traits, implicit motives and income growth trajectories

Building on career self-management perspectives, this study extends the literature on the link between personality and income as an indicator of objective career success by tracking income over time and by studying not only explicit but also implicit personality constructs, separately and integrated. Hypotheses on effects of explicit (Big Five traits) and implicit (Big Three motives of affiliation, power, and achievement) personality on income and income growth trajectories were tested using a growth model that tracked income over a 4-year time span (N = 311 participants; k = 1244 observations). Results revealed that income had a positive linear growth trajectory over time and employees with higher scores on emotional stability and intellect had higher levels of income at the starting point of the study. Emotional stability and conscientiousness additionally predicted the slope of the trajectory over the 4-year period. Lower implicit affiliation was associated with more income growth over time and implicit personality predicted income growth beyond a model only consisting of explicit personality. Results of this study broaden our understanding of predictors of income growth and present a comprehensive overview of (explicit/implicit) personality-income relations over time. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.