The personality correlates of zero-sum beliefs: The role of HEXACO personality dimensions in zero-sum beliefs in human-human and nature-human relations

Abstract

Zero-sum beliefs (ZSBs), the conviction that one party's gain necessitates another's loss, undermine prosocial and pro-environmental action. This study examined whether personality traits from the HEXACO model predict ZSBs in human-human (ZSB-HH) and nature-human (ZSB-NH) domains. A sample of 313 Australian residents (84% women, M_age = 50.40) completed measures of personality, political orientation, and ZSBs. Hierarchical regressions showed that Honesty-Humility (β = −0.24), Emotionality (β = −0.22), and Openness-to-Experience (β = −0.23) predicted lower ZSB-NH (R² = 0.379, f² = 0.12), while Honesty-Humility (β = −0.22), Agreeableness (β = −0.22), and Openness-to-Experience (β = −0.10) predicted lower ZSB-HH (R² = 0.339, f² = 0.20). Political orientation emerged as the strongest, and positive, predictor of ZSB-NH (β = 0.46) and a moderate predictor of ZSB-HH (β = 0.19), partially mediating trait–ZSB associations. These findings suggest that some traits, like Honesty-Humility and Openness-to-Experience, consistently reduce zero-sum thinking across both domains, while others, such as Emotionality and Agreeableness, appear to shape these beliefs more selectively, depending on whether the context involves people or the environment. While further research is needed to clarify when and how these influences emerge, the results underscore personality's role in shaping competitive worldviews and highlight the psychological barriers ZSBs pose to interpersonal cooperation and sustainability.