View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Not Just Elections: Personality Traits and Ambition for Political Office.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Not Just Elections: Personality Traits and Ambition for Political Office.
Authors: Hassell, Hans J. G. (AUTHOR), Hollibaugh Jr., Gary E. (AUTHOR), Miles, Matthew R. (AUTHOR)
Source: Political Behavior. Mar2026, Vol. 48 Issue 1, p97-117. 21p.
Subjects: Personality, Ambition, Civil service, Elections, Public services, Judicial selection & appointment, Law students, Rational-legal authority
Geographic Terms: United States
Abstract: Previous research on personality traits and political ambition has focused almost entirely on electoral ambition. In this paper, we specifically examine whether the presence or absence of elections changes the relationship between personality and ambition for public service. Using surveys of U.S. law students, federal bureaucrats, and the general public, we find the same personality traits that predict ambition for elected office also predict ambition for bureaucratic and judicial positions. Additionally, while some types of people are attracted or deterred by the electoral aspects of public service, the relationship between personality traits and an individual's affinity for the electoral aspects of public service are the same as their relationship with other aspects of public service. In other words, elections are not unique in their effects on the types of people who are interested in public service. Instead, they simply reinforce who expresses ambition for public service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Political Behavior is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 191573854
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Not Just Elections: Personality Traits and Ambition for Political Office.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hassell%2C+Hans+J%2E+G%2E%22">Hassell, Hans J. G.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hollibaugh+Jr%2E%2C+Gary+E%2E%22">Hollibaugh Jr., Gary E.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Miles%2C+Matthew+R%2E%22">Miles, Matthew R.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Political+Behavior%22">Political Behavior</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 48 Issue 1, p97-117. 21p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personality%22">Personality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ambition%22">Ambition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Civil+service%22">Civil service</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elections%22">Elections</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+services%22">Public services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Judicial+selection+%26+appointment%22">Judicial selection & appointment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Law+students%22">Law students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rational-legal+authority%22">Rational-legal authority</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Previous research on personality traits and political ambition has focused almost entirely on electoral ambition. In this paper, we specifically examine whether the presence or absence of elections changes the relationship between personality and ambition for public service. Using surveys of U.S. law students, federal bureaucrats, and the general public, we find the same personality traits that predict ambition for elected office also predict ambition for bureaucratic and judicial positions. Additionally, while some types of people are attracted or deterred by the electoral aspects of public service, the relationship between personality traits and an individual's affinity for the electoral aspects of public service are the same as their relationship with other aspects of public service. In other words, elections are not unique in their effects on the types of people who are interested in public service. Instead, they simply reinforce who expresses ambition for public service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Political Behavior is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=191573854
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s11109-025-10024-8
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 21
        StartPage: 97
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Personality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ambition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Civil service
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elections
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Judicial selection & appointment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Law students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rational-legal authority
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United States
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Not Just Elections: Personality Traits and Ambition for Political Office.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hassell, Hans J. G.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hollibaugh Jr., Gary E.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Miles, Matthew R.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 03
              Text: Mar2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 01909320
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 48
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Political Behavior
              Type: main
ResultId 1