Who Networks at Academic Conferences? Studying the Nexus Between Personality and Social Behavior Through Sensors and Surveys

In five studies, we investigated whether researchers’ personality predicts their propensity to network with others at academic conferences. Conference attendees wore social sensors (radio frequency identification chips) in their conference badges which registered face-to-face contacts at close proximity (<1.5m) with high temporal resolution (~20s) for up to five consecutive days. In addition, attendees completed surveys assessing Big Five personality traits and socio-demographic characteristics. Analyses revealed substantial individual differences in attendee’s propensity to connect with others as captured by the network-based measures connectivity (degree centrality) and interactivity (average link weight). These measures were moderately stable over consecutive days, thus exhibiting trait-like properties. However, personality traits were largely unrelated to networking behavior, and associations varied greatly across studies. The only bivariate associations we found were of Agreeableness and Extraversion with connectivity in Study 5. Moreover, an integrative data analysis revealed a positive link between Extraversion on interactivity. Objective characteristics (gender, academic status, and time present at the event) had more consistent effects. We discuss explanations for these findings and outline future research avenues.