Ability and personality correlates of general knowledge

The relationship of general knowledge (GK) with ability (IQ and abstract reasoning) and personality (Big Five traits and Typical Intellectual Engagement [TIE]) was investigated in a sample of 201 British university students. As predicted, GK was positively correlated with cognitive ability (more so with IQ [r = .46] than with abstract reasoning [r = .37]), TIE (r = .36) and Openness to Experience (r = .16), and negatively related to Neuroticism (r = −.18) and Extraversion (r = −.16). A total of 26% of GK variance was explained by measures of intelligence, though personality traits (particularly Neuroticism and Extraversion) showed incremental validity (5%) in the prediction of GK. Applied and theoretical implications are discussed.