Is Fun for Everyone? Personality Differences in Healthcare Providers’ Attitudes toward Fun

This study examines the role of personality (the Big Five dimensions) in attitudes towards fun and levels of experienced fun in the healthcare environment and shows that extraversion and agreeableness were positively related to attitudes toward fun.

Abstract

This study examines the role of personality (the Big Five dimensions) in attitudes towards fun and levels of experienced fun in the healthcare environment. Our results show that extraversion and agreeableness were positively related to attitudes toward fun. Extraversion and emotional stability (low neuroticism) were positively related to the level of experienced fun. In general, our sample expressed positive attitudes regarding the appropriateness, salience, and consequences of having fun at work. Additionally, those who reported experiencing greater levels of workplace fun had significantly lower emotional exhaustion and emotional dissonance, as well as higher job satisfaction. Implications for healthcare institutions are discussed.