How not to explain success

Explaining Success to Psychology Professors from Union College, Christopher Chabris and Joshua Hart had a recent article in the New York Times, April 10, entitled “How Not to Explain Success.” They had conducted a study to clarify if there was evidence for a recent book and theory that certain ethnic and religious minority groups had achieved disproportionate success in America because their individual members possessed a combination of three specific traits: a belief that their group was inherently superior to others; a sense of personal insecurity; and a high degree of impulse control. In the updated study, the findings were that three factors consistently emerge. First, successful participants (they were measured on achievements, incomes, and other accomplishments) had higher cognitive ability, more educated parents, and better impulse control. Conscientiousness and good impulse control were also positive predictors. And, finally, rather than insecurity as a motivator, emotional stability was related to greater success.

There are several implications from these findings. Fair or not, socioeconomic background can have a big impact on one’s level of success and opportunities. All the more reason to find ways to support people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to help them capitalize on their strengths and find ways to move up the economic ladder. The two other factors considered, cognitive abilities and impulse control, are factors we routinely measure and consider in our assessments for companies and organizations. There are objective measures that can determine one’s problem-solving abilities and self-management skills, and this information can help employers decide on optimal candidates for certain roles as well as skill areas to target for talent development and professional growth.

By: Henry Hummert, Ph.D.