Personality in captive killer whales (Orcinus orca): A rating approach based on the five-factor model.

• DOI: 10.1037/com0000146
• Publication Date: 2018-11-15T14:53:24Z
• Authors: Yulán Úbeda; Sara Ortín; Judy St. Leger; Miquel Llorente; Javier Almunia
• Keywords: Agreeableness; Conscientiousness; Personality psychology

The comparative study of animal personality has received great interest in recent years. Some studies have analyzed personalities cetaceans (exclusively dolphins), but none the factorial structure any species this order. Our objective was to evaluate a sample captive killer whales (n = 24) adapting one most widely used models humans and nonhuman animals: five-factor model. A total 38 descriptive adjectives were rated by 55 raters (mainly trainers curators). Principal components analysis regularized exploratory factor revealed four statistically significant factors with acceptable standards interrater reliability validity, accounting for 49.85% variance. first indicated an Extraversion factor, second combined Conscientiousness Agreeableness, third yielded Dominance fourth reflected Careful very close combination Agreeableness factor. results compared obtained chimpanzees prior studies. similarities could be explained as result convergent adaptive traits despite deep evolutionary divergence, adaptation physically dissimilar environments, different neuroanatomical organization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).