Personality and knowledge mobilisation: exploring individual differences among political elites

To what extent are personality traits associated with knowledge use by office holders? This article argues that individual differences matter when studying knowledge mobilisation by political elites. In this respect, the HEXACO model of personality is employed to investigate how personality traits are associated with knowledge use. More specifically, following the evaluation literature, two specific types of knowledge use are differentiated: Decision-Making Knowledge Use and Decision Justification Knowledge Use. To achieve this, original data collected among local elected officials from the 26 Swiss cantons is analysed. The findings indicate that individual differences in terms of personality traits are associated with the incorporation of scientific knowledge into decision-making processes. More specifically, openness to experience is identified as a stronger predictor of knowledge use compared to conscientiousness, highlighting its unique role in fostering evidence-based decision-making. Socio-demographic differences are also found to be associated with variability in knowledge use among politicians. By identifying common characteristics among those most likely to rely on scientific knowledge, this research aims to contribute to a better understanding of how to foster informed decision-making within political contexts.