Pathways linking the facets of conscientiousness to subjective well-being: Examining the role of cognitive flexibility and emotional intelligence

This study aimed to (1) investigate the potentially conflicting relationships between conscientiousness facets and subjective well-being (SWB), and (2) examine the mediating roles of cognitive flexibility (CF) and emotional intelligence (EI) in these relationships, thereby elucidating distinct motivational pathways underlying conscientiousness and its connection to well-being. Path analyses were calculate based on data from 459 Japanese employees (237 men, mean age = 42.35). Facets of conscientiousness were measured using both the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP)-300 and the IPIP-Abridged Big Five-Dimensional Circumplex (AB5C) to obtain robust results and assess possible instrument-specific effects. Both instruments revealed mixed positive and negative relationships between conscientiousness facets and SWB. Competence, self-discipline, and achievement-striving — components of the industriousness subdomain — showed positive associations with SWB. In contrast, orderliness, dutifulness, and cautiousness — components of the orderliness subdomain — exhibited negative associations. Mediation analyses identified CF and EI as critical factors enhancing the positive effects of industriousness and lower EI as a key factor contributing to lower SWB among cautious individuals. Conscientiousness demonstrates dual effects on well-being: proactive facets enhance, while inhibitory facets diminish well-being via cognitive-emotional pathways. Improving flexibility and social skills may enhance well-being by leveraging industriousness and mitigating the downsides of orderliness.