Persistence is a key personality trait, describing an individual's propensity to remain motivated, resilient, and goal-driven in the face of challenges and difficulties they may encounter whilst carrying out tasks and working towards goals.
Identified by psychiatrist C. Robert Cloninger in his Psychobiological Model of Personality,[1] persistence more precisely refers to "perseverance in spite of fatigue or frustration".
[5] This model was further adjusted to include three supplementary dimensions of character, which are experience-acquired traits that develop over a lifetime: cooperativeness (CO), self-transcendence (SF), and self-directedness (SD).
[8][9] In particular, it is thought to be associated with the dopaminergic neurotransmitter system, which plays a crucial role in drive, goal-oriented behaviour, and reward processing, all key elements to persistence.
Those scoring highly in persistence are understood to remain hardworking, overachieving and committed to their goals in the face of challenges, whilst the inverse can be said for those with low levels of PS.
[15] The following describes the characteristics that individuals who score highly in each of the four subscales are likely to display:[16] (PS1) Increased efforts in the expectation of rewards and voluntarily taking on new tasks and setting challenges.
Research also found that persistence is positively correlated with the Activity scale, a component within the sensation-seeking dimension of Zuckerman's Alternative Five Personality model.
[18] The activity scale in the Zuckerman Personality Questionnaire(ZKPQ) measures an individual's tendency to relentlessly pursue mentally and physically stimulating or challenging tasks, behaviours which are associated with Persistence.
[19] This dimension describes an individual's tendency to behave in irresponsible, aggressive, impulsive, and norm-violating manners, traits which are not present in those who display high levels of persistence.
For example, studies using the TCI identified persistence as an adaptive trait that assists individuals in achieving success in their education, employment, and general well-being.
[20] These findings have, therefore, been applied to the clinical field, providing a foundation for the development of psychiatric techniques designed to increase persistent tendencies such as motivation, perseverance and discipline, which some individuals may have difficulty with.