Does Fantastic Reality Ability Differ Across Personality Prototypes?

Human personality is based on five fundamental traits, and these traits appear to cluster in three different prototypes (i.e., resilient, undercontrolled, and overcontrolled prototypes). A growing body of research suggests that persons with these prototypes differ in mental health and well-being. We set out to identify if clusters differ in the use of imagination to cope with stress and uncertainty (i.e., Fantastic Reality Ability). For this study, we recruited 398 Israeli adults during the second COVID-19 lockdown, before the vaccine was available; participants were recruited and provided responses online including the FRAME (i.e., Fantastic Reality Ability Measurement). Cluster analyses indicate Israeli participants present with three distinct personality clusters or prototypes similar to research conducted in North America and Europe. Clusters significantly differ in FRA abilities (i.e., control, playfulness, coping, transcendence). That is, the resilient prototype reported higher control, playfulness and coping, and lower transcendence compared to the over- and undercontrolled. Future research should examine FRA in psychotherapy to further understand the clinical utility of this individual difference over time.