The Development Trajectory of Dispositional Greed Among Junior Middle School Students and The Effect of Childhood Maltreatment on It: A Three-Year Longitudinal Study

Xiang Yanhui; Liu Wanting; Ma Liping

doi:10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20250509

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Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2025, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (5) : 1124-1138. DOI: 10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20250509

The Development Trajectory of Dispositional Greed Among Junior Middle School Students and The Effect of Childhood Maltreatment on It: A Three-Year Longitudinal Study

Xiang Yanhui^1,2,3,4, Liu Wanting^2,3,4, Ma Liping⁵

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Abstract

Greed is often viewed as a negative personality trait, with its detrimental consequences widely documented, such as reduced life satisfaction, strained interpersonal relationships, and involvement in unethical or illegal behaviors. While much of the research on greed has focused on its behavioral and psychological outcomes, its roots have been relatively underexplored. Emerging evidence suggests that the origins of greed may lie in adverse early-life environments, such as environmental unpredictability and resource scarcity. However, one particularly significant and pervasive factor—early abuse—has received comparatively little attention in understanding the development of dispositional greed. Early abuse encompasses various dimensions, including physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional abuse, and emotional neglect. Each of these may uniquely influence the development of dispositional greed, particularly during early adolescence, a critical period for personality formation. Investigating this connection can provide a more comprehensive understanding of how adverse childhood experiences shape personality traits over time and offer scientific insights into designing family-based interventions to mitigate the development of dispositional greed. In addition, this study takes a person-centered approach to examine patterns of early abuse among Chinese children. By identifying distinct profiles of childhood maltreatment and their relationships with dispositional greed levels, this research provides nuanced insights into how different abuse experiences influence personality development. Grounded in the evolutionary life history theory, the study aims to explore the long-term impact of early abuse on the developmental trajectory of dispositional greed, shedding light on this critical issue from an evolutionary perspective. This approach not only deepens our understanding of greed's developmental origins but also informs targeted strategies for psychological intervention and educational guidance.
This study used a cluster sampling method to select 239 students from a middle school in Hunan Province, China, and conducted a three-year longitudinal survey with annual data collection. Using latent growth modeling, latent profile analysis, and repeated measures ANOVA for data analysis, the results revealed the following: First, the dispositional greed of junior high school students showed a linear increase over three years. Second, childhood maltreatment significantly positively predicted the initial level of dispositional greed and significantly negatively predicted its growth rate. Specifically, emotional abuse significantly increased the initial level of dispositional greed, while physical neglect significantly reduced its growth rate. Third, four distinct profiles of childhood maltreatment were identified: Rarely Maltreated, Moderately Maltreated, Severely physically Abused, and Highly Emotionally Maltreated. Furthermore, the growth rate of dispositional greed in the Severely Physically Abused group was significantly lower than that of the Rarely Maltreated group, suggesting that severe physical abuse may constrain the increase in greed over time. Finally, regarding the initial level of dispositional greed, the Severely physically Abused group and the Highly Emotionally Maltreated group were significantly or marginally higher than the Rarely Maltreated group. In terms of the final level of dispositional greed, the Highly Emotionally Maltreated group was significantly higher than all other groups.
The current study reveals the dynamic developmental characteristics of dispositional greed and the complex relationship between experiences of childhood maltreatment and the developmental trajectory of greed in junior high school students. These findings emphasize the critical role of early adverse experiences in shaping personality traits like greed during adolescence. Emotional abuse and neglect, in particular, appears to exert a stronger and more persistent influence than physical abuse and neglect. Based on the evolutionary life history theory, the study highlights the persistent impact of childhood emotional neglect and emotional abuse on the development of dispositional greed. Compared to the scarcity or abundance of material resources in early environments, the lack of emotional resources during childhood emerges as a critical driver of greed growth. This research offers a novel perspective on the mechanisms underlying dispositional greed and provides insights for developing targeted family education and psychological intervention strategies from the perspective of emotional support.

Key words

dispositional greed / childhood maltreatment / latent growth model / latent profile analysis / early adolescence / development trajectory

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Xiang Yanhui, Liu Wanting, Ma Liping. The Development Trajectory of Dispositional Greed Among Junior Middle School Students and The Effect of Childhood Maltreatment on It: A Three-Year Longitudinal Study[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2025, 48(5): 1124-1138 https://doi.org/10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20250509

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