The Influence of Personality Traits on Safety Behavior in Construction: The Role of Psychological–Cognitive Mediators

Past research has predominantly focused on personality traits and psychological–cognitive factors as isolated predictors of safety behavior, while their interactive effects in shaping safety behavior remain underexplored. The gap constrains mechanistic understanding of safety behavior and limits the effectiveness of individualized interventions. Therefore, this study developed a theoretical framework linking personality traits, psychological–cognitive mediators (safety awareness, safety attitude, safety motivation, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control) and safety behavior (safety compliance and safety participation). Quantitative data were collected from 431 frontline construction workers and managers using paper-based questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was used to test direct and indirect relationships among variables. The results reveal differentiated psychological–cognitive pathways through which personality traits shape safety behavior. Extraversion suppressed safety compliance through all psychological–cognitive factors except perceived behavioral control, and diminished safety participation via safety attitude and safety motivation. Agreeableness enhanced safety compliance through all psychological–cognitive factors except perceived behavioral control, whereas conscientiousness promoted safety compliance through all mediators. Agreeableness and conscientiousness strengthened safety participation via all mediators except safety awareness. Openness facilitated safety compliance through safety awareness but simultaneously inhibited it through other psychological–cognitive factors, and reduced safety participation via all mediators except safety awareness. Neuroticism undermined safety compliance via safety attitude, safety motivation, and subjective norm, and suppressed safety participation through safety attitude and safety motivation. These findings underscore the critical mediating role of psychological–cognitive factors in personality–safety behavior linkages and offer implications for individualized safety management. Recommended strategies include integrating personality and psychological–cognitive assessments to optimize work allocation and team collaboration, employing immersive and contextualized training to stabilize safety behavior, and developing an artificial intelligence–enabled safety management framework centered on psychological–cognitive regulation.