Title: The Polymath Questionnaire: A Correlational Study between Polymath Belief, Self-Efficacy, and Personality
Abstract: This study attempts to explore the idea of a ‘polymath’ and treats education and learning as an end in itself, rather than a means. The paper focuses on the relationship between polymath beliefs, a sub-type of self-efficacy, i.e. the extent to which an individual finds themselves to be competent to carry out the different tasks in several areas. The major distinction between self-efficacy as an umbrella term and the Polymath Belief is that the latter focuses on one’s perceptions in more than one areas, while the former isn’t particularly dependent on the number of fields/areas pursued. The Polymath Questionnaire was constructed to assess polymath belief, which was correlated with Openness and Self-Efficacy. The study found significant positive correlations. The paper concludes with a discussion on the merits and limitations of the study, and scope for further research.