A revised measure of the Life Space with a large sample (N = 1021) of university undergraduates was developed. The Life Space divides the external environment into four domains, which broadly encompass a person's bio-logical foundations, owned possessions, daily interactions and activities, and group memberships. Factor analysis of over 1000 items divided among each domain resulted in 96 factor-based scales that provided a rich description of college students' personal surroundings and everyday behavior. A 2nd-order factor analysis of the primary scales resulted in seven global dimensions that replicate and expand upon prior research in the area: Positive and Social Orientation, Sports Orientation, Drug Culture Environment, Music and Arts Achievement, Media Consumer, Negative and Unhealthy Lifestyle, and Intellectual Pursuits. The Life Space scales also were examined for gender differences and associations with social desirability response bias. The discussion focuses on the value of a more detailed and comprehensive approach to studying personality within the context of the external systems that surround the person.
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