Individual differences in personality change across the adult life span

Journal of Personality
Ted Schwaba, Wiebke Bleidorn

Abstract

A precise and comprehensive description of personality continuity and change across the life span is the bedrock upon which theories of personality development are built. Little research has quantified the degree to which individuals deviate from mean-level developmental trends. In this study, we addressed this gap by examining individual differences in personality trait change across the life span. Data came from a nationally representative sample of 9,636 Dutch participants who provided Big Five self-reports at five assessment waves across 7 years. We divided our sample into 14 age groups (ages 16-84 at initial measurement) and estimated latent growth curve models to describe individual differences in personality change across the study period for each trait and age group. Across the adult life span, individual differences in personality change were small but significant until old age. For Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Agreeableness, individual differences in change were most pronounced in emerging adulthood and decreased throughout midlife and old age. For Emotional Stability, individual differences in change were relatively consistent across the life span. These results inform theories of life span developm...Continue Reading

References

Dec 2, 2000·Journal of Affective Disorders·B W PenninxJ M Guralnik
Aug 11, 2001·Journal of Personality·R W RobinsK H Trzesniewski
May 6, 2003·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Daniel K Mroczek, Avron Spiro
May 6, 2003·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Brent J SmallUNKNOWN Victoria Longitudinal Study
Aug 30, 2006·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Filip De FruytIvan Mervielde
Dec 6, 2006·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Colin G DeYoung
Dec 6, 2006·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Christie Napa Scollon, Ed Diener
Mar 16, 2007·Journal of Personality·Mathias AllemandChristopher Hertzog
Mar 25, 2009·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Theo A KlimstraWim H J Meeus
Jun 19, 2009·Annual Review of Psychology·Dan P McAdams, Bradley D Olson
Jul 10, 2009·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Wiebke BleidornAlois Angleitner
Feb 1, 2008·Current Directions in Psychological Science·Brent W Roberts, Daniel Mroczek
Mar 24, 2010·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Christopher J Ferguson
Jun 29, 2011·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Richard E Lucas, M Brent Donnellan
Jul 12, 2011·Annual Review of Psychology·Timothy Salthouse
Jul 13, 2011·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Oliver LüdtkeGabriel Nagy
May 31, 2012·Psychological Bulletin·Cornelia WrzusFranz J Neyer
Aug 17, 2012·Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin·Wiebke Bleidorn
May 21, 2013·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Angelina R SutinAntonio Terracciano
Oct 22, 2013·Psychological Science·Wiebke BleidornSamuel D Gosling
Jun 24, 2014·Psychological Bulletin·Daniel A Briley, Elliot M Tucker-Drob
Aug 19, 2015·European Journal of Personality·Joshua Wilt, William Revelle
Jul 10, 2016·Journal of Personality·Frank M Spinath, Wiebke Bleidorn
Oct 8, 2016·Journal of Personality·Wiebke BleidornRichard E Lucas
Jan 6, 2017·Psychological Bulletin·Brent W RobertsPatrick L Hill
May 31, 2017·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Ted SchwabaWiebke Bleidorn
Sep 20, 2017·Current Opinion in Psychology·Christopher J Hopwood, Wiebke Bleidorn

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 20, 2018·Annual Review of Psychology·Paul T CostaCorinna E Löckenhoff
Jan 12, 2019·Human Brain Mapping·Dea Siggaard StenbaekPatrick MacDonald Fisher
Dec 5, 2019·Scandinavian Journal of Pain·Thorvaldur Skuli PalssonSøren T Skou
Jun 4, 2020·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Ted Schwaba, Wiebke Bleidorn
Jul 17, 2020·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Joshua J Jackson, Emorie D Beck
Nov 16, 2019·Journal of Personality·Wiebke BleidornChristopher J Hopwood
Feb 8, 2021·Journal of Personality·Sylia Wilson, Thomas M Olino
Mar 26, 2021·Autism Research : Official Journal of the International Society for Autism Research·William J ChopikBrooke Ingersoll
Aug 17, 2021·Frontiers in Psychiatry·Trang Thi Huyen TuAkira Toyofuku
Sep 14, 2021·Annual Review of Psychology·Brent W Roberts, Hee J Yoon

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.