A random walk down university avenue: Life paths, life events, and personality trait change at the transition to university life.

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined the relation between continuity and change in the Big Five personality traits and life events. Approximately 2,000 German students were tracked from high school to university or to vocational training or work, with 3 assessments over 4 years. Life events were reported retrospectively at the 2nd and 3rd assessment. Latent curve analyses were used to assess change in personality traits, revealing 3 main findings. First, mean-level changes in the Big Five factors over the 4 years were in line with the maturity principle, indicating increasing psychological maturity from adolescence to young adulthood. Second, personality development was characterized by substantive individual differences relating to the life path followed; participants on a more vocationally oriented path showed higher increases in conscientiousness and lower increases in agreeableness than their peers at university. Third, initial level and change in the Big Five factors (especially Neuroticism and Extraversion) were linked to the occurrence of aggregated as well as single positive and negative life events. The analyses suggest that individual differences in personality development are associated with life transitions and individual life experiences.

Self-esteem, narcissism, and stressful life events: Testing for selection and socialization.

“…In the analyses, we operationalized selection effects as the predictive effect of self-esteem and narcissism measured at one of the assessments (e.g., Wave 1) on the occurrence of stressful life events in a subsequent period (e.g., the interval between Wave 1 and Wave 2). Socialization effects have been defined as the prospective effect of life events on change in a personality construct Specht et al, 2014), consistent with how socialization effects have been tested in previous research (e.g., Headey & Wearing, 1989;Lüdtke et al, 2011;Magnus et al, 1993;Specht et al, 2011). In the analyses, we operationalized socialization effects as the predictive effect of the occurrence of stressful life events during a time interval (e.g., the period between Wave 1 and Wave 2) on the level of a personality construct at a later point in time (e.g., self-esteem or narcissism at Wave 2) controlling for the previous level of the construct (i.e., the Wave 1 levels of self-esteem and narcissism).…”

“…First, research on personality development supports the plasticity principle, which states that personality characteristics (such as self-esteem) can be influenced by environmental factors, including life events, at any age . In fact, empirical studies suggest SELF-ESTEEM, NARCISSISM, AND STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS 7 that life events influence the Big Five personality factors (Lüdtke et al, 2011;Specht, Egloff, & Schmukle, 2011) and well-being (Headey & Wearing, 1989;Lucas, 2007;Luhmann, Hofmann, Eid, & Lucas, 2012). Second, research on the patterns of self-esteem development shows that individuals differ substantially in the particular trajectory they follow (Chung et al, 2014;Erol & Orth, 2011;Orth et al, 2010;Wagner, Lüdtke, Jonkmann, & Trautwein, 2013).…”

“…Selection effects have been defined as the prospective effect of a personality construct on the occurrence of life events Specht et al, 2014) and previous research on personality and life events has tested for selection effects consistent with this definition (e.g., Headey & Wearing, 1989;Lüdtke et al, 2011;Magnus et al, 1993;Specht et al, 2011). In the analyses, we operationalized selection effects as the predictive effect of self-esteem and narcissism measured at one of the assessments (e.g., Wave 1) on the occurrence of stressful life events in a subsequent period (e.g., the interval between Wave 1 and Wave 2).…”

Changing personality traits: Some considerations from psychotherapy process-outcome research for intervention efforts on intentional personality change.

“…This implies that life experiences reflect "natural" settings that can modify personality traits (socialization effects). Indeed, there is some empirical evidence that life experiences such as military service (Jackson, Thoemmes, Jonkmann, Lüdtke, & Trautwein, 2012) or the transition from university to adult life (Lüdtke, Roberts, Trautwein, & Nagy, 2011) can lead to changes in personality traits. Furthermore, specific major life events such as marriage and divorce may also serve to explain individual differences in change (Allemand, Hill, & Lehmann, 2015;Specht, Egloff, & Schmuckle, 2011).…”

Examining Mechanisms of Personality Maturation: The Impact of Life Satisfaction on the Development of the Big Five Personality Traits

“…Consequently, several studies have analyzed personality development over the lifespan (Roberts & DelVecchio, 2000;Roberts, Walton, & Viechtbauer, 2006) and have mainly concluded that individuals mature with increasing age (e.g., Lüdtke, Roberts, Trautwein, & Nagy, 2011;Soto, John, Gosling, & Potter, 2011), which enables people to fulfill social roles successfully (Roberts, Wood, & Caspi, 2008).…”