The Invest-and-Accrue Model of Conscientiousness

Abstract

The current review synthesizes and builds from the extant literature to help explain how and why conscientiousness predicts a vast array of positive life outcomes. Toward this end, we present the Invest-and-Accrue model of conscientiousness, which describes conscientiousness as a disposition toward “investing” in ways that allow for future success. The value of this model is made apparent in its applicability across different life domains, as well as its potential for describing how individuals can change on conscientiousness throughout the life span. Moreover, the model can help explain why conscientiousness is relatively unique from other Big Five traits in its ability to predict positive life outcomes seemingly in any domain. In sum, this model should prove valuable for researchers across psychological disciplines, by providing an organizing framework from which to make connections across findings in personality, social, developmental, organizational, and educational psychology.

Is grit relevant to well‐being and strengths? Evidence across the globe for separating perseverance of effort and consistency of interests

“…Research on personality strengths has found that optimism, self‐efficacy, gratitude, purpose in life, and goal‐directed thinking all exhibit strong correlations with grit (Hill et al, ; Sheridan et al, ; Vainio & Daukantaitė, ). Perseverance of effort may relate more strongly to goal‐directed thinking because perseverance directly relates to goal pursuit, whereas consistency of interests does not imply one's interests are tied to a goal.…”

Pathways Linking Childhood Personality to Later Life Outcomes

“…That said, given the nonzero stability over time, one mechanism by which childhood personality influences later outcomes is through personality stability . For instance, conscientious children are more likely to be conscientious adults, and thus reap the benefits of this trait (for a review of outcomes, see Hill & Jackson, ). Accordingly, we use the terminology commonly used by personality psychologists, referring to these individual differences as traits or dispositions ; in so doing, we adhere to more contemporary definitions, which underscore both the continuity in personal characteristics across time and context and the potential dynamic nature of traits throughout life (Hampson & Edmonds, ; Roberts, ).…”

Within-Person Variability

“…Despite evidence of variability across situations, stability across large temporal periods is quite high. It is this stable component of personality that is likely responsible for many of the relationships between personality and important life outcomes (Hampson, 2012;Hill & Jackson, 2016). However, work on personality stability has also highlighted the importance of considering within-person structure and variability.…”