Trajectories of Big Five Personality Traits: A Coordinated Analysis of 16 Longitudinal Samples

Abstract

This study assessed change in self‐reported Big Five personality traits. We conducted a coordinated integrative data analysis using data from 16 longitudinal samples, comprising a total sample of over 60 000 participants. We coordinated models across multiple datasets and fit identical multi‐level growth models to assess and compare the extent of trait change over time. Quadratic change was assessed in a subset of samples with four or more measurement occasions. Across studies, the linear trajectory models revealed declines in conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness. Non‐linear models suggested late‐life increases in neuroticism. Meta‐analytic summaries indicated that the fixed effects of personality change are somewhat heterogeneous and that the variability in trait change is partially explained by sample age, country of origin, and personality measurement method. We also found mixed evidence for predictors of change, specifically for sex and baseline age. This study demonstrates the importance of coordinated conceptual replications for accelerating the accumulation of robust and reliable findings in the lifespan developmental psychological sciences. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology

Stability and Change in the Big Five Across Adulthood: Findings From a Longitudinal Study of Mexican-Origin Individuals

“…Contrary to some prior work that has shown mean-level increases in Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability and little to no mean-level changes or declines in Extraversion or Openness (Costa et al, 2019;Wortman et al, 2012), we found that there were mean-level declines in all Big Five domains across adulthood in the present sample. These decreasing patterns more closely replicate recent work on the development of the Big Five in 16 longitudinal samples from five countries, which shows declines in the majority of the Big Five from middle adulthood into old age (e.g., Graham et al, 2020).…”

“…Previous meta-analytic work suggests that there are little or no systematic differences between men and women in Big Five mean-level change patterns across adulthood (Roberts, Walton, & Viechtbauer, 2006). More recently, a coordinated analysis of 16 longitudinal studies of Big Five development across adulthood also showed few differences between men and women in Big Five mean-level change, with one exception: women tend to have higher levels of Neuroticism and steeper declines over time compared to men (Graham et al, 2020).…”

“…Previous work has suggested that individuals, on average, show marked increases in Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Emotional Stability from young adulthood to midlife (a pattern often referred to as the maturity principle), and then declines in these traits in old age (Costa et al, 2019;Wortman et al, 2012; but see Graham et al, 2020 for some discrepant findings). Further, individuals generally exhibit small (or no) mean-level increases in Extraversion and Openness to Experience from early to middle adulthood, and then subsequently decline in these traits in late life (Costa et al, 2019;Wortman et al, 2012).…”

Top-Performing Math Students in 82 Countries: An Integrative Data Analysis of Gender Differences in Achievement, Achievement Profiles, and Achievement Motivation

“…Because a coordinated analysis preserves the separate results across samples, it also allows to examine the heterogeneity in effect sizes that may be due to variations in the true effect sizes across samples or sample variations (e.g., measurement variations). This also allows an evaluation of the generalizability of the results across samples (Graham et al, 2020;Hofer & Piccinin, 2009).…”

Do Sojourn Effects on Personality Trait Changes Last? A Five–Year Longitudinal Study

“…Figure 1suggests that stayers do not show any trait changes. In fact, this is highly unlikely(Graham et al, 2020). In addition, we want to stress that a reversed effect does not necessarily imply the same mean levels in sojourners at the start and at the end of the study.…”