title: Personality and physiological traits in middle-aged runners and joggers.
abstract: A series of personality and physiological tests and measurements were made in 48 healthy male runners and joggers 40-59 years of age (x = 47.3 yrs.). The Cattell 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire showed that the subjects were significantly more intelligent, imaginative, reserved, self-sufficient, sober, shy, and forthright than the general population. A maximal treadmill test revealed the men to be well above the mean for their age in terms of cardiorespiratory fitness. The men who had run a marathon race and the 40-49-year-age group were higher in terms of fitness than nonmarathoners and the 50-59-age groups, but the groups differed very little from each other on personality characteristics. Middle-aged runners and joggers either possess or develop high levels of self-sufficiency and imagination and tend toward introversion in their personality makeup. It is not known for sure if these factors are a result of or a casual factor in their habitual exercise pattern.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002416:Cattell Personality Factor Questionnaire; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012119:Respiration; D012420:Running