title: Becoming the Harvard man: person-environment fit, personality development, and academic success.
abstract: The continuity and change of the needs and evaluations of the college environment and person-environment fit (PE fit) with the college environment were studied in a 4-year longitudinal study of students (N = 191). Perceptions of the environment changed more dramatically than corresponding self-perceived needs. PE fit demonstrated moderate levels of consistency over the 4-year span, but no significant increases in mean levels were found over time. Antecedents to PE fit in the college environment included both intelligence and openness to experience. Outcomes associated with PE fit included changes in personality traits linked to openness to experience and higher academic achievement. The implications of the findings for personality development and the relationship of PE fit to successful outcomes are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Harms
authors.forename: Brent W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Winter
mesh_terms: D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010551:Personality; D010553:Personality Development; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012931:Social Environment; D012951:Socialization; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D014495:Universities