Sources of cumulative continuity in personality: a longitudinal multiple-rater twin study.
This study analyzed the etiology of rank-order stability and change in personality over a time period of 13 years in order to explain cumulative continuity with age. NEO five-factor inventory self- and peer report data from 696 monozygotic and 387 dizygotic twin pairs reared together were analyzed using a combination of multiple-rater twin, latent state-trait, and autoregressive simplex models. Correcting for measurement error, this model disentangled genetic and environmental effects on long- and short-term convergent valid stability, on occasional influences, and on self- and peer report-specific stability. Genetic factors represented the main sources that contributed to phenotypic long-term stability of personality in young and middle adulthood, whereas change was predominantly attributable to environmental factors. Phenotypic continuity increased as a function of cumulative environmental effects, which became manifest in stable trait variance and decreasing occasion-specific effects with age. This study's findings suggest a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors resulting in the typical patterns of continuity in personality across young and middle adulthood.
Kandler
Christian
C
Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstrasse 25, Bielefeld, Germany. christian.kandler@uni-bielefeld.de
Bleidorn
Wiebke
W
Riemann
Rainer
R
Spinath
Frank M
FM
Thiel
Wolfgang
W
Angleitner
Alois
A
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics*; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010641:Phenotype; D011594:Psychometrics; D012931:Social Environment; D014427:Twins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult