title: Stability and change in the Big Five personality domains: evidence from a longitudinal study of Australians.
abstract: Longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of Australians were used to evaluate mean-level differences and rank-order stability in personality traits assessed twice over a 4-year time span (n = 13,134). Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Openness declined over the life span, whereas Agreeableness increased among young cohorts, was stable among middle-aged cohorts, and declined among the oldest old. Cross-sectional analyses suggested an increase in Conscientiousness throughout the life span, though longitudinal analyses suggested a slight decline in late life. There was an inverted U-shaped pattern for rank-order stability, with peak stability occurring in middle age. For three of the Big Five domains (Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness), age-related differences appeared to be somewhat more pronounced before age 30 than after age 30.
authors: Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. wortmanj@msu.edu
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Wortman
authors: Richard E
authors: RE
authors: Lucas
authors: M Brent
authors: MB
authors: Donnellan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D001315:Australia; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000075384:Neuroticism; D010551:Personality; D010552:Personality Assessment; D055815:Young Adult