title: Personality as a Source of Individual Differences in Cognition among Older African Americans.
abstract: Previous research suggests that demographic factors are important correlates of cognitive functioning in African Americans; however, less attention has been given to the influence of personality. The present study explored how dimensions and facets of personality predicted individual variability in cognition in a sample of older African Americans from the Baltimore Study of Black Aging. Cognition was assessed by verbal learning and attention/working memory measures. Personality was measured by the NEO Personality Inventory. Linear regressions controlling for demographic factors showed that Neuroticism, Openness, and Agreeableness were significant regression predictors of cognitive performance. Individual facets of all five personality dimensions were also associated with cognitive performance. These findings suggest personality is important in understanding variability in cognition among older African Americans.
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3003, Durham, NC 27710 USA.
authors.forename: Adrienne T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Aiken-Morgan
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bichsel
authors.forename: Jason C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Allaire
authors.forename: Jyoti
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Savla
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Keith E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Whitfield