Age Differences In Personality Research Articles

Personality differences between children and adults over the past two centuries: Evidence from corpus linguistics

People have described others’ personalities since ancient times, so historical changes in human society may have shifted personality descriptions. To explore the historical trends of age differences in personality, the present study examined how the Big Five Personalities of children (boys and girls) and adults (men and women) have been described in Google Books Ngram (the largest digitized corpus of humanity’s written records) over the past two centuries (1800–2000). In general, personality adjectives for extraversion and neuroticism are more frequently used to describe children than adults, whereas words for conscientiousness are more prevalent for describing adults. The effects of historical shifts on age differences in the use of personality descriptions, such as a reduction in age differences in the usage of extraversion adjectives and a decline in the usage of words for agreeableness, were observed. Gender differences also affect age differences in terms of personality. For example, words for openness are more frequently used to describe man/men than boy/boys, but the opposite is true for female targets. This study traces the historical trends in how we have described children and adults, but more research needs to be conducted to interpret the reasons behind these historical changes.

Individual and generational value change in an adult population, a 12-year longitudinal panel study

A long-standing conundrum is whether age differences in personality are due to generation, or internal change with age. Using a representative sample from The Netherlands (N = 1599; aged 16–84 at the start), the current research focuses on human values (an important aspect of personality), following the same individuals for 12 years. We distinguish four generations, Silent-generation, Baby-boomers, Generation-X and Millennials. We found clear differences across generations in human values, with Millennials, e.g., valuing hedonism more than all other generations. Furthermore, value change over time was mainly evident in Millennials. Some values (achievement and conformity) were stable within individuals and between generations. Change over time across most values occurred mainly in Millennials, but not for all values. Some values were stable in adults (e.g., hedonism, conformity) while other values still increased (e.g., security, self-direction) or decreased (e.g., power, stimulation) in importance. In adults older than Millennials change decreased and change was absent in the oldest generation. Hence, age differences in values seem both due to generation, as well as internal change, although the latter mainly in young adults. These value changes over time may have implications for developments in societal values in the long run.

Age differences in implicit and explicit personality traits

Past research suggests that personality differs by age—older adults tend to be more conscientious, agreeable, and less neurotic than younger adults. However, most of these studies have used self-report measures of personality which may be influenced by people's motivations to appear socially desirable that also change over time. If these changing motivations affect the validity of personality measures, our understanding of age differences in personality may need to be revised. In the current study (N = 12,702), we examined age differences in implicit (i.e., IAT-based) and explicit (i.e., traditional self-report) measures of personality. Although we found some heterogeneity in the exact non-linear age patterns of personality across different measures, the age patterns were largely consistent across implicit and explicit measures of personality.

Coping Skills in Pre- and Early Adolescents: The Role of Temperament and Character

Coping skills represent cognitive, emotional, and behavioral resources to overcome developmental challenges and tasks. Based on Cloninger’s model of personality, the main aim of this study was to analyze the relation among temperament, character, and coping skills in nonclinical pre- and early adolescents by also considering adolescents’ gender and age. One hundred and thirty-eight Italian pre- and early adolescents (52.2% boys and 47.8% girls), aged between 10–14 years (M = 12.33 ± 0.87 SD), filled out the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory and the Children’s Coping Strategies Checklist Revision 1. Regression and relative weights analyses showed that several of adolescents’ personality dimensions did predict their coping skills. Specifically, Harm Avoidance was negatively related to Positive Reframing and Distraction; this latter (i.e., Distraction) was also negatively associated with Novelty Seeking, Self-Directedness, and Cooperativeness. On the contrary, Cooperativeness was positively related to the use of Problem Focus strategy, and Reward Dependence was positively related to Distraction and Social Support. Significant gender and age differences in personality as well as in coping skills emerged. Girls scored higher on Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence, Persistence and Problem Focus, and boys scored higher on Novelty Seeking and Distraction. Moreover, pre-adolescents (10–12 years) reported lower scores on Novelty Seeking and higher on Problem Focus than early adolescents (13–14 years). Overall, the results suggest that bio-psycho-social individual factors linked to personality, gender, and age have an important role in shaping pre- and early adolescents’ coping and adaptation responses. Practical implications of the results and future developments are discussed.

Development is in the details: Age differences in the Big Five domains, facets, and nuances.

We examined the extent to which the Big Five domains, 30 facets, and nuances (uniquely represented by individual questionnaire items) capture age differences in personality, expecting domains to contain the least and nuances the most age-related information. We used an Internet sample (N = 24,000), evenly distributed between ages of 18 and 50 years and tested with a 300-item questionnaire. Separately based on domains, facets, and items, we trained models to predict age in one part of the sample and tested their predictive accuracy in another part. Big Five domains predicted age with an accuracy of r = .28, whereas facets' (r = .44) and items' (r = .65) predictions were more accurate. Less than 15% of the sample was needed to train models to their optimal accuracy. Residualizing the 300 items for all facets had no impact on their predictive accuracy, suggesting that age differences in specific behaviors, thoughts, and feelings (i.e., items) were not because of domains and facets but mostly unique to nuances. These findings replicated in a multisample dataset tested with another questionnaire. We found little evidence that age differences only appeared nuanced because items referred to age-graded roles or experiences. Therefore, a substantial part of personality development may be uniquely ascribed to narrow personality characteristics, suggesting the possibility for a many-dimensional representation of personality development. Besides theoretical implications, we provide concrete illustrations of how this can open new research avenues by enabling to study systematic variations between traits. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

A confirmatory examination of age-associated personality differences: Deriving age-related measurement-invariant solutions using ant colony optimization.

The goal of this study was to examine age-associated personality differences using a measurement-invariant representation of the higher-order structure of the Five-Factor Model. We reanalyzed the German NEO-PI-R norm sample (N = 11,724) and applied ant colony optimization in a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis setting in order to select three items per first-order factor that would optimize model fit and measurement invariance across 18 age groups ranging from 16 to 65 years of age. Ant colony optimization substantially improved absolute and relative model fit under measurement invariance constraints. However, the results showed that even when selecting items, measurement invariance across a large age span could not be guaranteed. Strong measurement invariance for Extraversion and Agreeableness could not be established. The age-associated mean-level differences of the first-order factors of Neuroticism and Conscientiousness supported the maturity hypothesis. The mean levels of the first-order factors of Openness varied substantially from each other across age. Findings on age differences in personality can be particularly distorted in older age groups. Testing for and ensuring measurement invariance with item selection procedures can help solve this problem. The higher-order structure of personality should be accounted for when personality development is examined.

Cross-sectional age differences in the HEXACO personality: Results from a Japanese sample

Little research has been conducted on personality development in non-Western countries. The present study investigated age differences in personality in Japanese middle adults (N=2000; M=40.94years; SD=5.35, range 30–49; 1000 women). After controlling for educational level, annual income, marital status, and gender, it was found that the level of Emotionality was negatively associated with age. Honesty–Humility, on the other hand, was positively associated with age. However, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness were not associated with the participant age. These findings suggest that trends in personality development may differ slightly between Western and non-Western countries.

Cross-sectional age differences in personality: Evidence from nationally representative samples from Switzerland and the United States

Identifying reliable patterns of age differences in personality can help clarify the nature of adult personality development. Previous studies have been limited because many have relied on convenience samples. In this study, we examined age differences in personality in two nationally representative samples, one from Switzerland and one from the United States. The results indicated that Agreeableness and Conscientiousness were positively associated with age, whereas Extraversion was negatively associated with age. However, the magnitude of age differences for Extraversion was much smaller than for Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. Openness showed a more complex trend such that 30- to 34-year-olds scored lower on Openness than younger age groups, whereas older groups scored somewhere in between. Inconsistent age differences were observed for Neuroticism.

Age differences in personality traits from 10 to 65: Big Five domains and facets in a large cross-sectional sample.

Hypotheses about mean-level age differences in the Big Five personality domains, as well as 10 more specific facet traits within those domains, were tested in a very large cross-sectional sample (N = 1,267,218) of children, adolescents, and adults (ages 10-65) assessed over the World Wide Web. The results supported several conclusions. First, late childhood and adolescence were key periods. Across these years, age trends for some traits (a) were especially pronounced, (b) were in a direction different from the corresponding adult trends, or (c) first indicated the presence of gender differences. Second, there were some negative trends in psychosocial maturity from late childhood into adolescence, whereas adult trends were overwhelmingly in the direction of greater maturity and adjustment. Third, the related but distinguishable facet traits within each broad Big Five domain often showed distinct age trends, highlighting the importance of facet-level research for understanding life span age differences in personality.

Age differences in personality: Adolescents and young adults

The multidimensional personality questionnaire-brief form (MPQ-BF) (Patrick, Curtin, & Tellegen, 2002; Tellegen, 1982) was administered to a sample of adolescents ranging from 13 to 17 years of age and a sample of young adults ranging from 19 to 23 years of age. The MPQ-BF is believed to provide a richer understanding of key personality traits and dimensions but is less widely used; particularly with the current two age groups. Significant differences were found between the adolescents and the young adults in the overall dimensions of constraint and positive emotionality. An age by gender interaction was found in the overall dimension of negative emotionality. These differences are discussed in terms of both developmental and neurological changes that take place over this age span.

Age differences in personality: Evidence from a nationally representative Australian sample.

Cross-sectional age differences in the Big Five personality traits were examined in a nationally representative sample of Australians (N = 12,618; age range = 15-84). Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Openness were negatively associated with age, whereas Agreeableness and Conscientiousness were positively associated with age. Effect sizes comparing the youngest and the oldest sample members were usually medium to large in size. Item-level analysis revealed that although most personality descriptors showed patterns similar to those exhibited by their respective global traits, this was not always the case. Thus, investigations of narrower aspects of personality may reveal more nuanced age differences and may begin to explain contradictory results from different studies.

Do older individuals adapt to their traits?: Personality–emotion relations among younger and older adults

Prominent lifespan theories posit that older adults are motivated to engage in emotion-regulation more frequently than younger adults. The present study follows from such theories and makes a novel prediction hitherto unexamined in the aging–emotion literature. Based on the idea that older adults more frequently regulate their emotions, it was predicted that traits, reflective of temperament or habit, would be less predictive of emotions among older adults ( N = 60; M age = 74.9 years) than younger adults ( N = 44; M age = 19.5 years). This hypothesis was confirmed across four of the Big 5 traits and, consistent with predictions, the moderating effects of age were particularly strong for negative emotions. The discussion focuses on the implications of the present findings for understanding age differences in personality, emotion, and emotion-regulation.

Cross‐Sectional Age Differences and Longitudinal Age Changes of Personality in Middle Adulthood and Old Age

The present study examines different aspects of personality continuity (or change) in middle adulthood and old age both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The sample comprised 445 middle-aged (42-46 years) and 420 older (60-64 years) participants, reassessed after a 4-year interval. Personality was measured using the NEO-FFI personality inventory. After having established strict factorial invariance, factor covariances were found to be equal for both age groups and at both testing occasions, indicating perfect structural continuity of personality. A number of age differences in personality emerged at both measurement occasions. Longitudinally, in both age groups, an average decline in Neuroticism was observed. Longitudinal stability coefficients were around .80 in middle-aged and old participants, implying high, but not perfect, differential continuity. With respect to continuity of divergence, statistically significant cross-sectional age differences were found for the variance of Openness at both measurement occasions. Eventually, concerning specific versus general continuity, a variety of medium effect-sized correlated changes in the Big Five personality domains across the 4-year period was established, implying that personality changes share a certain amount of commonality.

Cross-Sectional Age Differences in Personality Among Medicare Patients Aged 65 to 100.

1,084 older Medicare recipients were orally administered the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; P. T. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 1992). Participants were assigned to groups based on gender and age (65-79 or 80-100). An analysis of covariance showed that women had significantly higher Neuroticism, Openness, and Agreeableness scores; that older participants were significantly higher in Agreeableness; and that age differences in Agreeableness were significantly greater in men than in women. With the exception of Agreeableness, this study provides no evidence for age differences among those in the last decades of life.

Age differences in personality across the adult life span: Parallels in five cultures.

Age differences in personality across the adult life span: Parallels in five cultures.

Age and cohort effects on personality factor scores across sexes and racial/ethnic groups

Substantial differences exist across ethnic groups and sexes in generational changes in status among groups residing in Hawaii. Despite these generational differences across groups, age differences in personality are remarkably consistent across sexes and racial/ethnic groups, and the few Sex x Age, Ethnicity x Age or Sex x Ethnicity x Age interactions account for little variance in scores. It is concluded that age/generational differences in personality factor scores in these populations result from age and not, to any major degree, from cohort effects.

Objective versus perceived age differences in personality: how do adolescents, adults, and older people view themselves and each other?

Objective versus perceived age differences in personality: how do adolescents, adults, and older people view themselves and each other?

Age differences in personality during adult years.

Age differences in personality during adult years.