Personality trait development at the end of life: Antecedents and correlates of mean-level trajectories.

• DOI: 10.1037/pspp0000071
• Publication Date: 2015-10-20T09:14:01Z
• Authors: Jenny Wagner; Nilam Ram; Jacqui Smith; Denis Gerstorf
• Keywords: Openness to experience; Agreeableness; Facet (psychology); PsycINFO

Empirical evidence over the past 20 years has documented that key aspects of personality traits change during adulthood. However, it is essentially an open question whether and how at very end life what role health, cognitive performance, perceived control, social factors play in those changes. To examine these questions, we applied growth models to 13-year longitudinal data obtained from now-deceased participants Berlin Aging Study (N = 463; age baseline M 85.9 years, SD 8.4; 51% men). Results revealed neuroticism, on average, increases (about 0.3 last 10 years) this increase becomes even steeper life. In contrast, extraversion openness decline rather steadily -0.5 years). Additionally, poor health manifested as a risk factor for declines late but not neuroticism. Similar earlier phases life, better performance related more openness. More loneliness was associated with higher whereas activity levels Intriguing additional insights indicated personal control openness, feeling one's controlled by others neuroticism also closer death. We discuss potential pathways which inclusion resources affect development (PsycINFO Database Record