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Published on: May 18, 2022
Conscientiousness, career success, and longevity: a lifespan analysis
Margaret L Kern1, Howard S Friedman, Leslie R Martin
1Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0426, USA. Margaret.kern@email.ucr.edu
Summary
High conscientiousness and career success are linked to reduced mortality risk over a lifetime. These personality traits and achievements significantly impact longevity, especially for those with less career success.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Longevity Studies
- Personality Research
Background:
- Executive functioning, including planning and impulse control, is linked to conscientiousness.
- These traits are significant predictors of occupational success and health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between conscientiousness, career success, and mortality risk.
- To examine these associations over a 65-year period.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 693 male participants in the Terman Life Cycle Study.
- Analyzed associations between childhood personality, midlife career success, and lifelong mortality risk up to 2006.
Main Results:
- Both conscientiousness and career success independently predicted lower mortality risk.
- Childhood conscientiousness moderated the link between career success and longevity, being most impactful for less successful individuals.
Conclusions:
- Conscientiousness and career success are associated with increased longevity, but the relationship is complex.
- Lifespan developmental processes are crucial for understanding these associations.
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