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Updated: Jan 2, 2026

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Five-factor model personality traits and cognitive function in five domains in older adulthood
Angelina R Sutin1, Yannick Stephan2, Martina Luchetti3
1Florida State University College of Medicine, 1115 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, USA. angelina.sutin@med.fsu.edu.
Personality traits like Neuroticism and Conscientiousness significantly impact cognitive function across multiple domains in older adults. These findings link personality to cognitive health markers, suggesting broader implications for brain health research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Five-factor model (FFM) personality traits are linked to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) risk.
- Limited understanding exists on how FFM traits relate to specific cognitive functions in older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between FFM personality traits and cognitive functioning across five domains in older adults.
- To explore potential moderation of these associations by sociodemographic factors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 2865 participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS).
- Assessed cognitive performance in memory, speed-attention-executive, visuospatial ability, fluency, and numeric reasoning.
- Employed linear regression to analyze personality trait associations with cognitive performance, controlling for covariates.
Main Results:
- Neuroticism correlated with poorer performance across all cognitive tasks.
- Conscientiousness, Openness, and Agreeableness were associated with better performance in most cognitive domains.
- Extraversion showed specific associations with speed-attention-executive and fluency domains.
Conclusions:
- Personality traits demonstrate pervasive associations with cognitive functioning across multiple domains.
- Neuroticism and Conscientiousness show consistent associations with cognitive performance, aligning with ADRD risk literature.
- Personality is associated with intermediate markers of cognitive health, supporting broader health models.
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