Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 10, 2025
07:40
Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
3.7K
Age-related differences in actual-ideal personality trait level discrepancies
Marie Hennecke1, Paul Schumann2, Jule Specht2
1Department of Psychology, Universität Siegen.
Psychology and Aging
|September 4, 2020
Summary
Discrepancies between actual and ideal personality traits are larger in younger adults. However, these gaps, even with beliefs in personality malleability, do not predict personality change over two years.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Personality Science
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Personality is defined by consistent patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion.
- Individuals may perceive a gap between their actual and ideal personality traits due to goal attainment or social roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how age influences discrepancies between actual and ideal Big Five personality traits.
- To investigate the impact of these discrepancies on personality trait changes over a two-year period.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from a large, nationally representative sample (N = 4,057) aged 17-94.
- Analyzed the relationship between age, actual-ideal personality trait discrepancies, and subsequent personality change.
Main Results:
- Confirmed known age effects on actual personality traits, with some complexities.
- Found larger ideal-actual trait discrepancies in younger adults compared to older adults.
- Neither ideal-actual trait discrepancies nor beliefs in personality malleability predicted trait change over two years.
Conclusions:
- Ideal-actual personality trait discrepancies may motivate change but are insufficient on their own to cause it.
- Beliefs about personality malleability, alone or with trait discrepancies, do not guarantee personality change.
- Commitment, self-efficacy, and strategy knowledge are discussed as potential factors influencing personality change.
More Related Videos
06:58Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing
Published on: January 24, 2020
7.6K
07:34Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues
Published on: June 3, 2013
17.8K
Related Concept Videos
01:29Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
179
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
179
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.7K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.7K
01:23Implicit Personality Theories
199
Implicit personality theory explains how individuals make assumptions about the relationships between personality traits, behaviors, and character types. When people learn that someone possesses a particular trait, they tend to infer the presence of other related characteristics, forming a cohesive impression. This cognitive shortcut plays a crucial role in social interactions and interpersonal judgments.Central Traits and Their InfluenceSolomon Asch's seminal 1946 study highlighted the power...
199
01:22Self-Report Tests of Personality
637
Self-report inventories are objective personality assessments that use multiple-choice items or numbered scales, typically ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). They are often called Likert scales after Rensis Likert. These inventories are widely used due to their ease of administration and cost-effectiveness. One of the most prominent examples is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), initially developed in the 1940s to assess abnormal personality traits.
637
01:26Cultural Influences on Personality
586
Individualist and collectivist cultures emphasize different core values, shaping personality in distinct ways. In individualist cultures, such as those in the United States, England, and Australia, people prioritize independence, competition, and personal achievement. These societies tend to promote self-focused traits, with individuals often reporting higher levels of self-esteem. In contrast, collectivist cultures, commonly found in regions like Asia, Africa, and South America, emphasize...
586
01:24Cattell's 16 Personality Factors
1.9K
Raymond Cattell's trait theory offers a structured framework for understanding personality by distinguishing between two critical traits: surface and source traits. Surface traits are observable patterns of behavior, such as indecisiveness, anxiety, and irrational fears. These traits are less stable, varying across situations and over time. This means that they are less helpful in understanding the deeper aspects of an individual's personality.
In contrast, source traits are the...
In contrast, source traits are the...
1.9K