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Interrelations between daily stress processes and Big Five personality trait changes over 20 years
William J Chopik1, Jonathan Rush2, Eric S Cerino3
1Department of Psychology, Michigan State University.
Daily stress reactivity changes over adulthood are linked to personality shifts. Increases in stress reactivity correlate with decreases in extraversion, agreeableness, and openness, highlighting how daily experiences shape personality development.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Personality Science
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Personality exhibits both stability and change throughout life.
- Integrative frameworks suggest daily experiences can drive long-term personality evolution.
- Empirical evidence testing this across the adult lifespan remains limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between changes in daily stress reactivity and alterations in Big Five personality traits over an 18-year period.
- To examine how longitudinal changes in stress reactivity influence personality development in adulthood.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Study of Daily Experiences (N=2,022) with three measurement bursts over 18 years.
- Employed multilevel structural equation modeling to analyze daily stressor exposure, negative affect, and Big Five personality traits.
- Modeled stress reactivity at individual and longitudinal change levels, linking them to personality trait changes.
Main Results:
- Higher baseline stress reactivity was associated with lower extraversion/conscientiousness and higher neuroticism.
- Increases in stress reactivity over time predicted decreases in extraversion, agreeableness, and openness.
- No significant associations were found between changes in reactivity and changes in neuroticism or conscientiousness.
Conclusions:
- Changes in daily stress reactivity are associated with significant shifts in core personality traits across adulthood.
- Findings support integrative models of personality development, emphasizing the role of daily experiences.
- This research clarifies the dynamic interplay between daily life and long-term personality trajectories.
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