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Longitudinal stability of personality traits: a multitrait-multimethod-multioccasion analysis
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|November 1, 1985
Summary
This longitudinal study shows that core personality traits like neuroticism and extraversion remain stable throughout adulthood. These findings highlight the enduring nature of personality across decades and assessment methods.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Personality Science
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Understanding the stability of personality traits over long periods is crucial for developmental psychology.
- Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding the long-term consistency of personality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal stability of personality traits in adults over a 19-year period and across five decades.
- To examine the generalizability and methodological robustness of personality traits using multiple assessment sources.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study involving self-ratings, partner ratings, and acquaintance ratings from 1935-1938 to 1954-1955.
- Analysis of factorial structures and correlations across different time points and rating methods.
- Inclusion of questionnaire and life history data from 1980-1981 for further validation.
Main Results:
- Consistent factorial structures were observed across all rating sources for both men and women.
- Neuroticism, social extraversion, and impulse control demonstrated significant longitudinal stability over 19 years.
- Data across five decades confirmed temporal stability, methodological convergence, and construct discrimination for personality traits.
Conclusions:
- A core set of personality traits are generalizable across different assessment methods.
- Personality traits exhibit remarkable stability throughout adulthood, persisting over extended periods.
- This study provides strong evidence for the enduring nature of personality.