Personality and cognition across the lifespan: investigating their interplay and age-related differences

Personality-cognition associations may vary across adulthood, but findings are inconsistent. The present study examined associations between personality traits and cognitive functioning within younger and older adults and explored whether these associations differed across age groups.

A cross-sectional design was used. Participants were 191 adults divided into younger (N = 99; 19-49 years) and older (N = 92; 50-87 years) groups. Cognitive functioning was assessed with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV, and personality with the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality. Between-group comparisons, covariate-adjusted hierarchical regressions, and exploratory facet-level and personality-configuration analyses were conducted.

Younger adults obtained higher age-normed scores than older adults on Full-Scale IQ, Working Memory, and Processing Speed and reported higher Neuroticism. In younger adults, higher Extraversion was independently associated with lower Full-Scale IQ after adjustment for chronological age, sex, education, Neuroticism, and Aggressiveness. A nominal negative association between Extraversion and Verbal Comprehension did not remain significant after Holm correction. Exploratory facet-level analyses yielded significant overall models for Full-Scale IQ and Verbal Comprehension, with Impulsivity uniquely associated only with Verbal Comprehension. In older adults, no significant one-dimensional personality-cognition associations were observed. Exploratory analyses indicated that a high-Extraversion/low-Neuroticism configuration was associated with better Working Memory and Processing Speed; facet-level characterization implicated Impulsivity, Adventure Seeking, Stress Susceptibility, and Psychic Trait Anxiety.

The findings suggest a direct association between Extraversion and global cognitive functioning in younger adults, whereas exploratory findings in older adults suggest more configurational personality-cognition patterns. Replication in larger, independent samples is warranted.