Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Ego development and personality change in adulthood

R Helson1, B W Roberts

  • 1Institute of Personality and Social Research, University of California, Berkeley 94720.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|May 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

This study reveals that ego development in women is linked to personality changes and life experiences. Higher ego development correlates with adaptive coping mechanisms and predicts future personality trajectories.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Mean Arterial Pressure and Mortality in Infarction-Related Cardiogenic Shock With and Without Cardiac Arrest: A Meta-Analysis.

Journal of cardiac failure·2026
Same author

The kids are alright: growth and stability in personality development from adolescence to adulthood.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2001
Same author

A longitudinal study of personality change in young adulthood.

Journal of personality·2001
Same author

Three paths of adult development: conservers, seekers, and achievers.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2001
Same author

Creative potential, creative achievement, and personal growth.

Journal of personality·2000
Same author

The rank-order consistency of personality traits from childhood to old age: a quantitative review of longitudinal studies.

Psychological bulletin·2000

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Personality Psychology

Background:

  • Ego development is a key aspect of personality maturation.
  • Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding developmental changes over time.
  • Previous research suggests personality traits evolve throughout adulthood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between ego development levels and personality change in women.
  • To identify predictors of ego development by age 43.
  • To explore the role of cognitive schemas in ego development.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 90 women followed from age 21 to 43.
  • Classification of ego development using Loevinger's Sentence Completion Test.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Retrospective multivariate analyses of variance and path analysis.

    • Main Results:

    • Ego level at age 43 was associated with distinct personality changes from ages 21-43.
    • Verbal aptitude, psychological mindedness, and life path stimulation independently predicted ego level.
    • Individuals employing accommodation (schema construction) during difficult times had higher ego levels.

    Conclusions:

    • Ego development is a significant factor influencing personality trajectories in women.
    • Cognitive and experiential factors throughout adulthood contribute to ego maturation.
    • Adaptive coping strategies, such as accommodation, are linked to advanced ego development.