Opening Insights
Personality CAN change dramatically: You’re a completely different person at 14 and 77, according to the longest-ever study into human character
By Phoebe Weston For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 20 February 2017
- A 77-year-old does not have the same basic characteristics that they had at 14
- The study started in 1947 and then participants were contacted 63 years later
- There was no significant stability in any of the six characteristics tested
Informational Insights
It’s good news for awkward teenagers the world over, as it turns out you really do become a completely different person as you get older.
Scientists carried out personality tests on people at the age of 14, and then again more than sixty years later when they were 77 years old.
The team found hardly any relationship between traits people had as adolescents and those in their golden years.
They did, however, pinpoint some specific trends.
As a teenager, many of us become less conscientious, impulsive, moody and irritable.
We also become more social for a few years, then reverse those trends as we move into adulthood.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh expected to see some evidence of personality stability over 63 years.
‘There were no positive correlations strong enough to achieve significance between adolescent and older-age characteristic ratings or dependability,’ the team concluded in their paper, published in Psychology and Aging.
Six key character traits were taken into consideration: self-confidence, perseverance, stability of moods, conscientiousness, originality, and desire to excel.
There was no significant stability in any of the six characteristics.
The researchers found a ‘fairly low’ link between conscientiousness and stability of moods, but no link between any of the other traits…
Possibilities for Consideration
KEY CHANGES
- Dr Wendy Johnson, who was involved in the research, could draw some very general conclusions about personality development.
- Speaking to MailOnline she said: ‘Very broadly, adolescents become rather less conscientious, more impulsive, more willing to take risks and seek adventure, more moody and irritable, and more social for a few years, then reverse those trends as they move into adulthood.
- ‘First jobs and then parenthood tend to accentuate the trends toward general maturity and better and more stable mood.
- ‘In older age, people tend to become more accepting of themselves and all that goes with that.
- ‘But there are large individual differences in these patterns and lots of that depends on what’s going on in a person’s life.
Take a moment and examine…
- As you reviewed the material above, what stood out to you?
- What is the potential impact, economically and/or socially?
- What action is needed to stop or support this idea?
- You may want to consider whether you:
- want to be aware of,
- should become supportive of,
- would want to be active in this topic?
Add Your Insight
I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Being willing is not enough; we must do.
LEONARDO DA VINCI