Sound Body, Sound Mind? The Interrelation between Health Change and Personality Change in Old Age

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna E. Kornadt ◽  
Birk Hagemeyer ◽  
Franz J. Neyer ◽  
Christian Kandler
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Regulation ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Twin Model ◽  
Measurement Occasion ◽  
Adult Twins

Personality development is characterized by increasing maturation, that is, people become more conscientious, agreeable and emotionally stable as they age. In late life, however, these trends seem to be reversed. Because many changes and transitions in older age are related to health, we investigated correlated changes in health problems and personality traits, the sources of health changes in later life and the directionality of effects. Our sample consisted of older adult twins, aged 64–85 years at time 1 ( n = 410; 135 male/275 female; 134 monozygotic/63 dizygotic twin pairs), assessed at two different time points about five years apart, and we ran bivariate latent change and latent change twin model analyses. Increasing health problems were associated with decreases in agreeableness, extraversion, emotional stability and conscientiousness. Changes in health problems were only due to environmental influences, implying that the association between health and personality changes was exclusively environmental. Directional effects were largely absent, but health and personality were significantly related at the second measurement occasion (age 69–89 years). Our results support the link between health change and personality change in late life and spark the assumption of normative personality adaptations to deterioration of health status as a means of developmental regulation. Copyright © 2017 European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals Personality and Psychopathology: A Stagnant Field in Need of Development

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Emily Durbin ◽  
Brian M. Hicks
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Psychopathology ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Causal Processes ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Dominant Paradigm ◽  
Spectrum Model

A dominant paradigm in psychopathology research proposes that individual differences in personality are centrally involved in the origins and manifestations of psychopathology, and structural models of personality and psychopathology have been extremely useful in helping to organize associations among many traits and disorders. However, these models merely describe patterns of covariation; they do not explain the processes by which these patterns emerge. We argue that the field is stagnated, as it is overly focused on the demonstration of concurrent associations and on confirming a spectrum model that proposes traits and disorders are manifestations of the same underlying constructs. We contend that if the field is to move towards an understanding of causal processes, it must integrate knowledge and principles of personality development and developmental psychopathology. To begin this integration, we review (i) normative trends in personality change, (ii) age–related changes in the prevalence of disorders, and (iii) the impact of onset and chronicity on the severity of disorders. We propose several developmental processes that may contribute to the co–development of personality and psychopathology. We then present novel empirical findings to illustrate how a developmental perspective on traits and disorders can inform new hypotheses and propose principles and hypotheses that should guide future research. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Personality Psychology

A Three–Part Framework for Self–Regulated Personality Development across Adulthood

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Hennecke ◽  
Wiebke Bleidorn ◽  
Jaap J. A. Denissen ◽  
Dustin Wood
Keyword(s):  
European Association ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Behavioural Changes ◽  
Personality Changes ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
View Change ◽  
Over Time

Recently, researchers interested in personality development have begun to acknowledge the roles of motivation and self–regulation for why traits change across adulthood. We propose three preconditions under which individuals may change their own levels of a personality trait through self–directed efforts. Firstly, individuals need to desire changing their trait–related behaviours either as an end in itself or in order to achieve other goals. Secondly, they need to consider behavioural changes feasible and be able to implement the desired changes. Thirdly, behavioural changes need to become habitual in order to constitute a stable trait. After elaborating on these three conditions, we review evidence attesting to the importance of motivation and self–regulation for trait development. We conclude with a discussion of the mutual interdependence of traits and goals, as well as the limits of self–regulated personality change. From our framework, we derive why personality changes across adulthood tend to be small to medium only, namely because they may require that all three preconditions for self–regulated personality change are fulfilled. We provide reasons for why people might not view change as desirable, feasible or fail to maintain it over time. Finally, we propose ideas for potential study designs to research self–regulated personality change. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Personality Psychology

The ever-changing personality: revisiting the concept of triple-loop learning

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 499-512
Author(s):  
Florian Fahrenbach ◽  
Florian Kragulj
Keyword(s):  
Personality Development ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Organization Studies ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Over Time

PurposeConsidering personality as changeable through a bottom-up process of altering states, habits and traits, constitutes a shift in the predominant paradigm within personality psychology. The purpose of this paper is to reconsider Bateson’s theory of learning and organizational triple-loop learning in light of this recent empirical evidence.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a multi-disciplinary conceptual approach. Based on an integrative analysis of literature from recent work in personality psychology, four dimensions (process, content, time and context) are identified that allow linking personality change and triple-loop learning.FindingsIdentifying a bottom-up process of changing states, habits and traits as being central to change personality, allows for reconsidering Bateson’s theory of learning as a theory of personality development (Learning II) and personality change (Learning III). Functionally equivalent, organizational triple-loop learning is conceptualized as a change in an organization’s identity over time that may be facilitated through a change in responding to events and a change in the organization’s routines.Practical implicationsInterventions that change how organizations respond to events and that change the routines within an organization may be suitable to facilitate triple-loop learning in terms of changing organizational identity over time.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the discussion on Bateson’s theory of learning and organizational triple-loop learning. As interest in personality change grows in organization studies, this paper aims to transfer these findings to organizational learning.

Personality Traits and Relationship Satisfaction in Intimate Couples: Three Perspectives on Personality

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin Schaffhuser ◽  
Mathias Allemand ◽  
Mike Martin
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
Incremental Validity ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Measurement Occasion ◽  
Actor Partner Interdependence Model

Personality traits are important predictors of relationship satisfaction. However, the majority of previous study findings are based on self–perceptions of personality. Thus, by means of the self–, partner–, and meta–perceptions of personality, the present study focused on three different perspectives on the Big Five personality traits to examine dyadic associations with relationship satisfaction of intimate couples. The study was based on the first measurement occasion of the Swiss longitudinal study ‘Co–Development in Personality: Longitudinal Approaches to Personality Development in Dyads across the Life Span’ and included data of 216 couples. The main analyses were based on Actor–Partner Interdependence Model. Three general findings emerged. First, the three personality perspectives represented related, albeit distinct, constructs, and showed incremental validity with respect to relationship satisfaction. Second, neuroticism was negatively related to relationship satisfaction, whereas agreeableness and conscientiousness were positively related to relationship satisfaction across all perspectives. Third, substantial associations between extraversion and relationship satisfaction were exclusively evident in terms of the partner– and meta–perception. The present results contribute to the literature by showing that each perspective is essential for the understanding of the role of personality for relationship satisfaction. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Personality Psychology

Positive Adult Personality Development

2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 320-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ursula M. Staudinger ◽  
Ute Kunzmann
Keyword(s):  
Young Adulthood ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Developmental Tasks ◽  
Adult Personality ◽  
Heated Debate

Abstract. Does personality stay stable after young adulthood or is there continued change throughout middle and later adulthood? For decades, this question has caused heated debate. Over the last couple of years, a consensus has emerged based on recent cross-cultural as well as longitudinal evidence. This consensus confirms that indeed there is personality change in middle and later adulthood. Many authors have labeled this change personality maturation or growth. In somewhat simplified terms the observed pattern is as follows: neuroticism declines, conscientiousness and agreeableness increase. At the same time it has been argued that this pattern of personality change is the result of coping with the developmental tasks of adulthood and, thus, increased adjustment. We would like to examine this practice of equating developmental adjustment with growth and ask how to define personality growth. To answer this question, we consult theories of personality development as well as lifespan theory.

Correlated personality change across time and age

2021 ◽  
pp. 089020702110140
Author(s):  
Gabriel Olaru ◽  
Mathias Allemand
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
The United States ◽  
Change Score ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Adult Lifespan

The goal of this study was to examine differential and correlated change in personality across the adult lifespan. Studying differential and correlated change can help understand whether intraindividual trait change trajectories deviate from the norm and how these trajectories are coupled with each other. We used data from two large longitudinal panel studies from the United States that covered a total age range of 20 to 95 years on the first measurement occasion. We used correlated factor models and bivariate latent change score models to examine the rank-order stability and correlations between change across three measurement waves covering 18 years ( N = 3250) and four measurement waves covering 12 years ( N = 4145). We examined the moderation effects of continuous age on these model parameters using local structural equation modeling. The results suggest that the test–retest correlations decrease with increasing time between measurements but are unaffected by participants’ age. We found that change processes in Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness were strongly related, particularly in late adulthood. Correlated change patterns were highly stable across time intervals and similar to the initial cross-sectional Big Five correlations. We discuss potential mechanisms and implications for personality development research.

scholarly journals Body size throughout the life-course and incident benign prostatic hyperplasia-related outcomes and nocturia

BMC Urology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saira Khan ◽  
K. Y. Wolin ◽  
R. Pakpahan ◽  
R. L. Grubb ◽  
G. A. Colditz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Prostate Volume ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Prostatic Hyperplasia ◽  
The Life Course

Abstract Background Existing evidence suggests that there is an association between body size and prevalent Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)-related outcomes and nocturia. However, there is limited evidence on the association between body size throughout the life-course and incident BPH-related outcomes. Methods Our study population consisted of men without histories of prostate cancer, BPH-related outcomes, or nocturia in the intervention arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) (n = 4710). Associations for body size in early- (age 20), mid- (age 50) and late-life (age ≥ 55, mean age 60.7 years) and weight change with incident BPH-related outcomes (including self-reported nocturia and physician diagnosis of BPH, digital rectal examination-estimated prostate volume ≥ 30 cc, and prostate-specific antigen [PSA] concentration > 1.4 ng/mL) were examined using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation. Results Men who were obese in late-life were 25% more likely to report nocturia (Relative Risk (RR): 1.25, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.11–1.40; p-trendfor continuous BMI < 0.0001) and men who were either overweight or obese in late-life were more likely to report a prostate volume ≥ 30 cc (RRoverweight: 1.13, 95% CI 1.07–1.21; RRobese: 1.10, 95% CI 1.02–1.19; p-trendfor continuous BMI = 0.017) as compared to normal weight men. Obesity at ages 20 and 50 was similarly associated with both nocturia and prostate volume ≥ 30 cc. Considering trajectories of body size, men who were normal weight at age 20 and became overweight or obese by later-life had increased risks of nocturia (RRnormal to overweight: 1.09, 95% CI 0.98–1.22; RRnormal to obese: 1.28, 95% CI 1.10–1.47) and a prostate volume ≥ 30 cc (RRnormal to overweight: 1.12, 95% CI 1.05–1.20). Too few men were obese early in life to examine the independent effect of early-life body size. Later-life body size modified the association between physical activity and nocturia. Conclusions We found that later-life body size, independent of early-life body size, was associated with adverse BPH outcomes, suggesting that interventions to reduce body size even late in life can potentially reduce the burden of BPH-related outcomes and nocturia.

scholarly journals Parallel Process Latent Growth Modeling of the Relationships Between Social Cohesion and Mental Health in Later Life

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 307-307
Author(s):  
Sok An ◽  
Kyeongmo Kim ◽  
Minhong Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Initial Level ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Latent Growth ◽  
Functional Disabilities ◽  
Score Range ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Previous literature suggests that social factors (e.g., social cohesion, social support) are protective predictors of mental health problems. However, there might be a reciprocal relationship between social factors and mental health and the relationship changes over time. Therefore, this study examined the longitudinal relationship between community social cohesion and mental health using a latent growth curve model with 8 waves of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS; 2011-2018), a nationally representative panel study of Medicare beneficiaries in the United States. Social cohesion measured the perceived level of mutual trust by three items (score range: 0-6) and mental health was measured by PHQ-4 (score range: 0-12). The final model including covariates (age, gender, functional disabilities) fit the data well: χ2=1036.383, p&lt;.001; RMSEA=.037; CFI=.960; and SRMR=.070. Initial level of social cohesion was negatively associated with initial level of mental health problem (β=−.23, p&lt; .001), suggesting that higher levels of social cohesion was associated with lower levels of mental health problems. The covariance between social cohesion slope and mental health slope was significant (β=−.16, p&lt; .01), suggesting an increase in social cohesion was associated with a decrease in mental health problems over time. Functional disabilities significantly influenced mental health over time, while functional disabilities did not influence social cohesion consistently. This study adds to the growing literature on the ways mental health status and social connection have reciprocal relationships over time. Therefore, mental health status in later life could be decreased by improving social cohesion and connectedness with the community.

scholarly journals Person-Situation Transactions across the Lifespan

2017 ◽  
pp. 405-425
Author(s):  
Katherine S. Corker ◽  
M. Brent Donnellan
Keyword(s):  
Personality Development ◽  
Psychological Characteristics ◽  
Developmental Tasks ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Socioemotional Selectivity ◽  
Situational Characteristics ◽  
Explicit Consideration ◽  
Empirical Tests ◽  
Interactionist Approach

Research on situations has been reinvigorated within social and personality psychology. This chapter argues that a developmental perspective on situations can further enrich understanding of person-situation transactions and generate interesting predictions for future empirical tests. The approach is grounded in life course theory (Elder & Shanahan, 2006), an interactionist approach that considers person-situation dynamics as critical to understanding individual lives. The chapter describes an overarching perspective and reviews principles of personality development before turning to an explicit consideration of how situational characteristics (the Situational Eight DIAMONDS; Rauthmann et al., 2014) may change with age. It then outlines how a developmental tasks perspective and socioemotional selectivity theory can be integrated with the DIAMONDS characteristics. It concludes by describing different kinds of person-situation transactions that promote consistency and change in psychological characteristics across the lifespan and suggests a few future directions for research.

Abstract P010: Mid-life Vitamin D Levels and Later Life Performance on Neuropsychological Testing: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 137 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwaseun E Fashanu ◽  
Di Zhao ◽  
Andrea L Schneider ◽  
Andreea M Rawlings ◽  
Richey A Sharrett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Neuropsychological Testing ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities ◽  
Vitamin D Levels ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Age Range

Background: Prior cross-sectional studies among older adults have found associations between low vitamin D (vitD) levels and reduced cognitive performance but were unable to distinguish the temporal order between vitD and the onset of dementia. We examined the association between mid-life vitD levels, assessed by serum 25-hydroxyvitD, with later life performance on neuropsychological testing. Methods: We conducted a non-concurrent cross-sectional analysis of 5,887 white and black participants enrolled in the ARIC Neurocognitive Study. We included participants who had serum vitD concentrations measured at visit 2 (1990-1992; age range 47-69 years) and who had neuropsychological and functional testing at visit 5 (2011-2013; age range 67-91 years). Neuropsychological tests were grouped into memory, language, and executive function domains and were standardized. We categorized vitD using clinical cut points as deficient (<20 ng/mL), intermediate (20-<30 ng/mL), or sufficient (≥ 30 ng/mL). We used Poisson and linear regression models adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors to examine the associations between vitD with prevalent dementia and performance on neuropsychological testing. Results: In mid-life, the mean (SD) age of participants was 56 (5) years, 60% were female, and 22% black. Mean (SD) vitD was 24.6 (8.4) ng/mL; 30% had deficient, 46% intermediate, and 24% sufficient vitD levels. Compared to participants with sufficient vitD levels, the prevalence ratios (95% CI) of late-life dementia were 1.35 (0.99, 1.84) and 1.27 (0.90, 1.80) for participants with intermediate and deficient vitD levels, respectively. We found no significant association between mid-life vitD and late-life performance on neuropsychological testing ( Table ). Further adjustments for cardiovascular, genetic, and metabolic factors yielded similar results. Conclusion: In this cohort, mid-life serum vitD levels were not associated with prevalent dementia or with performance on neuropsychological testing 20 years later.

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