Stability and change in lower-order personality traits in a representative Swiss sample

Abstract

Personality development has become one of the most-widely studied topics in personality science. However, existing research has mostly focused on the Big Five domains, typically measured across long intervals between assessments using data from non-representative samples. Here, we examined personality trait changes at the domain level and at the level of lower-order aspects in a representative Swiss sample (N = 4’495). Participants in this sample rated their personality traits, life satisfaction, and self-esteem five times over 2 years. Using local structural equation models, we found high rank-order stabilities across age, with similar 1-year stabilities for Big Five domains and aspects (domains: r _average = .88, aspects: r _average = .87). Mean-level changes of aspects belonging to the same Big Five domain differed in timing and direction, and cumulative mean-level changes in personality traits were comparable to changes in self-esteem and life satisfaction. Finally, we found medium to strong correlated changes among Big Five domains (r = .33) and among aspects belonging to the same Big Five domain (r = .42), but confidence intervals of these correlated changes were broad. Our results contribute to a fine-grained picture of personality development and help to advance theoretical perspectives on personality trait changes.

Plain language summary

Does our personality change when we age? This question has been extensively researched over the last decades and it is practically relevant because our personality traits are linked to our health, well-being, and work success. However, existing research has provided a rather broad picture of personality trait changes by examining changes in five broad trait domains (agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, emotional stability, and openness/intellect) across several years. In the present study, we aimed to provide a more fine-grained understanding of personality trait changes by examining changes in fifteen broad and narrow personality traits every 6 months over 2 years. To do so, we used a representative Swiss sample comprising approximately 4500 individuals. Furthermore, we compared findings on personality trait changes to changes in life satisfaction and self-esteem in the same sample. We found that personality traits were relatively stable over the 2-year period. Nonetheless, there were some significant changes in the mean-levels of personality traits with age and these mean-level trajectories differed across the broad and narrow personality traits. Finally, we found that changes in personality traits were moderately related to each other, indicating that people’s personality traits tend to change in similar directions over time. For example, if a person becomes more conscientious over time, this person also tends to become more extraverted and more agreeable. The results of the present study contribute to a more fine-grained understanding of personality trait changes.