Task 6 - Stability

Question 1

Change in personality traits over time for six trait domains

Answer 1

GRAPHS CAN BE FOUND IN LITERATURE LIST
–> domain of extraversion was further divided into subdomains of social vitality and social dominance

research confirmed that personality-trait development can and does occur in all age periods of adulthood, including old age
middle age individuals tend to score higher than young adults on agreeableness and conscientiousness, and lower on extraversion, neuroticism, and openness

Within middle age, 60 year olds scored higher than 40 year olds on most dimensions
Although much of change on agreebableness was positive, increase was only statistically significant in old age
Little change on conscientiousness in adolescence but then showed remarkable gains in young adulthood & midlife
Emotional stability showed steady increases thorugh midlife
Individuals demonstrated gains in openness to experience in adolescence and then equivalent declines in old age

Question 2

4 Important conclusions about personality development drawn from these studies

Answer 2

1. Most mean-level personality-trait change occurs between ages of 20 and 40
2. Personality traits continue to change, even in old age
3. Time has positive effect on personality-trait change
4. Direction of change is clearly positive

Question 3

Theories of personality change to major life events

Answer 3

NEO-SOCIOANALYTIC MODEL
=personality changes can occur at any age and that individuals change because of investments in social roles
major life events can result in new social roles that can result in personality changes
-Requirements:
individual aware of expectations of social role and that he is not yet fulfilling them; needs to be able and willing to change personality in adaptive way

DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVE
=personality changes occur if major life events are accompanied by new developmental tasks
Because such tasks are normative, most individuals are assumed to aim at mastering these tasks, which oftentimes requires personality changes

TRANSACTIONAL PARADIGM
=high importance on transparent role demands
Major life events may impact personality development depending on the type of event

DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM MODEL
=personality change only temporarily in reaction to major life events
Individuals differ in their set points; major life event may impact trait level for limited time, but individuals are expected to return to set point; lasting personality changes only if set point changes or if adaptation back to it takes long

FIVE-FACTOR THEORY OF PERSONALITY
=Big Five traits are not determined by major life events but by biological maturation

PARADOXICAL THEORY OF PERSONALITY COHERENCE
=personality is particularly stable in the face of major life events
If info is lacking on which trait levels are adaptive after a major life event, then individuals will accentuate preexisting personality traits
-Accentuation hypothesis: Personality does change if clear information on role-appropriate personality trait levels is available
-Change hypothesis: personality does change if clear information on role-appropriate personality trait levels is available

THEORY OF GENOTYPE –> ENVIRONMENT EFFECTS
=expects that personality changes in reaction to major life events but mainly due to genetic effects that led to experiencing these events but less due to the event itself