scholarly journals Longitudinal Experience-Wide Association Studies (LEWAS) – A Framework for Studying Personality Change

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wiebke Bleidorn ◽  
Christopher James Hopwood ◽  
Mitja Back ◽  
Jaap J. A. Denissen ◽  
Marie Hennecke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Research Paradigms ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
Work And Health

The importance of personality for predicting life outcomes in the domains of love, work, and health is well established, as is evidence that personality traits, while relatively stable, can change. However, little is known about the sources and processes that drive changes in personality traits, and how such changes might impact important life outcomes. In this paper, we make the case that the research paradigms and methodological approaches commonly used in personality psychology need to be revised to advance our understanding of the sources and processes of personality change. We propose Longitudinal Experience-Wide Association Studies (LEWAS) as a framework for studying personality change that can address the limitations of current methods, and discuss strategies for overcoming some of the challenges associated with LEWAS.

scholarly journals Longitudinal Experience–Wide Association Studies—A Framework for Studying Personality Change

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wiebke Bleidorn ◽  
Christopher J. Hopwood ◽  
Mitja D. Back ◽  
Jaap J.A. Denissen ◽  
Marie Hennecke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
European Association ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Research Paradigms ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
Work And Health

The importance of personality for predicting life outcomes in the domains of love, work, and health is well established, as is evidence that personality traits, while relatively stable, can change. However, little is known about the sources and processes that drive changes in personality traits and how such changes might impact important life outcomes. In this paper, we make the case that the research paradigms and methodological approaches commonly used in personality psychology need to be revised to advance our understanding of the sources and processes of personality change. We propose Longitudinal Experience–Wide Association Studies as a framework for studying personality change that can address the limitations of current methods, and we discuss strategies for overcoming some of the challenges associated with Longitudinal Experience–Wide Association Studies. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals Changing personality traits with the help of a digital personality change intervention

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (8) ◽  
pp. e2017548118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjam Stieger ◽  
Christoph Flückiger ◽  
Dominik Rüegger ◽  
Tobias Kowatsch ◽  
Brent W. Roberts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Normal Personality ◽  
Waitlist Control Group

Personality traits predict important life outcomes, such as success in love and work life, well-being, health, and longevity. Given these positive relations to important outcomes, economists, policy makers, and scientists have proposed intervening to change personality traits to promote positive life outcomes. However, nonclinical interventions to change personality traits are lacking so far in large-scale naturalistic populations. This study (n = 1,523) examined the effects of a 3-mo digital personality change intervention using a randomized controlled trial and the smartphone application PEACH (PErsonality coACH). Participants who received the intervention showed greater self-reported changes compared to participants in the waitlist control group who had to wait 1 mo before receiving the intervention. Self-reported changes aligned with intended goals for change and were significant for those desiring to increase on a trait (d = 0.52) and for those desiring to decrease on a trait (d = −0.58). Observers such as friends, family members, or intimate partners also detected significant personality changes in the desired direction for those desiring to increase on a trait (d = 0.35). Observer-reported changes for those desiring to decrease on a trait were not significant (d = −0.22). Moreover, self- and observer-reported changes persisted until 3 mo after the end of the intervention. This work provides the strongest evidence to date that normal personality traits can be changed through intervention in nonclinical samples.

scholarly journals Trait Perspective

Psychology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Brent Donnellan ◽  
Christopher Hopwood
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Personality Assessment ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Common Structure ◽  
History Of ◽  
Controversial Topic

Personality traits, or relatively enduring and global patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving, are thought to be a foundational element of personality by many researchers. Gordon Allport is widely recognized as the founder of academic personality psychology, and his perspectives on the trait concept continue to be influential today. Following Allport, many contemporary trait psychologists theorize that traits are rooted in biological processes but shaped by life experiences. Moreover, contemporary trait psychologists believe personality traits have causal implications, meaning that they affect how individuals interpret and respond to the challenges of life as well as the responses that individuals evoke from others. To be sure, personality traits work together and in concert with situational factors to generate behavior, which is an idea with a long history in psychology. Despite the popularity of trait concepts in lay theories of human behavior, the existence and importance of personality traits has been a controversial topic in academic psychology. The goal of this bibliography is to introduce readers to the trait concept and to the debates surrounding personality traits by providing references to both classic and contemporary readings. The first sections (see General Overviews) provide references that give an overview of personality traits, cover issues in the concept of Defining Traits, and discuss the role of personality traits in the broader field of personality psychology. These introductory sections are followed by an overview of The Person-Situation Debate, a critical conflict in the history of trait psychology. We refer to classic readings in this debate and cover Responses to the Person-Situation Debate. These reactions to the person-situation debate have come to define, in part, how modern trait psychologists view their field. Trait psychology is often strongly identified with personality assessment; thus the next section in this bibliography covers issues in Assessing Personality Traits including measurement validity, reliability, and the utility of various measurement methods. Improvements in assessment have led to one of the major accomplishments in trait psychology: the delineation of a common structure for higher order personality traits in the form of the “Big Five” domains (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability or neuroticism, and openness). The next section includes readings on Evaluating the Structure of Personality Traits and includes papers from both proponents and critics of the Big Five/five-factor models. A major accomplishment following the person-situation debate was a more precise articulation of the developmental course, biological correlates, and impacts of traits for understanding adaptation across the lifespan. Thus, the final three sections include readings about Personality Trait Development Across the Lifespan, Biological Perspectives on Traits, and Personality Traits and Life Outcomes.

scholarly journals How do Personality and Social Structures Interact with Each other to Predict Important Life Outcomes? The Importance of Accounting for Personality Change

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Boyce ◽  
Alex M. Wood ◽  
Liam Delaney ◽  
Eammon Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Methodological Issue ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Personality Changes ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Type 2 Errors

Personality is important for a range of life outcomes. However, despite evidence that personality changes across time, there is a concerning tendency for researchers outside of personality psychology to treat measures of personality as if they are non–changing when establishing whether personality predicts important life outcomes. This is problematic when personality changes in response to outcomes of interest and creates a methodological issue that may result in misleading conclusions. We illustrate this methodological issue and suggest using measures before the outcome takes place to mitigate concerns. We then demonstrate, using data from Germany, that using post–event personality measures, as opposed to pre–outcome measures, to predict both occurrence of, and reactions to, socio–economic events results in inconsistent conclusions in the directions hypothesized and therefore increases the likelihood of Type 1 and Type 2 errors. This has implications for research investigating the importance of personality for psychological, behavioural, and socio–economic outcomes. Copyright © 2017 European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals Changing Personality Traits with the Help of a Digital Personality Change Intervention

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjam Stieger ◽  
Christoph Flückiger ◽  
Dominik Rüegger ◽  
Tobias Kowatsch ◽  
Brent Roberts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Normal Personality ◽  
Waitlist Control Group

Personality traits predict important life outcomes such as success in love and work life, wellbeing, health, and longevity. Given these positive relations to important outcomes, economists, policy-makers, and scientists have proposed intervening to change personality traits to promote positive life outcomes. However, non-clinical interventions to change personality traits are lacking so far in large-scale naturalistic populations. This study (N = 1,523) examined the effects of a 3- month digital personality change intervention using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and the smartphone application PEACH (PErsonality coACH). Participants who received the intervention showed greater self-reported changes compared to participants in the waitlist control group who had to wait one month before receiving the intervention. Self-reported changes aligned with intended goals for change and were significant for those desiring to increase on a trait (d = 0.52) and for those desiring to decrease on a trait (d = -0.58). Observers such as friends, family members or intimate partners also detected significant personality changes in the desired direction for those desiring to increase on a trait (d = 0.35). Observer-reported changes for those desiring to decrease on a trait were not significant (d = -0.22). Moreover, self- and observer reported changes persisted until three months after the end of the intervention. This work provides the strongest evidence to date that normal personality traits can be changed through intervention in non-clinical samples.

scholarly journals Trajectories of Big Five Personality Traits: A Coordinated Analysis of 16 Longitudinal Samples

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen K. Graham ◽  
Sara J. Weston ◽  
Denis Gerstorf ◽  
Tomiko B. Yoneda ◽  
Tom Booth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Growth Models ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Big Five Personality Traits ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Personality Psychology

This study assessed change in self–reported Big Five personality traits. We conducted a coordinated integrative data analysis using data from 16 longitudinal samples, comprising a total sample of over 60 000 participants. We coordinated models across multiple datasets and fit identical multi–level growth models to assess and compare the extent of trait change over time. Quadratic change was assessed in a subset of samples with four or more measurement occasions. Across studies, the linear trajectory models revealed declines in conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness. Non–linear models suggested late–life increases in neuroticism. Meta–analytic summaries indicated that the fixed effects of personality change are somewhat heterogeneous and that the variability in trait change is partially explained by sample age, country of origin, and personality measurement method. We also found mixed evidence for predictors of change, specifically for sex and baseline age. This study demonstrates the importance of coordinated conceptual replications for accelerating the accumulation of robust and reliable findings in the lifespan developmental psychological sciences. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals How Accurate Are National Stereotypes? A Test of Different Methodological Approaches

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Hřebíčková ◽  
René Mõttus ◽  
Sylvie Graf ◽  
Martin Jelínek ◽  
Anu Realo
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
Personality Inventory ◽  
Personality Profiles ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Neo Personality Inventory ◽  
Revised Neo Personality Inventory ◽  
Real People ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
National Stereotypes

We compared different methodological approaches in research on the accuracy of national stereotypes that use aggregated mean scores of real people's personality traits as criteria for stereotype accuracy. Our sample comprised 16,713 participants from the Central Europe and 1,090 participants from the Baltic Sea region. Participants rated national stereotypes of their own country using the National Character Survey (NCS) and their personality traits using either the Revised NEO Personality Inventory or the NCS. We examined the effects of different (i) methods for rating of real people (Revised NEO Personality Inventory vs. NCS) and national stereotypes (NCS); (ii) norms for converting raw scores into T–scores (Russian vs. international norms); and (iii) correlation techniques (intraclass correlations vs. Pearson correlations vs. rank–order correlations) on the resulting agreement between the ratings of national stereotypes and real people. We showed that the accuracy of national stereotypes depended on the employed methodology. The accuracy was the highest when ratings of real people and national stereotypes were made using the same method and when rank order correlations were used to estimate the agreement between national stereotypes and personality profiles of real people. We propose a new statistical procedure for determining national stereotype accuracy that overcomes limitations of past studies. We provide methodological recommendations applicable to a wider range of cross national stereotype accuracy studies. Copyright © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals Change, Correlates, and Structure of Personality Across Adulthood

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 563-563
Author(s):  
Olivia Atherton ◽  
Emorie Beck
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Panel Discussion ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Cultural Predictors ◽  
Emerging Issues ◽  
Unique Experience

Abstract Personality is both stable and changing across the lifespan. However, many questions remain about the factors that account for individual differences in change, the consequences of personality for life outcomes, and how best to assess personality at different points in the lifespan. First, Olivia Atherton will discuss research on the development of the Big Five personality traits from young adulthood to midlife with a sample of Mexican-origin individuals, as well as sociodemographic and cultural predictors of personality change in this population. Second, Bill Chopik uses data from 90 countries to examine the consistency of age differences in positive personality traits in the second half of life, from midlife to old age, as well as how cultural characteristics moderate the terminal decline in positive personality traits. Third, Emorie Beck will present research demonstrating that personality traits from the Big Five to beyond are robustly associated with a number of key life events across countries, decades, sociodemographic moderators, and even when controlling for selection bias. Finally, Josh Jackson uses network psychometric techniques to examine coherence and differentiation among indicators of the Big Five from 14 to 85 in a large multinational sample, tracking age differences with consequences for the assessment of personality traits in older adulthood. We will conclude with a panel discussion of emerging issues in personality change, prediction, and assessment across adulthood, with each speaker providing unique experience and insight into the study of each area.

Personality change and environmental concerns

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher James Hopwood ◽  
Ted Schwaba ◽  
Wiebke Bleidorn
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Environmental Concerns ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
German Population ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Sustainable Behavior ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Over Time

Personal concerns about climate change and the environment are a powerful motivator of sustainable behavior. People’s level of concern varies as a function of a variety of social and individual factors. Using data from 58,748 participants from a nationally representative German sample, we tested preregistered hypotheses about factors that impact concerns about the environment over time. We found that environmental concerns increased modestly from 2009-2017 in the German population. However, individuals in middle adulthood tended to be more concerned and showed more consistent increases in concern over time than younger or older people. Consistent with previous research, Big Five personality traits were correlated with environmental concerns. We present novel evidence that increases in concern were related to increases in the personality traits neuroticism and openness to experience. Indeed, changes in openness explained roughly 50% of the variance in changes in environmental concerns. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the individual level factors associated with changes in environmental concerns over time, towards the promotion of more sustainable behavior at the individual level.

scholarly journals Can Facebook likes predict the purchase probability of electricity storage systems?

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Poier
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Control Sample ◽  
Big Five Personality Traits ◽  
Photovoltaic System ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Electricity Storage ◽  
Combining Data ◽  
User Groups

AbstractThis study among owners of photovoltaic systems investigates whether users' Big Five personality traits derived from their Facebook likes contribute to whether or not they adopt an electricity storage. It is based on the finding that the digital footprint, especially the Facebook likes, can in part predict the personality of users better than friends and family. The survey was conducted among 159 Facebook users in Germany who owned a photovoltaic system. For comparison, a control sample with data from the German Socio-Economic Panel with 425 photovoltaic owners among 7286 individuals was used. The results show that, for extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, the mean scores could be sufficiently predicted. However, a positive correlation could only be detected for extraversion. The comparison of the user groups could not provide satisfying results. None of the Big Five personality traits could be used to distinguish the two user groups from each other. Although the results did not support the hypotheses, this study offers insights into the possibilities of combining data mining, personality psychology, and consumer research.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document