fei75766_ch13_408-434.indd 426  02/06/20 01:05 PM
Part IV    Dispositional Theories426
Recent research confirms thatsome degree ofchange inpersonality occurs nor-
mally from adolescence toadulthood andintooldage(Allemand, Zimprich, &Hen-
driks, 2008; Josefsson etal.,2013; Letzring, Edmonds, &Hampson, 2014; Lodi-Smith 
etal.,2009; Roberts &Mroczek, 2008). Major lifeevents likeliving abroad, parenthood, 
anddementia appear tobring withthem some fundamental andconsistent changes 
inpersonality (Paris &Helson, 2002; Zimmerman &Neyer, 2013). Living abroad 
tends tobring about adecrease inoverall anxiety andanincrease inagreeableness 
(Zimmerman &Neyer, 2013). Changes inbrain functioning, forexample, asaresult 
ofdementia orbrain injury ultimately bring about realpersonality change, withsignifi -
cantincreases inNeuroticism anddecreases inExtraversion andConscientiousness 
(Leonhardt, Schmukle, &Exner, 2016; Terracciano &Sutin, 2019). 
Some ofthemost impressive evidence ofpersonality change comes from a
meta-analysis of92studies thatassessed personality overthelifetime inover50,000 
individuals ontheBigFivedimensions ofpersonality (Roberts, Walton, &Viecht -
bauer, 2006). Ingeneral, people become steadily more agreeable andconscientious 
from adolescence tolateadulthood (seeFigure 13.4) andtendtobecome more asser -
tiveordominant andemotionally stable from adolescence tomiddle adulthood and
thenleveloffonthese personality dimensions. Finally, people generally become more 
sociable (social vitality) andopen tonewexperiences from adolescence toearly adult -
hood. These traits leveloffinadulthood andthendecline inolder adulthood. The
same pattern ofchange isseenincross-sectional research thatexamines personality 
differences indifferent agegroups atthesame time(Allemand etal.,2008). Together, 
these results make clear thatpersonality isnotsetinplaster once wereach adulthood.
Thisgraph shows theresults ofameta-analysis ofpersonality change ontheBig
Fivedimensions across 92studies andinvolving more than50,000 individuals. The
scale ofchange ismeasured instandardized units. 0units means nochange. Emo -
tional stability istheopposite endofneuroticism.
/one.tnum./two.tnum
/one.tnum./zero.tnum
/zero.tnum./eight.tnum
/zero.tnum./six.tnum
/zero.tnum./four.tnum
/zero.tnum./two.tnum
/one.tnum/zero.tnum /two.tnum/zero.tnum /three.tnum/zero.tnumUnits
/four.tnum/zero.tnum /five.tnum/zero.tnum /six.tnum/zero.tnum /seven.tnum/zero.tnum /eight.tnum/zero.tnum
AgeSocial dominance
Agreeableness
Social vitality
(Roberts, W alton, & Viechtbauer , /two.tnum/zero.tnum/zero.tnum/six.tnum).Conscientiousnes s
Emotional stability
Openness to
experience
/zero.tnum
/endash.case/zero.tnum./two.tnum
FIGURE 13.4  Personality Change from Adolescence to Late Adulthood. Final PDF to printer