Multiple uses for longitudinal personality data

Abstract

Most longitudinal studies are designed to serve fairly narrow purposes, such as the prediction of life outcomes from theoretically relevant antecedent variables, or the documentation of age‐related changes in the level of personality or cognitive variables. However, the accumulation of data on a single group of people observed over a period of many years permits a variety of other types of analyses. Creative use of a longitudinal archive can amply justify the costs of maintaining the sample and should encourage investigators to initiate more longitudinal projects. Findings from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging are used to illustrate both traditional and alternative uses of personality data, including (a) development of nomological nets for the interpretation of personality measures, (b) evaluation of state effects in personality measurement, (c) validation of retrospective reports, and (d) heuristic exploratory analyses. Current knowledge on the stability of personality in adulthood, the correspondence of observer ratings and self‐reports, and the comprehensiveness of the five‐factor model can enhance the design of future longitudinal studies.

Intra-individual change in personality stability and age

“…Looking backwards, the intra-individual approach used in this study broadly confirms and refines the trends observed in the BLSA sample using the classical group level analyses (Costa & McCrae, 1992, 1998; Costa et al, 1980; Terracciano, Costa et al, 2006). Looking forward, the intra-individual approach used in this study may prove useful in detecting a small number of individuals with low levels of stability, and the factors that characterize them, especially at younger ages.…”

“…The GZTS was administered to all participants at their first or second visit, and subsequently approximately every 6 and then 12 years. Retest stability, in the form of between-subjects coefficients, has previously been reported for GZTS scales in the BLSA sample (Costa & McCrae, 1992, 1998; Costa, McCrae, & Arenberg, 1980; Terracciano, Costa et al, 2006). The present study examined data for individuals with at least three administrations.…”

Partner personality in distressed relationships

“…The effects for neuroticism and self-esteem were large in terms of effect size, and moderate effect size was found for introversion, suggesting that especially neuroticism and low self-esteem negatively influences relationship quality. Because personality characteristics are generally thought to be relatively stable in time (see, e.g., Costa & McCrae, 1992), and partially heritable (see, e.g., Tellegen et al, 1988) our study suggests that people who are either neurotic, introverted or suffer from low selfesteem, or possess a combination of these personality characteristics, are less capable of maintaining healthy relationships.…”

Personality Plasticity After Age 30

“…The GZTS was administered to all participants at their first or second visit, and subsequently approximately every 6 and then 12 years. Retest stability over 6 and 12 years has previously been reported for GZTS scales in the BLSA sample Costa & McCrae, 1992a. The present study examined data for individuals whose first and last administrations were separated by at least 6 and as much as 42 years.…”