personality, stability, development & change

Effect of birth order on personality

• First born = high neuroticism& conscientiousness

• Middleborn= lower conscientiousness

• Youngest = high openness, high agreeableness more reckless

• Only child= better relationship with parents

Young adulthood to adulthood

• Less neurotic

• More conscientious & increase in agreeableness

Mean-level changes

Shifts in average scores with age

Rank-order stability

Comparing someone to average person the same age

Rank-order stability

• Personality is high rank-order stability

• Maintenance of individual position within a group

Maturity principle of development

Traits needed to effectively perform adult roles increase with age

Impact of live events

• More common life experiences do affect personality

Maturity principle of personality

• Personalities mature as young people enter adult social roles

• Adult relationships & roles cause maturity

Entering work force

• Bigger increase in conscientiousness those who work than go to college

• Successful careers = more dominance, self-confidence norm-adherence & less neuroticism

Serious relationship effects

• Increase conscientiousness

• Decrease neuroticism

• Increase self-esteem

Psychotherapy

• Can produce long-term behavior change

• Combined with meds

General interventions

• Improve life outcomes

• Evidence of success for intensive programs for high risk preschool students

Targeted interventions

• Address specific personality traits

sociogenomic trait intervention model

Step 1 : identify what the person wants to change

Step 2 : do things outside e comfort zone until they've habits and natural

Behaviors & life experiences

• Exercise = more stable personality later in life

• College = decrease self esteem but some up overtime

• College, job, relationship = increase conscientiousness

• Trying drugs = increase neuroticism

• Chronic illness = increase neuroticism & conscientiousness

• Living abroad = increase openness & agreeableness and decrease neuroticism