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A Longitudinal Study of Personality Change in Young Adulthood
Author(s) -
Robins Richard W.,
Fraley R. Chris,
Roberts Brent W.,
Trzesniewski Kali H.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of personality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.082
H-Index - 144
eISSN - 1467-6494
pISSN - 0022-3506
DOI - 10.1111/1467-6494.694157
Subject(s) - personality , psychology , normative , big five personality traits , personality development , perspective (graphical) , developmental psychology , personality changes , longitudinal sample , personality assessment inventory , young adult , sample (material) , clinical psychology , social psychology , philosophy , epistemology , artificial intelligence , computer science , chemistry , chromatography
The present research examined personality continuity and change in a sample of young men and women assessed at the beginning and end of college. Two‐hundred seventy students completed measures of the Big Five personality traits when they first entered college and then four years later. Analyses indicate small‐ to medium‐sized normative (i.e., mean‐level) changes, large rank‐order stability correlations, high levels of stability in personality structure, and moderate levels of ipsative (i.e. profile) stability. Overall, the findings are consistent with the perspective that personality traits exhibits considerable continuity over time, yet can change in systematic ways.