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Hurricane exposure and personality development
Author(s) -
Damian Rodica Ioana,
Serrano Surizaday,
Hill Patrick L.
Publication year - 2021
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/jopy.12542
Subject(s) - personality , big five personality traits , psychology , trait , demography , socioeconomic status , demographics , poison control , natural disaster , injury prevention , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , social psychology , medicine , environmental health , geography , population , sociology , meteorology , computer science , programming language
Objective We evaluated the role of natural disaster adversity on personality development in the wake of a hurricane, and the moderating role of previous hurricane exposure. Method We used a two‐wave longitudinal design and a diverse sample of emerging adults ( n = 691; mean age = 22 years; 72% females, 27% European American, 29% Latino, 23% Asian American, 15% African American, 6% Multiracial/Other) who were exposed to one of the most damaging hurricanes on record, though to differing degrees. Immediately after the hurricane, we assessed objective individual‐level hurricane exposure, previous exposure to hurricanes, demographics, socioeconomic status, and Big Five personality traits. One year later, we re‐assessed Big Five personality traits. Results Using latent change models, we found significant individual differences both in participants’ initial levels of personality traits at baseline, as well as in their developmental patterns of change in the year following the hurricane. However, there was no evidence of mean‐level change. Moreover, neither hurricane exposure level, nor its interaction with previous exposure showed statistically significant associations with the rates of change in any personality trait. Conclusions The present findings support a stability account , whereby individuals largely maintain their personality dispositions following an adverse life event, in this case a hurricane.