Does Personality Undergo Much Change After Age 30?

Running Head: PERSONALITY CHANGE

Does personality undergo much change after age 30?
Vuitton Bain
4137238
Brock University
Psychology 2P25
Professor Ashton
March 9th, 2008

Word Count: 1,970 Over the last few decades, several studies were carried out to investigate whether or not personality undergoes a drastic change after the age of 30. During these investigations, many personality psychologists did studies to find out if any of their theories of changes in personality took place, or if there was little to no substantial change. Since personality is such an umbrella term, certain aspects of personality underwent investigation to test whether or not persons over the age of 30 displayed noticeable change in each of the Big Five personality traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. There was also a study conducted that chose to analyze personality changes of persons in the work place between the ages of 15 and 25, 25 and 45, and 45 and 65. There are also some arguments that suggest that personality change during adulthood may be the cause of genetics. And then there are those who suggest that there is little or no substantial change in personality over the age of 30. Needless to say that after summarizing, evaluating, and analyzing countless articles and studies, it is with extreme disappointment that I say that after all of these scores of “research” and “investigation”, that no one with a PhD or a grad student in pursuit thereof has come to a definitive conclusion as to whether or not personality is amended after the age of 30. It is pretty safe to say that this study has been going on longer than finding the cure for AIDS. Nevertheless, I give all persons conducting this study the benefit of the doubt. AIDS was discovered a little over 20 years succeeding the initiation of this particular study.
One study in particular (Cattell, 1967, p. 280) measured the qualities of surgency, which include enthusiasm, impulsiveness, high spirits, and loquacity and determined that these qualities, under the aspect of Extraversion deteriorate with age. This study also stated that typically, humans become more subdued, prudent, cautious and less inclined to socialize with age which could be because of reduced energy, increased inhibition, or both. It is common knowledge that the sight of someone over the age of 30 doing keg stands at backyard barbeques every weekend would be exceedingly amusing, though highly unlikely, unless this person was going through a severe mid-life crisis and used this release of inhibition as his cry for both attention and help. This study also suggests that the decreasing shyness of parmia - a word undefined by the omnipresence that is Wikipedia - which refers to the parasympathetic immunity to threat, is due to an increasingly extensive awareness of the people in the subjects’ environments. In other words, the subjects of this study may have once been misconstrued as misanthropes because they chose not to socialize with persons around them, when in fact, the persons around them possessed less than thrilling qualities. Hence, the subjects chose to leave people like these behind. Upon completion of this study, it was found that changes in personality took place after the age of 30, but it was made clear that the study did not and could not arrive to a definite conclusion of as to whether or not personality changes after a certain age.
There was another study conducted (Wrightsman, 1988, p. 153) that suggested that adults undergo changes in personality after starting the part of their lives in which they enter the work force. This study puts forward the notion that the kind of work one does defines who they are as a person. They studied three different age groups and classified each of those groups under four stages. The first stage of personality development in adulthood consisted of subjects between the ages of 15 and 25. In this stage, subjects were found to be working in an exploratory or trial-and-error state. In essence, researchers state that subjects in this particular stage are sort of “testing the waters” because it is in this stage that persons in the work force usually change jobs more frequently than persons in other stages of personality development. The second stage of personality development in adulthood among subjects in the work environment is referred to as the establishment stage. The subjects in this group found themselves in a much settled state than the subjects of the first stage, i.e. less inclined to change jobs frequently. During this phase, the individual expects that working harder will offer some type of recognition or potential promotion. Also, during this phase, the worker may decide to seek additional training to expedite the chances of him receiving the promotion. A sense of stability is established during this stage. During the third stage, referred to as the maintenance stage including persons between the ages of 45-55, employees experience a sense of occupational continuity, or in other words, performing the same tasks over and over and day after day. The employee feels complacent and a sense of being fired because of unsuccessful attempts to arriving at the expected level of accomplishment. This could be due to advances in technology with which the employee at this stage may not be accustomed to. And the final stage, the deceleration stage consisting of persons between the ages of 55 and 65, the employee prepares himself for retirement and experiences critical discontinuity in both anything work related and the idea that the end of his life is drawing nigh. This study shows a difference in levels of Openness in the respect that someone who is in the second phase is more likely to make himself available to new ideas and preparation for a new position than someone in the third phase who is solely concerned about maintaining the job he now has.
Then there are arguments that say that genetics play a role in personality change during adulthood or present themselves at different times of life (Helson, Kwan, John, Jones, 2002; Sturaro, Denissen, van Aken, Asendorf et al., 2008). It was claimed that personality traits are amply inherited and can be seen in mean-level disparities that are age-related (Allemand, Zimprich, Hertzog et al., 2007). This study also states that personality adjusts itself during the process of adaptation, especially when placed in a new environment, and adaptive tactics change as well. Another study performed stated that both older men and women displayed more kind-hearted qualities and more organization skills (Donnellan, Conger, Burzette, 2007). The subjects in this study also displayed less abrasive and neurotic characteristics when compared to the younger subjects in this experiment. However, the older subjects perceived themselves to be less socially attractive, less extraverted and more introverted. But differences in personality change were not only limited to age. The study also showed differences between the sexes in terms of Neuroticism. Women scored higher than men at the age of 21, but there was a drastic linear regression up to the age of 60. On the other hand, men’s scores remained practically the same. The experiment concluded that personality does change across not only age, but sex as well, based on the research and investigation. But once again, personality change after a certain age is not proved.
Maturity level was also examined (Belsky et al., 1999) when a study by Ravenna Helson and Paul Wink was performed to investigate possible changes in maturity level among female alumnae of Mills College between the ages of 26 to 76. This study showed that, as predicted, women from their early 40s to their early 50s were more mature and were more confident, resolute. The Mills women in their 50s from the study claimed to be more pleased with themselves than when they were younger. This could be because of some of the older women under the study had children who no longer live with them. Hence, they had more time to devote to themselves. It is suggested, however, that someone 50 years of age at the apex of maturity may have feelings of incompetence, melancholy, and defencelessness when coming face to face with the reality of deficiencies that come with old age. A change is not proven, only suggested.
Amid all these studies that suggest that there is indeed change in personality after 30, McCrae (Kramer et. al, 2003) suggested that there is a very slight change, if any change at all in personality after 30. McCrae (Kramer et. al, 2003) also suggested that studies focusing on change in adult personality are inane. His study focused on defence mechanisms used in early adulthood. It was suggested that those over the age of 30 who use mature defences will continue to do so throughout the years to follow in their lives (Mroczek & Little, 2006, p. 339). Younger persons are more inclined to deal with situations keenly by using problem-focused coping techniques in order to alter the undesired situation. Conversely, older persons tend to deal with their problems by adopting more emotion-focused strategies, i.e., concentrating more on adjusting their feelings than addressing the situation head on (Belsky, et al, 1999). There are times, though, when these two methods are used interchangeably depending on the person, as well as the situation. Once more, this study suggested that defence mechanisms change after a certain age, but there was no substantial proof showing this change.
All of this research, experimentation, and a number of years later, and still no proof as to whether or not there is a modification in personality after the age of 30. I do, however, admire the persistent vehemence involved in trying to attempt to come to conclusions with this theory. But if one is going to do this research and conduct studies on a case like this, one must take into account that subjects, although more inclined to honestly answer questionnaires and surveys if submitted anonymously, do lie. Self-reports are also subject to inaccuracies (Roberts & Mroczek, 2008). Most of the studies that were researched were cross-sectional studies which may also be to the researchers’ disadvantage because the cross-sectional studies done do not seem to actually prove anything or provide considerable evidence that personality does, indeed undergo a noticeable change after the age of 30. A longitudinal study would be more appropriate to conduct in order to receive more evidence to come to a much better conclusion. However, there is a disadvantage to this. The subject(s) under examination might die before the study is complete. One must also take into account that persons may be forced to alter their behaviour after a certain age for societal reasons. What is answered on the questionnaire may only reflect the way the subject may be expected to act when in the public eye and not how they actually feel. So why do the study at all if nothing can be proved? Some of the studies were more than 20 pages long, which was definitely not necessary, especially for persons suffering from undiagnosed ADD, who have to read all of them. Instead of creating pointless buzz around countless words that did not serve any purpose to some of the studies that were reviewed, I would suggest that the researchers try to focus on ways to improve how they carry out these studies. Most of them carried out their experiments using the same methods from past studies and ended up getting the same results. But can change in personality really be measured after the age of 30? Obviously, everyone is different. Some personalities even coincide with how persons were raised culturally. Thus, one can see the difficulty in trying to prove this theory. And if I may say bluntly, I suggest that funding, unless financed by the persons actually conducting the study, be discontinued immediately, unless the association doing the funding is presented with an upgraded way to carry out this study that will actually come a lot closer to the truth the researchers, some day, wish to find. Works Cited
Allemand, M., Zimprich, D., & Hertzog, C. (April 2007). Cross-Sectional Age Differences and Longitudinal Age Changes of Personality in Middle Adulthood and Old Age. Journal of Psychology, 75 (2), 323-358. http://scholarsportal.info/pdflinks/09021921530610860.pdf
Cattell, R.B. (1967). The Scientific Analysis of Personality. Middlesex, England: Penguin Books.
Cramer, P. (February 2003). Personality change in later adulthood is predicted by defense mechanism use in early adulthood. Journal of Research in Personality, 37 (1), 76-104. http://scholarsportal.info/pdflinks/09021920160221998.pdf
Helson, R., Kwan, V.S., John, O.P., & Jones, C. (August 2002). The growing evidence for personality change in adulthood: Findings from research with personality inventories. Journal of Research in Personality, 36 (4), 287-306. http://scholarsportal.info/pdflinks/09021921483910127.pdf
Mroczek, D.K., & Little, T.D. (Eds.). (2006). Handbook of Personality Development. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers
Roberts, B.W., & Mroczek, D.K. (February 2008). Personality Trait Change in Adulthood. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 17, 31-35. http://scholarsportal.info/pdflinks/09021921245505884.pdf
Sturaro, C., Denissen, J.J., van Aken, M.A., & Asendorpf, J.B. (2008). Person-Environment Transactions During Emerging Adulthood: The Interplay Between Personality Characteristics and Social Relationships. European Psychologist, 13, 1-11. http://scholarsportal.info/pdflinks/09021921311407046.pdf
Wrightsman, L.S. (1988). Personality Development in Adulthood. Newbury, Park, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Cited: Allemand, M., Zimprich, D., & Hertzog, C. (April 2007). Cross-Sectional Age Differences and Longitudinal Age Changes of Personality in Middle Adulthood and Old Age. Journal of Psychology, 75 (2), 323-358. http://scholarsportal.info/pdflinks/09021921530610860.pdf Cattell, R.B. (1967). The Scientific Analysis of Personality. Middlesex, England: Penguin Books. Cramer, P. (February 2003). Personality change in later adulthood is predicted by defense mechanism use in early adulthood. Journal of Research in Personality, 37 (1), 76-104. http://scholarsportal.info/pdflinks/09021920160221998.pdf Helson, R., Kwan, V.S., John, O.P., & Jones, C. (August 2002). The growing evidence for personality change in adulthood: Findings from research with personality inventories. Journal of Research in Personality, 36 (4), 287-306. http://scholarsportal.info/pdflinks/09021921483910127.pdf Mroczek, D.K., & Little, T.D. (Eds.). (2006). Handbook of Personality Development. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers Roberts, B.W., & Mroczek, D.K. (February 2008). Personality Trait Change in Adulthood. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 17, 31-35. http://scholarsportal.info/pdflinks/09021921245505884.pdf Sturaro, C., Denissen, J.J., van Aken, M.A., & Asendorpf, J.B. (2008). Person-Environment Transactions During Emerging Adulthood: The Interplay Between Personality Characteristics and Social Relationships. European Psychologist, 13, 1-11. http://scholarsportal.info/pdflinks/09021921311407046.pdf Wrightsman, L.S. (1988). Personality Development in Adulthood. Newbury, Park, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.