A longitudinal study tracks the personality of a large group of adults from age 25 to age 65. Based on established developmental trends, which of the following outcomes is the most probable average finding for the group by the end of the study?

A developmental psychologist is comparing the personality profiles of two individuals: Liam, a 24-year-old who has just started his first professional career, and Susan, a 60-year-old who is an established leader in her field. Based on general research findings about how personality traits change with age, which individual is more likely to score higher on the traits of conscientiousness and agreeableness? Explain your reasoning.

Predicting Personality Traits Across the Lifespan

Research indicates specific trends in how Big Five traits change with age. Conscientiousness increases through young adulthood into middle age, and agreeableness also rises, peaking between 50 and 70 years. Conversely, both neuroticism and extroversion tend to show a slight decline over time.

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A key aspect of the Big Five personality factors is their relative stability over a person's lifespan. While not entirely fixed, these traits show considerable consistency over time, though some may increase or decrease slightly with age.

Lifespan Stability of the Big Five Traits

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

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