This research project will examine the stability of personality in adulthood using a unique archival data set. Personality indicators for childhood and early-middle adulthood are already available for these subjects (total n= 1,528) who were recruited by L. Terman in the 1920's and have been followed through 1991. This project aims to create reliable and valid personality indices for the later adulthood years and to then combine these measures in order to identify patterns of consistency and/or change. Special attention will be given to gender-specific analysis and the exploration of any observed age-related differences in personality as a function of gender.
| Martin, Leslie R; Friedman, Howard S; Schwartz, Joseph E (2007) Personality and mortality risk across the life span: the importance of conscientiousness as a biopsychosocial attribute. Health Psychol 26:428-36 |
| Martin, L R; Friedman, H S (2000) Comparing personality scales across time: an illustrative study of validity and consistency in life-span archival data. J Pers 68:85-110 |
