Interactions among personality traits and their influence on mortality
Abstract
The current study examined the predictive ability of the Big Five personality traits with mortality, and possible interactions among these traits. In 1990-91, 1,349 male participants (mean age = 64.9; range = 45-89) of the Boston VA Normative Aging study completed the Goldberg Unipolar markers of the Big Five personality traits and were followed until July 2006 (mean survival time = 11.01 years), during which 547 deaths occurred. Proportional hazards modeling identified mortality risk over the 18-year follow-up period and interactions among the Big Five. There were significant main effects for each trait except for neuroticism. Interactions among the Big Five traits and mortality risk were not found. High levels of conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and openness significantly decreased mortality risk. After adding other correlates of mortality (i.e., age, objective and self-rated health, and depression), the personality effects were attenuated. Subjective and objective-ratings of health explain the personality-mortality relationship.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Mroczek, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Personality psychology
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