VIEWS ON AGING AND PERSONALITY — A BIDIRECTIONAL LONGITUDINAL APPROACH

摘要

Big Five personality traits have been assumed as one determinant of subjective views on aging, and views on aging might serve as role expectations that drive later life personality development. Since both constructs have central importance for the aging process, it is surprising that no study so far comprehensively addressed this mutual influence. We used data from the ILSE study, a longitudinal study capturing personality and views on aging at four measurement occasions, spanning 20 years and including two participant cohorts in midlife and older age. Cross-lagged regression models showed that the influence of personality on views on aging is stronger than vice versa, especially for Neuroticism, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. Furthermore, this influence seems to be confined to certain sensitive periods across later life. Our results shed light on the development of views on aging and the developmental co-dynamics of personality and subjective perceptions of aging across the life span.