Personality, Well-Being, and Health*

In the authors' own research, distinguishing at least five core health outcomes in addition to longevity is empirically and heuristically useful.

“we have found (in our own research) that it is empirically and heuristically useful to distinguish and use at least five core health outcomes in addition to longevity”

• cites Friedman et al. 2010Not checked yet
• cites Friedman & Martin 2011Not checked yet

Depression-related characteristics often reflect an already deteriorating health trajectory.

“depression-related characteristics are likely often reflective of an alreadydeteriorating trajectory”

Correlations between self-reported personality and self-reported well-being have little to say about achieving well-being.

“Such correlations have little to say about achieving well-being.”

Studies of patient populations often have personality selection artifacts because neurotic individuals are more likely to report symptoms and seek medical care than nonneurotics even when there is little or no organic disease.

“studies of patient populations often suffer from personality selection artifacts (biases) because neurotic individuals are more likely to report symptoms (such as chest pain) and to seek medical care than nonneurotics, even when there is little or no discernable organic disease”

• cites Watson & Pennebaker 1989Not checked yet

The study of personality and its relationships to well-being and health overrelies on self-report measures.

“Study of personality-an individual's relatively stable predispositions and patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting-and its relationships to well-being and health continues to be plagued by an overreliance on self-report measures.”

Many items used to assess personality are the same as those used to assess health and well-being.

“many of the questions (or items) used to assess personality are the same questions used to assess health and well-being”

It has not been established that challenging work in a demanding environment usually brings long-term health risks.

“It is also unproven that challenging work in a demanding environment usually brings long-term health risks”

Recent research shows that conscientiousness plays a very significant role in health across the lifespan.

“a substantial body of recent research reveals that conscientiousness plays a very significant role in health, with implications across the lifespan”

The SF-36 or RAND-36 can be useful for assessing overall disease burden.

“The commonly used multipurpose Short-Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36), or the closely related RAND 36-Item Health Survey (RAND-36), can be very useful for assessing overall disease burden.”

• cites Ware 2004Not checked yet

Characteristics and behaviors associated with conscientiousness predict health and longevity from childhood through old age.

“a host of characteristics and behaviors associated with the broad personality dimension of conscientiousness is predictive of health and longevity, from childhood through old age”

It has not been established that happiness directly causes good health.

“It is unproven that happiness is a direct cause of good health”

Individual strivings for accomplishment and persistent dedication to career or community are often associated with sizeable health benefits.

“individual strivings for accomplishment and persistent dedication to one's career or community often are associated with sizeable health benefits”

People who report a joyful, cheerful, relaxed, and agreeable personality also report life satisfaction, emotional thriving, and well-being.

“people who report having a joyful, cheerful, relaxed, and agreeable personality also report life satisfaction, emotional thriving, and well-being”

Limited-time measurements of outcomes such as cortisol level, vagal tone, and immune markers do not necessarily indicate future long-term health and longevity.

“limited-time measurements of outcomes such as cortisol level, vagal tone, and immune markers do not necessarily provide indicators of future long-term health and longevity”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Biomarkers naturally fluctuate as the body maintains or reestablishes homeostasis.

Longevity is highly reliable and valid as a health measure.

“Longevity is, for most purposes, the single best measure of health.First, it is highly reliable and valid.”

Positive psychology interventions have been developed that increase happiness and sense of well-being even in depressed populations.

“a number of clever positive psychology interventions have been developed that increase happiness and the sense of well-being, even in depressed populations”

• cites Lyubomirsky & Layous 2013Not checked yet
• cites Sin & Lyubomirsky 2009Not checked yet

The basic five-factor personality dimensions, particularly conscientiousness, neuroticism, and extraversion, and often agreeableness and openness, predict multiple diseases.

“the basic five-factor personality dimensions (particularly conscientiousness, neuroticism, and extraversion, but also often agreeableness and openness) do predict multiple diseases”

• cites Friedman 2007Not checked yet
• cites Goodwin & Friedman 2006Not checked yet

General health is well captured by longevity because the longest-lived people usually are not those who struggled with chronic disorders.

“General health is well captured by longevity because the people who live the longest usually are not those who have been struggling with diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and other chronic disorders.”

Self-rated health predicts mortality risk.

“selfrated health predicts mortality risk”

• cites Idler & Benyamini 1997Not checked yet

Much research on personality and health is limited or distorted by a focus on single-disease conditions and insufficient attention to overall mortality risk.

“much research on personality and health is limited and even distorted by the still-common focus on single-disease conditions, with insufficient attention to overall outcomes, especially overall mortality risk”

Homocysteine is a good predictor of heart disease.

“Homocysteine (an amino acid) is a good predictor of heart disease”

Using the full SF-36 without attention to its components as a health outcome in personality-health studies confounds predictor and outcome because neurotic distressed individuals also report pain, sickness, and poor well-being.

“employing the full SF-36-without sufficient attention to its components-as an outcome measure of health in studies of personality and health again confounds the predictor with the outcome because individuals who report a neurotic, distressed personality also report pain, feeling sick, and a poor sense of well-being”

The SF-36 contains multiple dimensions including behavioral dysfunction, objective reports, subjective rating, and distress and well-being.

“the SF-36 contains multiple dimensions, including behavioral dysfunction, objective reports, subjective rating, and distress and well-being”

• cites Ware 2004Not checked yet

Many interventions that affect a biomarker of disease risk do not improve quality of life or mortality risk because the causal links are not as expected.

“Many examples exist of interventions that affect a biomarker of disease risk (sometimes termed a surrogate endpoint) but that do not improve quality of life or mortality risk because the causal links are not as expected.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Many medical interventions decrease quality of life for many while improving it for only a few even though short-term biomarkers look better.
• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The FDA requires any new class of drug to have studies with hard disease or mortality outcomes.

It is misleading to speak of personality traits or coping styles that predict cancer or heart disease risk if those factors equally predict other diseases.

“it is misleading to speak of personality traits or coping styles that predict cancer risk or heart disease risk (e.g., type A personality) if such factors equally predict (are equally relevant to) other diseases”

Biomarkers are very important when studied as mediators in fully specified models, such as if cancer progression slowed as a function of a psychosocial intervention that boosts the immune system.

“Biomarkers (particularly aggregations of biomarkers as an indication of chronic physiological dysfunction) become very important when they are studied as mediators of relations in fully specified models, such as if the progression of cancer can be shown to have slowed as a function of a psychosocial intervention that boosts the immune system.”

Lipid levels are very good predictors of cardiovascular-relevant mortality risk.

“lipid levels (especially cholesterol) are very good predictors of cardiovascular-relevant mortality risk”

A simple causal model from life satisfaction to health is incomplete.

“deeper analyses reveal that a simple causal model is incomplete”

Considerable cross-sectional evidence links sense of purpose to subjective well-being measures including life satisfaction, self-esteem, ego resilience, and positive perceptions of the world.

“Considerable cross-sectional evidence links sense of purpose to various subjective well-being measures, including life satisfaction, self-esteem, ego resilience, and positive perceptions of the world”

• cites Steger 2012aNot checked yet

A meaningful life is not necessarily a happy one.

“a meaningful life is not necessarily a happy one”

• cites Baumeister et al. 2013Not checked yet
• cites King 2001Not checked yet
• cites Ryff & Singer 2009Not checked yet

Optimism has been consistently linked to better health.

“Optimism-characterized by a tendency toward positive expectations for the future and confidence in one's ability to cope with challenges-has been consistently linked to better health”

• cites Boehm & Kubzansky 2012Not checked yet
• cites Carver & Connor-Smith 2010Not checked yet

Although there are many ways to increase well-being, only some of them will increase health.

“although there are many ways to increase one's sense of well-being, only some of them will increase health”

When full models are specified, there is no good evidence for a causal healing power of positive thought.

“When full models are spelled out, there is no good evidence for the healing power of positive thought (as a causal relationship).”

Optimistic individuals set goals and persist longer despite challenges and setbacks.

“optimistic individuals set goals and persist longer despite challenges and setbacks”

• cites Carver et al. 2010Not checked yet
• cites Lench 2011Not checked yet

In the Terman Life Cycle Study, neuroticism measured decades earlier was protective against mortality risk for bereaved men.

“in the Terman Life Cycle Study, neuroticism (measured decades earlier) was protective against mortality risk for bereaved men”

• cites Taga et al. 2009Not checked yet

Considerable evidence indicates that persistent, planful striving for meaningful accomplishment is a key pathway to health and longevity.

“there is considerable evidence that persistent, planful striving for meaningful accomplishment is indeed a key pathway to health and longevity”

Over a five-year period, purpose in life was associated with reduced mortality risk.

“over a five-year period, purpose in life was associated with reduced mortality risk”

• cites Boyle et al. 2009Not checked yet
• cites Ryff et al. 2004Not checked yet

Subsequent research has confirmed that depression predicts cardiovascular disease.

“Subsequent research has confirmed this discovery”

• cites Grippo & Johnson 2002Not checked yet
• cites Miller et al. 1996Not checked yet
• cites Rugulies 2002Not checked yet

Neuroticism is highly correlated with negative feelings.

“Neuroticism is highly correlated with negative feelings”

• cites DeNeve & Cooper 1998Not checked yet

Neuroticism inconsistently predicts mortality risk, with some studies finding higher risk, many finding null, and some finding protective effects.

“neuroticism inconsistently predicts mortality risk, with some studies finding higher risk (Abas et al. 2002, Denollet et al. 1996, Schulz et al. 1996, Wilson et al. 2004) and many other studies finding null (Almada et al. 1991, Huppert & Whittington 1995, Iwasa et al. 2008, Mosing et al. 2012) or protective effects (Korten et al. 1999, Taga et al. 2009, Weiss & Costa 2005)”

• cites Abas et al. 2002Not checked yet
• cites Almada et al. 1991Not checked yet
• cites Korten et al. 1999Not checked yet

If the associations are not due to mood induction, then interventions aimed at improving positive mood or subjective well-being may be useless.

“The precise causal links are very important because if the associations are not a function of mood induction, then interventions to improve positive mood or subjective well-being may be useless.”

A psychosocial treatment may improve health if it helps a person eat better, get out of bed, attend medical appointments, and connect with others.

“but if a psychosocial treatment helps the person eat better, get out of bed, attend medical appointments, and connect with other people, it may indeed improve health.”

The association between depression and mortality is confounded by personality, social environments, unhealthy behaviors, and genetic predispositions.

“The depression-mortality relationship is confounded by personality, social environments, unhealthy behaviors, and genetic predispositions.”

The simple model in which depression directly causes disease is likely wrong or at least incomplete.

“Just as the typical (well-being → health) model is incomplete, the simple (depression → disease) model likely is wrong or at least incomplete.”

Depressed patients with heart disease often have high levels of biomarkers associated with atherosclerosis.

“Depressed patients with heart disease do indeed often have high levels of biomarkers associated with atherosclerosis”

• cites Lichtman et al. 2008Not checked yet

Symptoms such as irritability, disordered sleep, anhedonia, and lethargy can arise from infections and other immune disruptions involving increased proinflammatory cytokines, as occurs with influenza.

“It is also the case that these same symptoms can result from infections and other sources of immune system disruptions with increases of proinflammatory cytokines-as happens when an individual contracts the flu and suffers irritability, disordered sleep, anhedonia, and lethargy (Kemeny 2011).”

• cites Kemeny 2011Not checked yet

A randomized study found that treating depression in recent heart attack patients did not reduce the risk of death or second heart attack.

“An important randomized study found that treating depression in recent heart attack patients did not reduce the risk of death or second heart attack”

• cites Berkman et al. 2003Not checked yet

It is unjustified to conclude that depression directly causes disease.

“A conclusion that depression is a direct cause of disease is unjustified.”

Chronic negative psychoemotional and behavioral reaction patterns disrupt metabolism, immune function, and physiological rhythms including sleep, increasing susceptibility to illness and breakdown.

“It is usually through chronic processes, over time, that negative psychoemotional and behavioral reaction patterns play a role in disrupting metabolism, immune function, and physiological rhythms (including sleep), thereby increasing susceptibility to illness and general breakdown (Kemeny 2011, McEwen 2006).”

• cites Kemeny 2011Not checked yet
• cites McEwen 2006 sourceNot checked yet

A workplace can be excessively challenging through unreasonably heavy physical work, chemical exposure, violence, or psychological overload.

“Certainly, a workplace can be excessively challenging, with unreasonably heavy physical work, chemical exposure, violence, or psychological overload (World Health Organ. 1994).”

• cites World Health Organ. 1994Not checked yet

Health psychologists have long recognized that challenge is not necessarily harmful.

“But health psychologists have long recognized that challenge is not necessarily harmful (McEwen 2000).”

• cites McEwen 2000Not checked yet

Negative cycles often occur in which a sick or injured worker loses a job, forfeits income for self-care, and then faces further health deterioration.

“Negative cycles often occur, in which the sick or injured worker loses his or her job, forfeits income for self-care, and faces further deteriorating health”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Absence from work is a good predictor of subsequent long-term disability and unemployment.

In a longitudinal analysis of elderly Terman Life Cycle Study participants, continually motivated and productive men and women lived much longer than more laid-back peers.

“In a longitudinal analysis of elderly participants in the Terman Life Cycle Study, the continually motivated and productive men and women (who were still working for pay, pursuing new educational opportunities, or seeking new achievements) went on to live much longer than their more laid-back comrades”

• cites Friedman et al. 2010Not checked yet

Challenge and a heavy workload can be healthy or unhealthy depending on the person, the context, and the person-situation interaction.

“Challenge and a heavy workload can be healthy or unhealthy, depending on the person, the context, and the person-situation interaction.”

Poor health predicted subsequently being fired or voluntarily leaving a job.

“with the US Panel study finding that poor health predicted subsequently being fired or leaving a job voluntarily.”

A productive orientation mattered much more to longevity than did happiness and well-being.

“and this productive orientation mattered much more to longevity than did their sense of happiness and well-being (Friedman et al. 2010).”

• cites Friedman et al. 2010Not checked yet

If depression results from disrupted homeostasis rather than causing it, many interventions that treat depression to improve later health will be futile.

“To the extent that depression is a result of the disruption of homeostasis rather than the cause of the disruption, many interventions to treat depression in an attempt to improve later health will be futile.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: There are no well-controlled studies showing that interventions to improve the chronic mood of neurotics produce direct physiological changes and consequent improvements in cancer progression or death risk.

Increasing physical activity, moving someone from inactive to active, is a likely candidate for improving health.

“Increasing physical activity-changing someone from an inactive to an active person-is a likely candidate in this realm (Carek et al. 2011, Pedersen & Saltin 2006, Str öhle 2009).”

• cites Carek et al. 2011Not checked yet
• cites Pedersen & Saltin 2006Not checked yet
• cites Ströhle 2009Not checked yet

Seeking emotional happiness per se may impede well-being by setting oneself up for disappointment or narcissism.

“On the other hand, seeking emotional happiness per se may impede well-being by setting oneself up for disappointment or narcissism (Mauss et al. 2011, Twenge 2006).”

• cites Mauss et al. 2011Not checked yet
• cites Twenge 2006Not checked yet

Much research shows an association between early retirement and increased mortality risk, even after adjusting for selection artifacts.

“Much research shows an association between early retirement and increased mortality risk, even after adjusting for various selection artifacts (Bamia et al. 2008, Carlsson et al. 2012).”

• cites Bamia et al. 2008Not checked yet
• cites Carlsson et al. 2012Not checked yet

Challenge is a key precursor of well-being.

“It has long been recognized that challenge is a key precursor of well-being.”

Studies of hardiness show strong beneficial effects of challenge, especially when the individual has self-control and commitment to something meaningful.

“Many studies of”

• cites Maddi 2002Not checked yet

Flow, a state of very high psychological engagement, emerges when challenge and skill meet.

“For example, flow-very high levels of psychological engagement-emerges when challenge and skill meet (Csikszentmihalyi 1997).”

• cites Csikszentmihalyi 1997Not checked yet

Individuals who are involved and maintain a sense of personal control sustain a better quality of life.

“Individuals who are involved and maintain a sense of personal control sustain a better quality of life (Bambrick & Bonder 2005, Brown et al. 2009, Pruchno et al. 2010, Schaie & Willis 2011).”

• cites Bambrick & Bonder 2005Not checked yet
• cites Brown et al. 2009Not checked yet
• cites Pruchno et al. 2010Not checked yet

Personality predicts exposure to key life stressors such as marriage and divorce, career success and failure, and crime and safety.

“Personality predicts risk exposure to key life stressors such as marriage and divorce, career success and failure, and crime and safety (Bolger & Zuckerman 1995, Caspi et al. 2005, Magnus et al. 1993, Shanahan et al. 2013, Vollrath 2001).”

• cites Bolger & Zuckerman 1995Not checked yet
• cites Caspi et al. 2005Not checked yet
• cites Magnus et al. 1993Not checked yet

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Personality influences the events experienced, the elicitation of responses by others, cognitive interpretations of challenges, emotional reactions, coping responses, and resulting actions.

Conscientiousness predicts reduced disease development.

“Conscientiousness predicts reduced disease development (Chapman et al. 2007, Goodwin & Friedman 2006)”

• cites Chapman et al. 2007Not checked yet
• cites Goodwin & Friedman 2006Not checked yet

Conscientiousness predicts various sorts of social competence and productivity.

“and various sorts of social competence and productivity (Bogg & Roberts 2013).”

• cites Bogg & Roberts 2013Not checked yet

A meta-analysis of 20 independent samples with approximately 9,000 participants links higher conscientiousness to lower mortality risk.

“A metaanalysis (of 20 independent samples of approximately 9,000 participants) clearly links higher levels of conscientiousness to the key outcome of lower mortality risk (Kern & Friedman 2008).”

• cites Kern & Friedman 2008Not checked yet

Certain aspects of personality play a significant and likely causal role in patterns of living that lead to thriving, health, and longevity.

“Instead, a remarkable body of new research suggests that certain aspects of personality do indeed play a significant, and likely causal, role in patterns of living that lead to thriving, health, and longevity.”

Low conscientiousness predicts Alzheimer's disease and related cognitive problems.

“Finally, low conscientiousness also predicts Alzheimer's disease and related cognitive problems (for a prospective study, see Wilson et al. 2007).”

• cites Wilson et al. 2007Not checked yet

The link between higher conscientiousness and lower mortality risk has been repeatedly confirmed in more recent studies.

“This finding has been repeatedly confirmed in more recent studies as well (Chapman et al. 2010, Fry & Debats 2009, Hill et al. 2011, Iwasa et al. 2008, Taylor et al. 2009, Terracciano et al. 2008).”

• cites Chapman et al. 2010Not checked yet
• cites Fry & Debats 2009Not checked yet
• cites Hill et al. 2011Not checked yet

In a 17-year follow-up in the Whitehall II cohort, low midlife conscientiousness was an important risk factor for all-cause mortality, partly but not fully accounted for by health behaviors and other disease risks.

“For example, in a 17-year follow-up in the Whitehall II cohort study (N = 6,800), low conscientiousness in midlife was an important risk factor for all-cause mortality, an association that was partly but not fully accounted for by health behaviors and certain other disease risks (Hagger-Johnson et al. 2012).”

• cites Hagger-Johnson et al. 2012Not checked yet

Childhood conscientiousness is a strong predictor of longevity.

“Extensive research following up the initial startling finding of two decades ago (Friedman et al. 1993) that childhood conscientiousness is a strong predictor of longevity”

• cites Friedman et al. 1993Not checked yet

Conscientiousness predicts better coping.

“better coping (Connor-Smith & Flachsbart 2007)”

• cites Connor-Smith & Flachsbart 2007Not checked yet

In adolescence, conscientious individuals are less likely to try smoking, alcohol, and illegal drugs.

“in adolescence, conscientious individuals are less likely to try smoking, alcohol, and illegal drugs”

• cites Hampson 2012Not checked yet

Detrimental effects of anxiety and emotionality are reduced in individuals who are also conscientious.

“detrimental effects of anxiety and emotionality are reduced in individuals who are also conscientious (Chapman et al. 2010, Parkes 1984, Terracciano & Costa 2004, Turiano et al. 2013, Vollrath & Torgersen 2002).”

• cites Chapman et al. 2010Not checked yet
• cites Parkes 1984Not checked yet
• cites Terracciano & Costa 2004Not checked yet

At a young age, conscientious children face fewer self-control and school problems.

“For example, at a young age, conscientious children face fewer self-control and school problems; in adolescence, conscientious individuals are less likely to try smoking, alcohol, and illegal drugs; and in adulthood, conscientious people are more likely to connect with other conscientious people-personally, socially, and at work-and to place themselves in healthier social and physical environments”

• cites Hampson 2012Not checked yet

Being low on conscientiousness and high on neuroticism appears to be a particularly dangerous combination, with impulsive, disorganized, anxious, and emotional individuals at very high risk.

“And although being low on conscientiousness and high on neuroticism appears to be a particularly dangerous combination (with individuals who are impulsive, disorganized, anxious, and emotional at very high risk)”

• cites Chapman et al. 2010Not checked yet
• cites Parkes 1984Not checked yet
• cites Terracciano & Costa 2004Not checked yet

Conscientiousness may be encouraged by certain genetic patterns and gene-by-environment interactions that are also related to subsequent health.

“Fifth, conscientiousness may be encouraged by certain genetic patterns-and gene-byenvironment interactions-that are also related to subsequent health.”

Conscientiousness can attenuate the health risk of career failures.

“For example, conscientiousness can attenuate the health risk of career failures (Kern et al. 2009).”

• cites Kern et al. 2009Not checked yet

High school class rank, which depends heavily on intelligence and conscientiousness, was a much better predictor of longevity than IQ.

“For example, rank in high school class (N = 10,317 high school graduates), which depends heavily not only on intelligence but also on conscientiousness, was found to be a much better predictor of longevity than was IQ (Hauser & Palloni 2011).”

• cites Hauser & Palloni 2011Not checked yet

Conscientiousness often interacts with unhealthy stressors and other unhealthy personality traits, moderating their detrimental effects.

“Fourth, conscientiousness often interacts with unhealthy stressors and with other unhealthy personality traits, moderating their detrimental effects.”

One study of middle-aged adults found that conscientiousness predicted better recovery from negative emotional challenges.

“for example, one study of middle-aged adults found conscientiousness predicted better recovery from negative emotional challenges ( Javaras et al. 2012).”

• cites Javaras et al. 2012Not checked yet

Prudent, persistent, planful individuals make many daily decisions that minimize risk.

“Prudent, persistent, planful individuals make a myriad of decisions each day that minimize risk.”

One study of large numbers of monozygotic twins found minimal predictive ability for individual health.

“One study of large numbers of monozygotic twins found minimal predictive ability for individual health (Roberts et al. 2012)”

• cites Roberts et al. 2012Not checked yet

A high degree of self-control and grit, coupled with prudent planning and thinking ahead, is especially healthy.

“On the other hand, a high degree of self-control and grit, coupled with prudent planning and thinking ahead is especially healthy (Duckworth 2011, Moffitt et al. 2011).”

• cites Duckworth 2011Not checked yet
• cites Moffitt et al. 2011Not checked yet

Swedish twin studies suggest that core health-relevant social relations such as stable, happy marriages can be partly predicted by genetic variation.

“For example, Swedish twin studies suggest that core health-relevant social relations such as stable, happy marriages can be partly predicted by genetic variation (Walum et al. 2008; see also Mosing et al. 2012).”

• cites Walum et al. 2008Not checked yet
• cites Mosing et al. 2012Not checked yet

Conscientiousness likely promotes health through the reduction of very small risks.

“Conscientiousness likely also operates to promote health through reduction of very small risks.”

A number of studies suggest that high neuroticism combined with low conscientiousness is particularly risky for poor health outcomes.

“A number of studies suggest that high neuroticism combined with low conscientiousness is particularly risky for poor health outcomes (Chapman et al. 2007(Chapman et al. , 2010;;Terracciano & Costa 2004;Vollrath & Torgersen 2002).”

• cites Chapman et al. 2007Not checked yet
• cites Chapman et al. 2010Not checked yet
• cites Terracciano & Costa 2004Not checked yet

Early life experiences and biological predispositions, including genes, in utero hormones, nutrition, toxins, and early attachment and environmental challenge, can influence both personality and later health.

“In particular, early life experiences and biological predispositions (including genes, in utero hormones, nutrition, toxins, and postpartum and early infant attachment and environmental challenge) can influence both personality and later health (McEwen 1993(McEwen , 2006;;Puig et al. 2013;Taylor et al. 1997).”

• cites McEwen 1993Not checked yet
• cites McEwen 2006 sourceNot checked yet
• cites Puig et al. 2013Not checked yet

Through small behaviors such as carrying a raincoat, packing extra medications, double locking doors, minimizing germ exposure, or avoiding golf during thunderstorms, conscientious individuals slightly lower their daily risks of injury and disease.

“Whether it is carrying a raincoat, packing an extra set of medications, double locking their doors, minimizing germ exposure (through hand-washing or other sanitary practices), or staying off the golf course when thunderstorms are predicted, conscientious individuals slightly lower their risks of injury and disease each day.”

A key contribution of modern personality research to understanding health and well-being is its focus on healthy patterns, clusters of predictors, and pathways to health and longevity.

“In summary, a key contribution of modern personality research to understanding health and well-being is the focus on healthy patterns, clusters of predictors, and what we like to call pathways to health and longevity.”

In a study of medication after myocardial infarction, being conscientious enough to fully cooperate with treatment, even with a placebo, was a more important predictor of mortality risk than the medication.

“For example, in a study of medication after a myocardial infarction, being conscientious enough to fully cooperate with treatment (even if with a placebo) emerged as a more important predictor of mortality risk than the medication (Horwitz et al. 1990).”

• cites Horwitz et al. 1990Not checked yet

New analytic techniques allow integration of extant studies to test lifespan models.

“Further, new analytic techniques allow integration of extant studies to test lifespan models (Kern et al. 2013, Picinnin & Hofer 2008).”

• cites Kern et al. 2013Not checked yet
• cites Picinnin & Hofer 2008Not checked yet

Attention to personality can broaden and sharpen research approaches because personality is stable and slow changing and is tied to a full range of biopsychosocial influences.

“But attention to personality can broaden and sharpen research approaches because it is stable and slow changing, and it is tied to a full range of biopsychosocial influences.”

When genetic code and early-life stress are viewed as an initial step in a long-term trajectory, the model becomes more powerful as health risks cumulate.

“When the genetic code and early-life stress are viewed as an initial step in a long-term trajectory-in other words, in terms of personality and development-then the model becomes much more powerful as health risks cumulate.”

Personality is highly relevant to who completes a research study.

“Personality is also highly relevant to who completes the research study.”

Multiple causal links to health exist.

“Multiple causal links to health exist, and models of the hypothesized full long-term pathways should be spelled out in all research in this field, even when the full model is not being investigated in a particular study (for a discussion of causal inference in personality psychology, see Lee 2012).”

• cites Lee 2012Not checked yet

Individuals with good ties to social networks and who are well integrated into their communities tend to be happier and healthier.

“First, individuals with good ties to social networks and who are well integrated into their communities tend to be happier and healthier (Hawkley & Cacioppo 2010, Taylor 2011).”

• cites Hawkley & Cacioppo 2010Not checked yet
• cites Taylor 2011Not checked yet

One of the most striking conclusions of the eight-decade Longevity Project studies of the Terman Life Cycle Study is that health risk factors and protective factors do not occur in isolation but bunch together.

“One of the most striking and important surprise conclusions of the eightdecade”

• cites Friedman & Martin 2011Not checked yet

People who are physically active tend to have better mental and physical health.

“Second, people who are physically activedoing things-tend to have better mental and physical health.”

Self-controlled, conscientious individuals who live and work with purpose and are involved with helping others appear to thrive across the long term.

“Third, self-controlled, conscientious individuals who live and work with purpose and are involved with helping others appear to thrive across the long term (Friedman & Martin 2011).”

• cites Friedman & Martin 2011Not checked yet

This third factor may be the most important because it plays a role in the first two.

“This third factor may be the most important because it plays a role in the first two as well.”