Hitting the Road to Adulthood: Short-Term Personality Development During a Major Life Transition
Abstract
Previous research suggests that normative life transitions have the potential to trigger personality maturation. But what exactly happens during such a transitional stage? The present study examined personality trait changes in a sample of 910 German high school students during their transition from school to adult life. Despite the short observation period of three semiannual measurements, growth curve analyses revealed significant mean-level changes in personality traits. These changes occurred primarily in a positive direction, were strongest for the trait of conscientiousness, and most pronounced in those students who were directly confronted with this transitional experience. Bivariate growth curve models indicated that individual differences in personality change were substantially associated with changes in students’ investments into achievement behavior. Supporting socioanalytic perspectives on personality development, these findings can be discussed with respect to process approaches to personality change assuming that consistent behavioral changes might lead to personality change in a bottom-up fashion.
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Other studies focusing on first romantic relationship or graduation from school reported significant effects of these events on neuroticism.
“Conversely, other studies that focused on the impact of one particular life event, such as the first romantic relationship (Neyer & Lehnart, 2007) or graduation from school (Bleidorn, 2012) did report significant effects of these events on neuroticism.”
From Life Events and Personality Trait Change. (2018) · cites this paper as Bleidorn, 2012
In Bleidorn (2012), junior students who completed all measurements while still enrolled showed less pronounced increases in conscientiousness (d = .20) than seniors.
“Junior students who completed all measurements while still enrolled in school showed less pronounced increases in conscientiousness ( d = .20) and openness ( d = .22) than seniors”
From Life Events and Personality Trait Change. (2018) · cites this paper as Bleidorn (2012)
In Bleidorn (2012), these changes were most pronounced during the first two assessments before and after graduation.
“Notably, these changes were most pronounced during the first two assessments before and after graduation.”
From Life Events and Personality Trait Change. (2018) · cites this paper as Bleidorn (2012)
In Bleidorn (2012), compared to their classmates, students who invested more time and effort into studying and homework showed more pronounced increases in conscientiousness and openness and more pronounced decreases in neuroticism.
“compared to their classmates, those students who invested more time and effort into studying and their homework showed more pronounced increases in conscientiousness and openness and more pronounced decreases in neuroticism.”
From Life Events and Personality Trait Change. (2018) · cites this paper as Bleidorn (2012)
In Bleidorn (2012), senior students experienced decreases in neuroticism (d = -.07).
“and to a lesser degree decreases in neuroticism ( d = -.07).”
From Life Events and Personality Trait Change. (2018) · cites this paper as Bleidorn (2012)
In Bleidorn (2012), senior students experienced significant increases in openness (d = .25).
“and openness ( d = .25)”
From Life Events and Personality Trait Change. (2018) · cites this paper as Bleidorn (2012)
Bleidorn (2012) found significant mean-level changes in different Big Five traits among German high school seniors over three measurement occasions before and after graduation.
“Despite a very short observation period of only 1 year, this study found significant mean-level changes in different Big Five traits.”
From Life Events and Personality Trait Change. (2018) · cites this paper as Bleidorn (2012)
In Bleidorn (2012), junior students showed less pronounced increases in openness (d = .22) than seniors.
“and openness ( d = .22) than seniors”
From Life Events and Personality Trait Change. (2018) · cites this paper as Bleidorn (2012)
In Bleidorn (2012), senior students experienced significant increases in agreeableness (d = .24).
“agreeableness ( d = .24)”
From Life Events and Personality Trait Change. (2018) · cites this paper as Bleidorn (2012)
In Bleidorn (2012), junior students showed no changes in agreeableness and neuroticism.
“and no changes in agreeableness and neuroticism.”
From Life Events and Personality Trait Change. (2018) · cites this paper as Bleidorn (2012)
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Life Events and Personality Trait Change.
Bleidorn, W., Hopwood, C. J., & Lucas, R. E. (2018) · Journal of personality · doi:10.1111/jopy.12286 · Cited by 588 · see citing works
Self-citationProcesses of Personality Development in Adulthood: The TESSERA Framework
Wrzus, C., & Roberts, B. W. (2017) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/1088868316652279 · Cited by 559 · see citing works
Studying Changes in Life Circumstances and Personality: It's about Time
Luhmann, M., Orth, U., Specht, J., Kandler, C., & Lucas, R. E. (2014) · European Journal of Personality · doi:10.1002/per.1951 · Cited by 264 · see citing works
What Accounts for Personality Maturation in Early Adulthood?
Bleidorn, W. (2015) · Current Directions in Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0963721414568662 · Cited by 153 · see citing works
Self-citationBleidorn, W., Kandler, C., & Caspi, A. (2014) · European Journal of Personality · doi:10.1002/per.1957 · Cited by 153 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Bleidorn, W.
- Affiliations
- Tilburg University (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Bleidorn, Wiebke
- ORCID
- Bleidorn, Wiebke
- Venue
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2012-08-15
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1594-1608
- ISSN
- 0146-1672 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7433
- OpenAlex
- W2129662895
- Cited by
- 198
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 54 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 12.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- Research portal (Tilburg University) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Ego Development and Educational Practices
- Keywords
- personality maturation, coming of age, high school students, conscientiousness, personality trait change, achievement behavior, socioanalytic theory
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Female, Germany, Humans, Individuality, Life Change Events, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Models, Psychological, Personality, Personality Development, Personality Inventory, Schools, Social Behavior, Young Adult, Growth Charts
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