Personality in Late Midlife: Associations With Demographic Factors and Cognitive Ability

Erik Lykke Mortensen; Trine Flensborg-Madsen; Drude Molbo; Ulla Christensen; Merete Osler; Kirsten Avlund; Rikke Lund

doi:10.1177/0898264313519317

Personality in Late Midlife: Associations With Demographic Factors and Cognitive Ability

Erik Lykke Mortensen, Trine Flensborg-Madsen, Drude Molbo, Ulla Christensen, Merete Osler, Kirsten Avlund, Rikke Lund

26 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objectives: To analyze associations in late midlife between sex, age, education and social class, and the Big Five personality traits; to analyze associations between personality traits and cognitive ability in late midlife; and to evaluate how these associations are influenced by demographic factors. Methods: The study sample comprised 5,397 late midlife participants from three cohorts who had completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and a measure of cognitive ability. Results: Associations were demonstrated between the five NEO-FFI personality traits, and all included demographic factors. Cognitive ability and years of education correlated with several NEO-FFI personality traits in analyses adjusting for demographic variables. Cohort differences were observed for Extraversion and Openness. Discussion: Robust sex, educational, and social class differences in personality may contribute to late midlife social gradients in health and early aging. Demographic factors did not fully explain correlations between personality and cognitive ability or cohort differences in personality.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Aging and Health
Volume	26
Issue number	1
Pages (from-to)	21-36
Number of pages	16
ISSN	0898-2643
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264313519317
Publication status	Published - Feb 2014

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title = "Personality in Late Midlife: Associations With Demographic Factors and Cognitive Ability",

abstract = "Objectives: To analyze associations in late midlife between sex, age, education and social class, and the Big Five personality traits; to analyze associations between personality traits and cognitive ability in late midlife; and to evaluate how these associations are influenced by demographic factors. Methods: The study sample comprised 5,397 late midlife participants from three cohorts who had completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and a measure of cognitive ability. Results: Associations were demonstrated between the five NEO-FFI personality traits, and all included demographic factors. Cognitive ability and years of education correlated with several NEO-FFI personality traits in analyses adjusting for demographic variables. Cohort differences were observed for Extraversion and Openness. Discussion: Robust sex, educational, and social class differences in personality may contribute to late midlife social gradients in health and early aging. Demographic factors did not fully explain correlations between personality and cognitive ability or cohort differences in personality.",

author = "Mortensen, {Erik Lykke} and Trine Flensborg-Madsen and Drude Molbo and Ulla Christensen and Merete Osler and Kirsten Avlund and Rikke Lund",

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T1 - Personality in Late Midlife

T2 - Associations With Demographic Factors and Cognitive Ability

AU - Mortensen, Erik Lykke

AU - Flensborg-Madsen, Trine

AU - Molbo, Drude

AU - Christensen, Ulla

AU - Osler, Merete

AU - Avlund, Kirsten

AU - Lund, Rikke

PY - 2014/2

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N2 - Objectives: To analyze associations in late midlife between sex, age, education and social class, and the Big Five personality traits; to analyze associations between personality traits and cognitive ability in late midlife; and to evaluate how these associations are influenced by demographic factors. Methods: The study sample comprised 5,397 late midlife participants from three cohorts who had completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and a measure of cognitive ability. Results: Associations were demonstrated between the five NEO-FFI personality traits, and all included demographic factors. Cognitive ability and years of education correlated with several NEO-FFI personality traits in analyses adjusting for demographic variables. Cohort differences were observed for Extraversion and Openness. Discussion: Robust sex, educational, and social class differences in personality may contribute to late midlife social gradients in health and early aging. Demographic factors did not fully explain correlations between personality and cognitive ability or cohort differences in personality.

AB - Objectives: To analyze associations in late midlife between sex, age, education and social class, and the Big Five personality traits; to analyze associations between personality traits and cognitive ability in late midlife; and to evaluate how these associations are influenced by demographic factors. Methods: The study sample comprised 5,397 late midlife participants from three cohorts who had completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and a measure of cognitive ability. Results: Associations were demonstrated between the five NEO-FFI personality traits, and all included demographic factors. Cognitive ability and years of education correlated with several NEO-FFI personality traits in analyses adjusting for demographic variables. Cohort differences were observed for Extraversion and Openness. Discussion: Robust sex, educational, and social class differences in personality may contribute to late midlife social gradients in health and early aging. Demographic factors did not fully explain correlations between personality and cognitive ability or cohort differences in personality.

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JO - Journal of Aging and Health

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Personality in Late Midlife: Associations With Demographic Factors and Cognitive Ability

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