- People whose personalities lean toward conscientiousness, extraversion, and positive affect are less likely to develop dementia, according to a new meta-study.
- A reduction in the risk of dementia grows stronger with age for people with such personalities, says the meta-study.
- Conversely, people whose personalities are more characterized by neuroticism and negative affect are more likely to develop dementia eventually.
- While the researchers found the associations between personality type and dementia to be strong, autopsies of study participants did not find any suggestion of a link between personality and pathology.
A new meta-study — or study of other studies — from researchers at the University of California at Davis (UC–Davis) explores the effect one’s personality has on one’s risk of developing dementia. Specifically, the study investigates possible associations between psychology’s Big Five personality traits and eventual dementia.
People whose personalities are described in the Big Five hierarchy as predominantly conscientious, extroverted, and having a positive affect are less likely to develop dementia, finds the study. People whose personalities are largely characterized by neuroticism and negative affect are significantly more likely to do so.
The Big Five is a system that encompasses the range of human personalities, with people ideally possessing a balance of personality types. Having too much of one or lacking another, can be problematic.
The Big Five personality traits are:
- Openness — a personality that welcomes new experiences.
- Conscientiousness — a personality characterized by a motivated, perfectionist work ethic.
- Extraversion — a sociable, outgoing personality.
- Agreeableness — a personality that prioritizes getting along with others.
- Neuroticism — a personality that is insecure and often overly emotional.
In the meta-study, researchers examined two traits that are not explicitly part of the Big Five: positive affect and negative…
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