Basic Research In Personality: Aging

稳定性的概念是人格特质定义的核心，人格特质通常被认为是行为，思想和情绪的持久倾向或习惯模式（McCrae & Costa，2003），但稳定性并不意味着不可改变。在正常情况下，成年人的特征基本上是稳定的，这可以从一组人对同一特征进行两次评估所计算出的高相关系数中看出。这些系数代表样本的平均稳定性，但个体在其个体内稳定性方面有所不同。一个纵向的个体内的方法被用来检查在两个连续的时间间隔内跟踪个人的稳定性。计算来自八个不同纵向样品的个体稳定性系数以评估个体内（即，人内）随时间的稳定性变化。重测期为5至9年。对于性状和概况（ipsative）的稳定性，结果表明，个体内的稳定性增加到30岁，然后高原。无论是人口统计学变量（性别，种族，教育和世俗趋势），也不是人格的五个主要方面的立场，是性状稳定性变化的预测因子。与青少年研究的结果相反，人格成熟与成年后的人格稳定无关。这些发现支持了人格稳定性在成年早期达到平台的观点。 尽管个体差异相对稳定，但近年来，我们通过研究更多样化样本的纵向轨迹和跨文化的横截面趋势，扩展了对人格平均水平变化的研究。我们还专注于社区或流行病学调查，以研究成年后人格特征发生适度变化的原因。除了健康，我们还对个性和生活环境的相互影响感兴趣，例如工作特征和退休过渡。此外，我们的目标是描绘神经和认知相关的人格维度的纵向评估。 最近，我们研究了人格因素与阿尔茨海默病风险之间的关系，以及人格与尸检中阿尔茨海默病病理学的存在之间的关系。 这些研究表明，高神经质和低焦虑是阿尔茨海默病风险增加的预测因素。 此外，尽管存在阿尔茨海默病的病理学，但神经质低而焦虑程度高的人更有可能无症状。 在最近的一项研究中（Chuang et al. 2014），来自BLSA人格评估的冲动性数据与肥胖相关的FTO等位基因相关。 与冲动控制和味觉反应固有区域的脑功能降低一致，FTO的风险等位基因携带者在冲动性和脂肪食物摄入量方面表现出剂量依赖性增量。

The notion of stability is central to the definition of personality traits, which are generally thought of as enduring tendencies or habitual patterns of behavior, thoughts, and emotions (McCrae & Costa, 2003), but stability does not imply immutability. Under normal circumstances, adult traits are largely stable, as indicated by high correlation coefficients computed for a group assessed twice on the same trait. These coefficients represent the average stability for a sample, but individuals vary in terms of their intra-individual stability. A longitudinal intra-individual approach was used to examine stabilities across two successive intervals traced within individuals. Individual stability coefficients from eight different longitudinal samples were computed to evaluate intra-individual (i.e., within-person) change in stability over time. Test-retest periods ranged from five to nine years. For both trait and profile (ipsative) stability, results indicate that intra-individual stability increases up to age 30 and then plateaus. Neither demographic variables (sex, ethnicity, education, and secular trends), nor the standing on the five major dimensions of personality, were predictors of change in trait stability. Contrary to results from studies of adolescents, personality maturity was unrelated to personality stability in adulthood. These findings support the notion that personality stability plateaus early in adulthood. Despite the relative stability of individual differences, in recent years we have extended the studies of mean-level change in personality by examining longitudinal trajectories in more diverse samples and cross-sectional trends across cultures. We have also focused on community or epidemiological investigations to study the causes of the modest changes that occur in personality traits in adulthood. In addition to health, we are interested in the reciprocal influences of personality and life circumstances, such as job characteristics and retirement transition. Furthermore, we aim to delineate the neural and cognitive correlates of personality dimensions across longitudinal assessments. Most recently, we have investigated the association between personality factors and risk for Alzheimer's disease, as well as personality in relation to the presence of Alzheimer's pathology at autopsy. These studies have shown that high neuroticism and low conscientiousness are predictors of increased risk for Alzheimer's disease. In addition, individuals who are low in neuroticism and high in conscientiousness are more likely to be asymptomatic despite the presence of Alzheimer's pathology. In a recent study (Chuang et al. 2014), impulsivity data from the BLSA personality assessment were related to the obesity related FTO allele. Consistent with reduced brain function in regions intrinsic to impulse control and taste responsiveness, risk allele carriers of FTO exhibit dose-dependent increments in both impulsivity and intake of fatty foods.