Are personality traits and relationship characteristics reciprocally related? Longitudinal analyses of codevelopment in the transition out of high school and beyond

Bibliographic Data

ID6205875
AuthorsJennifer Deventer (0000-0001-9416-4644, Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education), Jenny Wagner (0000-0001-7507-9620, Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education), Oliver Lüdtke (0000-0001-9744-3059, Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education), Ulrich Trautwein (0000-0003-0647-0057, Institute of Education Sciences)
Year2019
Volume116
Issue2
Pages331-347
Publication date2019-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Personality and Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3514 • E-ISSN: 1939-1315
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/pspp0000191
PMID29745690
OpenAlexW2800401925
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited45

Personality development has been associated with changes in various aspects of social relationships (e.g., contact frequency, emotional closeness, etc.). However, specific patterns of personality-relationship transactions are still not well understood as not many empirical studies have explored major life transitions. Emerging adulthood with its numerous life transitions is crucial for personality and social relationship development. In this study, we looked at personality-relationship transactions in the transition from high school to college, apprenticeship training, and so forth. We used Waves 1 to 3 of the Transformation of the Secondary School System and Academic Careers (TOSCA) study, which measured the Big Five (McCrae & Costa, 2008) and their facets as well as five relationship characteristics in social networks with one's romantic partner, friends, kin, and others. Our analyses of extended bivariate latent difference score models revealed four main findings: First, there was an imbalance in personality-relationship transaction effects with the majority of effects occurring from personality to change in social relationships rather than in the opposite direction. Furthermore, only a few change-to-change associations occurred. Second, two thirds of the cross-lagged effects derived from personality facets. Third, the majority of effects were found in the second measurement interval (i.e., not during the transition out of high school, but in the time period after this transition). Finally, neuroticism and its facets, as well as conflict frequency and perceived feelings of insecurity in the relationship emerged as the most consistent associations in this age group. Theoretical and empirical implications for personality-relationship transaction patterns are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)

Big Five personality traits · Big Five personality traits and culture · Closeness · Developmental psychology · Feeling · Friendship · Neuroticism · Personality · Cognitive Abilities and Testing · Identity, Memory, and Therapy · Personality Traits and Psychology · Psychology · Social Psychology

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