Does Your Personality Change As You Get Older?
We all naturally evolve over time, but what exactly changes as you mature and age? Does your personality change too? Many believe that as people age, they become wiser or more patient, but what about personality traits? In this article, we explore if your personality can truly transform as you get older.
What is Personality?
Before exploring the relationship between age and personality, we must first understand the concept of personality itself. Personality is a set of traits that shapes how individuals think, feel and behave. Personality develops during childhood and adolescence, but does it really change much as you get older?
Do Personality Traits Really Change?
Personality traits may seem inflexible, but studies suggest that qualities such as compassion, empathy, and thoughtfulness can increase as people age. That being said, humans are complex beings and different aspects of personality may change at different rates. While some traits can become more developed or refined, others tend to stay the same.
What Psychology Tells Us
Psychologist Erik Erikson believed that we go through eight stages of development during our lives – each of which come with their own challenges and developmental milestones. During the last stage (old age), Erikson suggested that older adults struggle with acceptance or contentment as they come to terms with the realization that they are nearing the end of their life. This can be linked to both positive and negative changes in older people’s personalities.
The Big Five Model
The Big Five Model, or the Five Factor Model, refers to the five fundamental dimensions of personality. These five dimensions include: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Research suggests that the five dimensions remain relatively stable from our late adolescence to our old age, though there may be some slight differences. For example, research suggests that adults tend to become more agreeable, conscientious and emotionally stable, while also becoming less neurotic, extroverted and open to new experiences.
Why Do Some Personality Traits Change?
So why do some of our personality traits change as we age? The answer lies in life experience. Over time, we are exposed to different people and situations that shape us and change the way we think and act. Strong, positive relationships have been shown to enhance one’s overall well-being, while repeated experiences of trauma can cause shifts in personality over time.
Does Age Automatically Equal Wisdom?
Many believe that wisdom increases with age, but is this really true? While people can gain valuable insight and understanding with the help of experience, there is no guarantee that age comes with greater levels of wisdom. Age does not always equal maturity and wisdom, as different people mature at different rates.
How You Age Will Depend on Your Life Experiences
Ultimately, one’s personality largely depends on their individual life experiences, rather than their age. While age can bring certain changes, your personality still remains largely rooted in your formative years, as well as the experiences that follow.
Five Tips For Keeping Your True Self
Here are 5 tips to help you stay true to yourself, no matter your age:
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Be Aware:
Be aware of how you are feeling, both on a mental and emotional level. Knowing yourself is essential to finding and maintaining your true self. -
Have Faith:
Be true to your instincts and beliefs, no matter what other people tell you. -
Take Time For Self-Reflection:
Set aside time for self-reflection and reflection on your life. This will help you get to know yourself on a deeper and more meaningful level. -
Prioritize What’s Important To You:
Take the time to figure out what’s important to you in life, and make sure that those values and beliefs are reflected in how you act and the decisions you make. -
Make Connections:
Surround yourself with people who make you feel valued and understood. People have the power to influence us in profound ways, so it is important to connect with people who support and understand you.
To answer the question of whether our personalities change as we get older, the answer is both yes and no. Studies suggest that certain traits will change or be refined as we age, while others will stay the same. Ultimately, the changes that appear in our personalities as we age depend largely on the life experiences we have, and the age when those changes take place vary in each person. The key is to stay aware, have faith in yourself, take time for self-reflection and prioritize what’s important to you, in order to maintain your true self and make meaningful connections.
