The Science of Personality Podcast Fighting Fuzzy Thinking on Personality Change
Aug 26, 2025
Dive into the decline of conscientiousness among young adults, revealing a shift in personality traits over generations. The hosts tackle misinformation surrounding personality psychology, discussing its impact on understanding traits like agreeableness and neuroticism. They also explore how technology influences personality development, comparing it to past media critiques. Finally, the nuances of personality in shaping careers and relationships are examined, highlighting the complexities of these essential traits.
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FT Article Claims Personality Shifts
- John Burn-Murdoch analyzed Understanding America Study data and reported declines in conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness with rising neuroticism among young adults.
- The article compared three age groups (16–39, 40–59, 60+) using the BFI-44 and framed the changes as notable.
Age, Period, Cohort Confound Changes
- Three things can drive observed score changes: age effects, time-period effects, and birth-cohort effects, and they are often confounded.
- Burn-Murdoch plotted raw trends but did not disentangle these sources, so his conclusions are uncertain.
Use Proper Age-Period-Cohort Analysis
- Apply formal age-period-cohort analysis before claiming generational personality change.
- Use appropriate statistical methods to separate age, time period, and cohort influences.