Old Dogs, New Tics

Turns out you may be able to teach old dogs new tics.

Scientific American reports that some researchers are saying that "personality is plastic and that the changes that come with age are generally for the better." Based on a (questionable to my mind) sample of more than 135,000 people who responded to an Internet survey, the researchers used standard personality assessments measures and found:

Agreeableness … climbed with age, largely among thirty-somethings. Men and women differed in their relative neuroticism: as women aged, their neurotic tendencies declined, but this was not the case for men. Openness waned slightly for both sexes, as did extraversion in women.
…

"This is a hopeful message about aging," [lead researcher Sanjay Srivastava of Stanford] observes. "It's so often viewed as a process of decline -- your hair falls out, your teeth fall out -- but we're seeing aging as a process of development. All the biggest changes were for the better."

Comments

[Steve in CO]

I admit I would not have like meeting myself in my early adulthood. Thankfully that is only possible in my mind, and for the misfortunate who had to listen to my childish whining. Of course I still whine, but at the axiom regarding the identically pronounced spirit, it has improved (less bitter) with age.

[Steve in CO]

Man, I really need to proofread before I post ... sorry for the poor grammar.

😀

[Ivan Davinovich]

The Scientific American assessment was correct. I don?t know why I hold in my stomach, when a young person walks into the room. I find myself singing along with elevator music, but when I have a party at home, the neighbors never know it. Nowadays, I can live without sex but not without my glasses. I find myself eating dinner at 4:00 p.m. People are calling me at 9 p.m. and ask, "Did I wake you?"

I believe there's nothing left to learn 'the hard way', yet I tend to get into a heated argument about pension plans. My investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

No matter what I do ? if I cut, change, dye, alter, or style my hair in any way, people always say, " I like it, it makes you look younger."

There?s one advantage, though ? I find my joints to be more accurate meteorologists than the National Weather Service.

Kidnappers are no longer interested in me, but if they are, I?m likely to be released first in a hostage situation. Speed limits are a challenge to me. And my secrets are safe with friends because they can't remember them either.

[j.c.]

"Based on a (questionable to my mind) sample of more than 135,000 people who responded to an Internet survey...."

An internet survey? Now that's data.

[Anonymous]

An internet survey? Now that's VALID data.

[Jon B.]

People tend to be more agreeable and less open as they get older? Just sounds like they're learning to keep their mouths shut.

Kind of a shame people don't get older, wiser, and more open with time. A little open wisdom might bring some common sense to a number of debates going on in the world right now. But that older-wiser thing is another dubious assertion even without an internet poll to back it up.

[Jim]

To me, this is just another example of people spending good money to prove the obvious. People learn from experience (even the dumb ones) and change over time. Big deal. I'm certainly happier now than I was as a teenager, but doesn't change the fact that I still wish I had that energy and a little less thickness in the midsection. Hardly a newsworthy item.

[Mr. Jupiter]

I think as men get older in life, over 50, they become less opened minded and less agreeable, actually live for confrontation.