Self-perception of personality at midlife in elderly people: continuity and change

This study examined the extent of self-perceived continuity and change in personality in older people. Two visits were made to 362 elderly female and male volunteers, randomly assigned to either an experimental or control condition. In the first visit, the subjects completed a life interview and psychological battery including the Eysenck Personality Inventory. In the second visit, the experimental subjects had their life circumstances at age 40 reviewed and were asked to complete the personality inventory again, this time answering as if they were aged 40. Control subjects completed the personality inventory twice under standard directions. The dominant pattern for individuals in both conditions was one of personality continuity, however, subjects in the experimental group had significant differences between scores in the two test administrations, while the scores of control group subjects did not change significantly. Current personality scores were the major predictors of perceived personality at midlife, although ratings of financial adequacy and subjective age were also significant but minor predictors in the experimental condition.