Research has long connected conscientiousness and longevity.
Psychologists break down the life-extending benefits of this personality trait.
Your Low-Stress Guide to Leveling-Up Your Bedtime Routine
Are You Burnt Out or Depressed?
Deniz Ones, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota.
As a specialist in industrial psychology, she helps people and organizations make better employment decisions.
One of theBig 5 personality traits, conscientiousness essentially means being on top of your stuff.
Brent W. Roberts, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Roberts received his PhD from Berkeley in 1994 in Personality Psychology and worked at the University of Tulsa until 1999 when he joined the faculty at Illinois. Dr. Roberts’s research has focused on determining the replicable patterns of continuity and change in personality traits across adulthood, the life experiences associated with changes in personality traits over time, and the significance of these changes for individual functioning. Dr. Roberts also conducts research on psychometric issues, in particular how to measure the traits of conscientiousness and narcissism, and more recently, how to best assess socio-emotional skills.
Why is conscientiousness such a boon for longevity?
That general tendency creates a few key pathways linking conscientiousness and longevity, outlined below.
One potential reason for that is, it takes high energy to be industrious, says Dr. Roberts.
Being able to prioritize well is a core part of conscientiousness, she says.
Conscientious people know how to persist and persevere [in the face of difficulty].
And that alone is another key factor helping to extend their lifetimes.
…
Got it, you’ve been added to our email list.
Brent W. Roberts, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Roberts received his PhD from Berkeley in 1994 in Personality Psychology and worked at the University of Tulsa until 1999 when he joined the faculty at Illinois. Dr. Roberts’s research has focused on determining the replicable patterns of continuity and change in personality traits across adulthood, the life experiences associated with changes in personality traits over time, and the significance of these changes for individual functioning. Dr. Roberts also conducts research on psychometric issues, in particular how to measure the traits of conscientiousness and narcissism, and more recently, how to best assess socio-emotional skills.
