Still stable after all these years? Personality stability theory revisited

Costa and McCrae maintain that personality is basically stable after age 30. Other researchers, however, find that personality tends to change over time and that personality stability depends on the stability of the social environment and the instruments used to test personality stability and change. A meta-analysis of 206 personality stability coefficients reported in the literature fails to support personality stability theory. Personality tends to be less stable if the retest interval is large, if age at first measurement is low or over 50, and ifa change in individual aspects of personality rather than overall personality is measured. Moreover, studies assessing any of the big five NEO personality traits and studies by Costa, McCrae, and colleagues tend to find higher personality stability coefficients. It is suggested that personality stability and change cannot be studied meaningfully without simultaneously examining stability and change in the social environment.