How Personality Changes Over Time — Summary of Chapter 7 from The Personality Puzzle
How Personality Changes Over Time — Summary of Chapter 7 from The Personality Puzzle Chapter 7 of The Personality Puzzle by David C. Funder explores the fascinating balance between personality stability and change. While core traits often remain consistent, this chapter illustrates how development, life events, and intentional actions can gradually reshape our personalities throughout life. Personality Stability Across the Lifespan Personality is often stable in relative terms. This concept—known as rank-order consistency —means that people tend to maintain their standing on traits compared to others. For example, a child who is more conscientious than peers is likely to remain so in adulthood. Stability is influenced by: Genetic predispositions Early experiences Person-environment transactions: Individuals select, influence, and adapt to environments that reinforce their traits. The Maturity Principle Personality also changes in systematic ways over time. The ...