Study Details: A Lifespan Examination of Psychological Traits
A study led by Gilles E. Gignac, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Western Australia, investigated a broad spectrum of psychological traits influencing real-world performance. Published in the journal Intelligence, the research examined core cognitive abilities - reasoning, memory span, processing speed, knowledge, and emotional intelligence - alongside the "Big Five" personality traits: extraversion, emotional stability, conscientiousness, openness to experience, and agreeableness ("The lifespan development of psychological traits: A meta-analysis," Intelligence,2024).
The study utilized meta-analysis,combining data from numerous previous studies to create a comprehensive picture of how these traits change over the lifespan. This approach strengthens the reliability of the findings by increasing the sample size and reducing the impact of individual study biases.