Personality Set for Life By 1st Grade, Study Suggests

[GRITS]

Personality Set for Life By 1st Grade, Study Suggests

LiveScience.com – Fri Aug 6, 5:25 pm ET Our personalities stay pretty much the same throughout our lives, from our early childhood years to after we're over the hill, according to a new study.

The results show personality traits observed in children as young as first graders are a strong predictor of adult behavior.

"We remain recognizably the same person," said study author Christopher Nave, a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Riverside. "This speaks to the importance of understanding personality because it does follow us wherever we go across time and contexts."

The study will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.

Tracking personalities

Using data from a 1960s study of approximately 2,400 ethnically diverse schoolchildren (grades 1 - 6) in Hawaii, researchers compared teacher personality ratings of the students with videotaped interviews of 144 of those individuals 40 years later.

They examined four personality attributes - talkativeness (called verbal fluency), adaptability (cope well with new situations), impulsiveness and self-minimizing behavior (essentially being humble to the point of minimizing one's importance).

Among the findings:

Talkative youngsters tended to show interest in intellectual matters, speak fluently, try to control situations, and exhibit a high degree of intelligence as adults. Children who rated low in verbal fluency were observed as adults to seek advice, give up when faced with obstacles, and exhibit an awkward interpersonal style.

Children rated as highly adaptable tended, as middle-age adults, to behave cheerfully, speak fluently and show interest in intellectual matters. Those who rated low in adaptability as children were observed as adults to say negative things about themselves, seek advice and exhibit an awkward interpersonal style.

Students rated as impulsive were inclined to speak loudly, display a wide range of interests and be talkative as adults. Less impulsive kids tended to be fearful or timid, kept others at a distance and expressed insecurity as adults.

Children characterized as self-minimizing were likely to express guilt, seek reassurance, say negative things about themselves and express insecurity as adults. Those who were ranked low on a self-minimizing scale tended to speak loudly, show interest in intellectual matters and exhibit condescending behavior as adults.

Changing personality

Previous research has suggested that while our personalities can change, it's not an easy undertaking.

Personality is "a part of us, a part of our biology," Nave said. "Life events still influence our behaviors, yet we must acknowledge the power of personality in understanding future behavior as well."

Future research will "help us understand how personality is related to behavior as well as examine the extent to which we may be able to change our personality," Nave said.

Link

Edited August 8, 2010 by GRITS

[EclipseChris]

First grade is also where racism and cliques start. Ever remember doing an activity where you X out what is different in a group? This activity shows that different should be removed.

[BobbyG2]

I was hyper, social, and a little trouble maker in the 1st grade. I am now mellow, I keep to myself, and I stay out of trouble. I am the opposite of what I was in the 1st grade.

[tacomabanga1986]

haha, i had first grade twice and it still sucked, i liked the friends in the second go around better tho

i hated my fukin school and my son will never go there cause all the teachers there are punk ass bitchs who just want to boss around lil kids n start shit, fuk that school

[GRITS]

First grade is also where racism and cliques start. Ever remember doing an activity where you X out what is different in a group? This activity shows that different should be removed.

Ummm I dont see how teaching a child to choose a shape that is different than the others considered teaching them to be racist. Hell you have those questions on adult testing including CNA State Testing. Its to train your eyes to look for the slight differences between objects.

And I'll have to disagree with you on the clique thing as well. That is to be blamed on the parenting if said child thinks they are better than everyone else.

Racism and cliques are learned behaviors taught by parenting skills.

[GRITS]

I was hyper, social, and a little trouble maker in the 1st grade. I am now mellow, I keep to myself, and I stay out of trouble. I am the opposite of what I was in the 1st grade.

You sure your avi appears to be quite hyper LOL

[EricR]

Ummm I dont see how teaching a child to choose a shape that is different than the others considered teaching them to be racist. Hell you have those questions on adult testing including CNA State Testing. Its to train your eyes to look for the slight differences between objects.

And I'll have to disagree with you on the clique thing as well. That is to be blamed on the parenting if said child thinks they are better than everyone else.

Racism and cliques are learned behaviors taught by parenting skills.

Wrong. Did your parents go to school with you and walk by your side through the halls and sit down with you at lunch in the cafeteria?? Didn' think so

[GRITS]

Wrong. Did your parents go to school with you and walk by your side through the halls and sit down with you at lunch in the cafeteria?? Didn' think so

Cliques are developed more in middle and defiantly in high school grades.

But as far as a 5,6,7,8 yr olds only choosing to interact with certain groups yes that is taught by parenting. IMO

[BeatBox]

"haha, i had first grade twice and it still sucked"

And as far as cliques and stuff i think they do start usually after elementary school yrs.

[mbdblue]

I think the study was a waste of time. I truly believe our life experiences determine the way we are, period. unless those candidates were kept in a bubble they're whole life and never experienced anything other than each other, than I would say the test is valid. But since they all went they're separate ways, they all experienced something different. Adaptation is a big part of this too IMO. When you live in a certain area, you have to adapt to that area; and that inevitably can change your behavior and personality....and why Hawaii?