Personality nuances and cognition: A multi-cohort and multi-method approach

Abstract

There is substantial evidence for an association between the Five-Factor Model personality domains and cognition across adulthood. Examining the items that compose each of the five domains, known as nuances, can provide novel insight into the aspects of the traits most connected to cognitive outcomes. This study tested the association between personality nuances and cognition (memory performance, subjective memory, informant-rated cognition) in five community-based cohorts. Participants (N > 28,000, age range: 32–104 years) were administered the Midlife Development Inventory (MIDI) to assess personality nuances, immediate and recall tasks to assess memory performance, and a subjective memory measure. Ratings of cognitive functioning from a knowledgeable informant were available in two samples. There was a strong pattern of replicability between personality items and cognitive outcomes across samples and cognitive measures. Meta-analyses indicated that higher neuroticism nuances (particularly the nervous and worry items) were related to lower memory performance, worse subjective memory, and worse informant-rated cognition. Higher conscientiousness (particularly the organized and responsible items), extraversion (particularly the active item), and openness (particularly the intelligent item) nuances were consistently associated with better memory performance, better subjective memory, and better informant-rated cognition across samples. To a lesser extent, higher agreeableness nuances (helpful, warm, sympathetic) were associated with better memory and subjective memory. This research adds to the existing literature by providing novel evidence of replicable associations between personality nuances and cognition.