[Constancy or change in personality in the elderly? Findings and discussion of a controversy].

Abstract

Research on personality development in the second half of life is reviewed, making a distinction between studies following a trait-oriented and studies using a process-oriented approach. A methodological and theoretical discussion of results not only explains differences in results, it also allows to conclude that the two approaches describe and explain complementary facets of the field. A synthesis between approaches is proposed in order to understand part of the controversy on constancy and change of personality development.