Conscientiousness Predicts Performance on the Stroop Task but Not Other Attentional Control Tasks in Older and Younger Adults

Abstract

The current study examined the relationships between attentional control (AC) and the Big Five personality traits. Older and younger adults ( Mage = 38.62 years; Range = 18–90) completed a battery of behavioral attention tasks consisting of Stroop color naming, antisaccade, and operation span, which were designed to assess inhibition, goal maintenance, and working memory processes as a comprehensive assessment of AC. Participants then completed a set of personality scales including the NEO-FFI short form. Regression analyses revealed that Big Five personality scores were not related to the AC composite, but individual task relationships were found. Specifically, participants reporting greater Conscientiousness showed improved Stroop performance, but a Conscientiousness benefit did not extend to the other AC measures. No relationships emerged between other Big Five traits and AC. This work suggests potential cognitive benefits for Conscientiousness in older and younger adults and highlights a fruitful integration of personality and basic cognitive processes.