Being organized, active may help you live longer: Study
What's the story
A recent study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research has found that specific personality traits can be better predictors of mortality risk than broader categories like extraversion. The research shows that being organized, active, and helpful could potentially extend life expectancy. On the other hand, frequent stress and anxiety may be linked to a shorter lifespan.
Health predictions
New health risk prediction tools
The study's findings could pave the way for new tools to predict health risks, not just from blood pressure and cholesterol levels but also from individual personality traits. Rene Mottus, a psychologist and co-author of the study, explained that they focused on specific self-descriptions instead of broad personality types. He said these small, specific self-descriptions could be quietly predicting who lives longer.
Trait impact
Active people live longer
The study found that the trait of being "active" was most strongly associated with a lower risk of death during the study period. Participants who described themselves as such had a 21% lower risk, even when accounting for age, gender, and medical conditions. Other traits like being lively, organized, responsible, hard-working, thorough, and helpful also closely followed in their association with longevity.
Precision matters
Precision of the study's findings
Paraic O'Suilleabhain, another co-author of the study, emphasized its precision. He said their research suggests personality works not just as a general influence but as a set of specific behaviors and attitudes with measurable impact on longevity. This means it's not just about being conscientious or extroverted; it's about being hard-working and thorough or lively and active.
Trait prediction
Nuances over broad strokes
The study found that these specific traits predicted mortality risks better than the five broader traits commonly used to summarize personality: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. When combined, these nuances were more predictive than the broader traits they technically belong to. While positive traits helped people live longer, their emotional opposites seemed to have the opposite effect on lifespan.