Study Explores How Income and Personality May Influence Each Other
The effect was modest, with the strongest link between income and later conscientiousness peaking at about 0.06, researchers said.
- Researchers led by Wen-Dong Li of the Chinese University of Hong Kong analyzed data from 11 studies involving about 134,000 workers to examine how income and personality traits changed over time. They found rising pay correlated with shifts in conscientiousness and emotional stability.
- Higher-Paying roles often demand greater responsibility, requiring individuals to become more disciplined and composed under pressure. These demanding positions may reduce time for social interaction, leading to decreases in agreeableness and extraversion as people adapt.
- This relationship operates bidirectionally, as personal increases in conscientiousness and emotional stability often predict future income growth. These mutual influences peaked at roughly 1.2 to 1.4 years before gradually fading over the subsequent decade.
- Because researchers relied on observational survey data, the study cannot establish that income changes directly cause personality shifts. Self-reported questionnaires also mean results might reflect changes in self-perception rather than actual behavioral modifications observed by others.
- Psychologist Paul Piff has explored how money influences behavior, noting that wealth can reduce attentiveness to others. These findings align with research suggesting personality traits can shift in response to life experiences, though some studies show traits remain relatively stable.
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A NEW study shows that higher incomes can affect personality over time.
Psychologists have assessed the impact of a person's income growth on his personality
Psychologists have assessed the impact of a person's income growth on his personalityExperts from the Chinese University of Hong Kong conducted a meta-analysis of 11 studies by scientists from the USA, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Australia....
Making More Money Could Actually Change Your Personality, New Study Finds
A raise feels great for a paycheck or two. Then it becomes your regular salary, and somehow you can’t imagine surviving on what you made six months ago. Your personality might change a little, too. In a new study, researchers led by Wen-Dong Li of the Chinese University of Hong Kong analyzed data from 11 […]
A bigger paycheck tends to come with personality changes, according to a large-scale analysis of psychology research
A meta-analysis of 11 long-running studies covering up to 134,515 workers found that rising pay tended to precede small gains in conscientiousness and emotional stability, along with slight drops in agreeableness and extraversion.
An international team of researchers has evaluated how income and personality are related. A result: who earns more is less extroverted. What could be the reason and what increases with the money.
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