How your personality affects your physical health
It’s clear that your personality will affect the relationships formed, and successes you have throughout your life. But several studies have shown that there may be a correlation between personality traits and your physical health.
According to one study, carried out by health psychologists at the University of Nottingham and the University of California in Los Angeles, people who are more extraverted tend to have a stronger immune system. Conversely, those who are more conscientious tend to have a less robust immune system. It is theorised that extraverts are more likely to be exposed to infections and are better suited to fight them off, while less outgoing, cautious individuals are less likely to have been exposed to immunity-boosting infections.
A different study, carried out by the University of Michigan showed that people who rated highly for traits like conscientiousness, openness, agreeableness, and extroversion, as well as those with low neuroticism were linked with better health or an absence of disease.
Yet another study, performed by the American Psychological Association upon a group of New Zealanders over a period of 38 years found similar results. The study participants were assessed every two years from birth until the age of 38. When they were 26, each of the participants had a loved one describe them in terms of the “Big Five” personality traits:
- Extroversion – positive, talkative, social, assertive
- Agreeableness – kind, affectionate, trusting, compromising
- Neuroticism – emotionally unstable, anxious, irritable
- Conscientiousness – organised, detail oriented, hardworking
- openness to experience – curious, insightful, imaginative
Twelve years later, people who were described as conscientious at 26 were more likely to be in better health than those who ranked low in that trait. According to the study, of those who ranked lowest on conscientiousness, 45 per cent would develop multiple health problems by 38, compared with just 18 per cent of the most conscientious.
Awareness of how personality traits can affect physical health may be helpful to physicians and patients as they develop health management plans.
Which of these personality traits do you most strongly identify with (you’re likely a combination of more than one)?