Maturity Principle
The tendency for average conscientiousness and agreeableness to rise and average neuroticism to fall across adulthood.
- Ex: A man who missed deadlines at 22 meets them at 38, and so do most of the people he graduated with.
- Ex: A woman who argued with every roommate at 20 lets most things go at 45.
- Ex: The class of 2026, measured again at its twentieth reunion, has a lower average neuroticism score than it has today.
Last updated: October 20, 2026 at 10:26 AM