Research Feed

Aravindh et al. (2026) surveyed 260 retired older adults in Chennai, India, finding that roughly one-third showed problematic or at-risk internet use. Among Big Five traits, conscientiousness was negatively associated with internet addiction while neuroticism and openness were positively associated; extraversion and agreeableness showed no significant links. Younger age, higher education, and prior government employment were also independent predictors of problematic use.

This meta-analysis pooled 51 studies (about 45,800 people) on personality and internet pornography use. Problematic use, meaning viewing that feels out of control, tracked most closely with sexual compulsivity and impulsivity, and more weakly with neuroticism and anxious attachment. Conscientiousness and self-control ran the opposite way: more disciplined people used less. Agreeableness was slightly negative, while extraversion and openness showed only tiny links. Effects were modest and correlational, so personality alone doesn't explain or cause use.

This 23-year longitudinal study of 306 Belgian participants found that low conscientiousness was the only Big Five trait serving as a necessary condition for problematic alcohol use across all developmental stages, from childhood through adulthood. High conscientiousness acted as a near-complete protective factor: individuals scoring above certain thresholds were virtually immune to developing problematic alcohol use regardless of other traits or life stage.

This meta-analysis examined how Big Five personality traits relate to problematic cannabis use. Findings showed that higher neuroticism and openness, along with lower conscientiousness and agreeableness, were associated with greater risk of problematic use. Notably, openness distinguished cannabis problems from other addictions. Overall, results support the relevance of personality traits in understanding substance-related risks and suggest potential directions for targeted prevention and treatment strategies.

This meta-analysis explains why Conscientiousness is such a powerful predictor of a long life. By reviewing nearly 200 studies, researchers found that highly conscientious people consistently avoid risky behaviors (such as tobacco use, excessive drinking, and reckless driving) while actively engaging in beneficial habits like regular exercise and healthy eating. These findings demonstrate that personality doesn't just impact your mind; it physically protects your body by shaping your daily lifestyle choices.

This study confirms that the Big Five personality factors are reliable predictors of significant real-world behaviors, such as academic performance and alcohol consumption. By testing two independent samples using three different assessment tools (including traditional verbal inventories and an experimental nonverbal measure) researchers found consistent behavioral patterns across all versions. These results provide strong construct validity for the Big Five model, demonstrating that these five traits are not just theoretical abstractions but stable determinants of complex human actions in social and cultural contexts.

This study of 343 participants highlights Conscientiousness as a vital predictor of health-conscious behaviors, particularly those involving household safety. High levels of this trait led to more restrictive smoking rules at home, suggesting that self-disciplined individuals are more proactive in protecting their environment. Interestingly, perceiving health risks only reduced smoking within the home for those high in Conscientiousness, indicating that personality acts as a necessary catalyst for turning health concerns into actual lifestyle changes.