Does Personality Influence the Diseases We Develop?
3 min read
Extraverted Personalities and Health
Are you someone high in Extraversion—sociable, warm, adventurous, and optimistic? If so, you’re less likely to suffer from heart disease, but you may have a higher predisposition to anxiety and depression.
Agreeable Personalities and Risk
If you exhibit high Agreeableness—trusting others, sensitive, and often humble—you may face an increased risk of heart disease, while your likelihood of developing cancer appears lower.
The Study
These findings come from Australian researchers who followed 17,000 individuals over their lifetimes. They described these associations as striking, though it is still too early to draw definitive conclusions.
Research Methodology
The study primarily involved identifying each participant’s dominant personality traits and then tracking who developed a serious illness within four years.
Other Findings
The Conscientiousness trait—marked by organization, high self-discipline, commitment, and skill development—was linked to lower rates of heart disease and anxiety/depression among Australians.
Conversely, the Neuroticism trait—associated with anxiety, irritability, impulsiveness, and vulnerability—was connected to issues like high blood pressure and anxiety/depression.
Lingering Doubts
Notably, the Australian findings suggesting that Agreeableness increases heart disease risk contradict earlier research linking more antagonistic traits to higher cardiovascular risk. Despite ongoing uncertainties, many researchers emphasize that if certain traits are conclusively shown to predispose individuals to serious illnesses, targeted preventive health measures could be adopted.
Longitudinal Data
The Australian team used data from the extensive HILDA study, which follows the same individuals over many years. HILDA participants completed a questionnaire rating how well 36 descriptors matched their personalities, allowing researchers to assess them across the Big Five traits: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Openness, Conscientiousness, and Neuroticism.
Behavior and Its Role
Melbourne researchers argue that personality traits themselves do not directly cause disease or health; rather, the behaviors influenced by these traits—such as smoking or exercise—may increase or decrease disease risk.
Clear Link for Neuroticism
Although scientists have explored connections between personality traits and illness since the 1950s, definitive evidence remained elusive until recently—except for the well-established link between Neuroticism and mental health disorders.
International Studies
A 2014 U.S. study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, along with earlier research, found that individuals high in Conscientiousness are less likely to develop serious diseases. Moreover, Openness—a willingness to embrace new ideas and experiences—was associated with reduced risk of various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and hypertension, according to studies conducted in St. Louis (USA) and Toronto (Canada). Open individuals tend to take proactive steps to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Conclusion
Recent research has not identified any association between the Big Five traits and increased cancer risk, underscoring the complex and nuanced nature of how personality impacts health.