Do conscientious individuals live longer? A quantitative review.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Meta-analysis of observational cohort studies (prognosis/association)
PubMed 18823176 · doi:10.1037/0278-6133.27.5.505
What was done
Authors performed a meta-analysis statistically combining 20 independent samples using a random-effects model to assess the relationship between conscientiousness-related traits and longevity (all-cause mortality risk, longevity, or length of survival). Fixed-effects analyses evaluated specific facets and study characteristics as potential moderators.
What was found
Higher conscientiousness was significantly and positively related to longevity (correlation coefficient r = .11, 95% CI = .05-.17). The association was strongest for the achievement (persistent, industrious) and order (organized, disciplined) facets of conscientiousness.
Why it matters
This review quantifies the consistent association between conscientious personality traits and increased survival across independent cohorts, identifying specific behavioral facets most strongly linked to longevity.
Limits
The abstract does not report total individual participant counts, demographic details, or follow-up durations. As a synthesis of observational data, residual confounding from socioeconomic or baseline health factors cannot be excluded.
Cited by
- supports A long-term longevity study found that conscientiousness was the primary personality predictor of longevity, while highly cheerful or unworried individuals died earlier from accidents or preventable illnesses.