Does Success Change People? Examining Objective Career Success as a Precursor to Personality Development

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2021.103582

Commentary

Numerous studies have established personality traits as predictors of career success.

However, little attention has been paid to whether and how career success can induce personality change.

Based on the New Socioanalytic Model of Personality and its social investment and corresponding principles, this study was investigating how the achievement of objective career success contributes to personality change in the Big Five traits.

The study was categorized and analyzed by neuroticism, extraversion, openness, cooperation, and honesty. Using a representative sample of 4,767 adults from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we conducted a cross-lagged analysis using three measurement waves over eight years to determine whether objective success predicted personality change.

We also examined whether the effects differed between age groups ya

We tested whether it differed between men and women.

Results showed that career success was associated with personality changes in neuroticism, extraversion, and openness.

Higher income predicted less neuroticism tendencies and more openness, while higher prestige predicted less extraversion and more openness.

The results did not differ by age group or gender.