Development and Change of Personality

The topic of this chapter is personality development. At the beginning, we discuss fundamental aspects of personality development, the balance of nature and nurture, continuity and discontinuity in development, and stability and changes in development. This is followed by a discussion of the main sources of developmental changes in personality, including genetic sources, mental and physical illnesses and disorders, the influence of situations and life events, and changes in social roles and voluntary changes. Then, this chapter includes an overview of personality in life periods, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. The development of the Big Five personality dimensions with periods of acceleration and stabilization is discussed in particular detail.