Big Five Generation Test

A decade-long study of U.S. adults found striking generational differences in personality traits. Millennials/Gen Z showed steep declines in Conscientiousness and notable increases in Neuroticism, alongside lower Extraversion. Gen X saw milder declines, while Boomers stayed largely stable. Agreeableness held steady across ages. Openness wasn’t measured, but other research shows little change. These trends may reflect technology, economic stress, and cultural shifts—and could influence work habits, mental health, and social cohesion.

Personality Trait Shifts in the U.S., 2014–2024: Insights from Sutin et al. (2022)

The 2022 study by Sutin et al., conducted as part of the Understanding America Study, offers a significant contribution to personality psychology by examining how Big Five personality traits—Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism—have changed over time across different age groups in the United States.

Using data collected between 2014 and 2024, the researchers tracked changes in trait levels relative to a 2014 baseline set at the 50th percentile. The analysis focuses on four traits—Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Extraversion—across three age cohorts:

• 16–39 years
• 40–59 years
• 60+ years

Key Findings

Conscientiousness:

Younger adults (16–39) showed a sharp decline from the baseline of 50 to roughly 30–35 by 2024. This suggests a generational shift, possibly influenced by changing work norms, technological immersion, or evolving social pressures affecting Millennials and Gen Z. In contrast, the 60+ cohort maintained near-baseline levels (~52), indicating greater stability.

Neuroticism:

In the 16–39 group, Neuroticism rose substantially to 65–70 percentiles, reflecting higher emotional instability or anxiety—potentially linked to the demands of a fast-changing, digital-driven world. Older adults showed far less change, with the 60+ group near 48.

Agreeableness:

Remained relatively stable across all cohorts, hovering around the high 40s to low 50s, suggesting little generational change in tendencies toward cooperation and kindness.

Extraversion:

Declined most notably in younger adults (down to 40–45), perhaps due to increased online communication replacing in-person interactions. The 40–59 group experienced moderate decreases, while the 60+ group remained steady at around 53.

The study did not include Openness to Experience. Related research indicates minimal generational variation in this trait, with scores around 3.7–3.8 on a 5-point scale—roughly equivalent to 50–58 percentiles for younger adults.

Implications

By aligning age cohorts with generations—60+ as Baby Boomers, 40–59 as Gen X, and 16–39 as Millennials/Gen Z—the findings suggest both age-related stability and cohort-specific shifts. The steep decline in Conscientiousness and rise in Neuroticism among younger adults may signal challenges related to economic instability, cultural shifts, and technological change.

However, the absence of Openness data and exact percentile cutoffs means these results should be interpreted with caution. Future research could build on these trends to inform strategies that support mental health, work engagement, and social cohesion across generations.