Personality Traits Predict Proximal Goals Among Emerging Adults

Abstract

Introduction: Individuals often grapple with questions regarding how to accomplish their major life goals. In fact, selecting which goals to pursue is an important developmental task in emerging adulthood 1. Personality traits have been shown to be associated with which major life goals adults pursue 2. Little research, though, has examined whether these associations are present among the proximal goals emerging adults pursue. Methods:  The influence of personality traits on goal pursuit of emerging adults was examined, using data from 716 emerging adults (M = 19.32, SD = 1.25) who completed measures regarding proximal goals (e.g., health, socioemotional, spiritual/religious, and cognitive) and the Big Five personality traits. Results: Using SEM, the model fit the data well, χ2 (17, N = 716) = 99.10, p < .001.  The overall omnibus model showed that higher neuroticism, openness to experience, and agreeableness contributed to the number of proximal goals emerging adults are currently pursuing. Post hoc analyses showed that different personality traits contributed to the goal domains that emerging adults pursue. Conclusions: Personality may be a factor that enhances or undermines the motivation for the goals that emerging adults pursue 3, 4. Results are discussed in terms of how individual characteristics influence goal pursuit and how such activity might reinforce or further shape personality.