What Causes Longer Life Expectancy?
“The best childhood personality predictor of longevity was conscientiousness — the qualities of a prudent, persistent, well-organized person,” according to the two professors…
“It was not cheerfulness and it was not having a sociable personality that predicted long life across the many ensuing decades,” she and Friedman wrote in their book. “Certain other factors were also relevant, but the prudent, dependable children lived the longest. The strength of this finding was unexpected, but it proved to be a very important and enduring one.”
Book, book review, and article on the book. HT: Arnold Kling.
Conscientiousness as the biggest predictor of longer life spans.. I don’t see how that’s such a big find. Self-disciplined, prudent people are usually risk averse and very careful.
1.Discussed sexual matters with a male friend (−.23)
2.Lounged around house without any clothes on (−.22)
3.Picked up a hitch-hiker (−.21)
4.Read a tabloid paper (−.19)
5.Drove or rode in a car without a seatbelt (−.19)
6.Swore around other people (−.18)
7.Spent an hour at a time daydreaming (−.18)
8.Shopped at a second-hand thrift shop (−.18)
9.Told a dirty joke (−.18)
10.Listened to music (+.18)
Accidentally posted too quickly, those are the top 10 behaviors that correllate with conscientiousness. Basically it’s a big list of things not to do. That list was more surprising than the articles actual findings.
The Social Security Administration has studied this. The best predictor is income.
@ Jack
“risk averse and very careful”
Sounds boring. Doesnt surprise me that those kinds of people live long.
@ Diogenes
I think the book is referring to personality traits that correlate with living longer. Income, is not a character trait.
@Diogenes: This is quite irresponsible to conclude. These studies are based on correlations, not causation. How would you explain rural communities in Latin America from low-income backgrounds with a median age in the 80s with some individuals living well beyond their 90s. I say a good diet, heavy physical activity due to their work, and genetics makes an impact in this case, and in all cases for that matter. Of course income can make a difference, but it’s not a causation and therefore not at the core of the problem.
Interesting study. It’s always interesting to find correlations. However, correlation studies won’t ever get to the core of the problem, but they can address external effects and therefore ameliorate the problem being addressed.
I am not surprised, I would assume that the same group of people would be successful in life in general, because they are more aware of their surrounding and don’t make impulsive decisions.
It’s funny because I have read other researches that point to social connection as being a strong precursor to your longevity. The more friends you have, the longer you will live.
@Jack, bad news for Bob, who goes out for a drive without a seatbelt and picks up a male hitchhiker whom he then tells a dirty joke with swears only to discuss a sexual matter at the rest stop before reading a tabloid which causes him to daydream for an hour after which they go to a thriftshop, buy some clothes, go home, decide they don’t like them and begin to lounge around the house naked. At least, Bob was listening to music when he picked up the hitchhiker.
Here’s my tips for living longer.
1. Eat well
2. Sleep well
3. Be happy, don’t stress
4. Don’t concern yourself with this nonsense…As Ryan said, correlation does not equal causation.
5. Just be.
I would take perseverance over conscientiousness any day.
I think we are confusing existing longer and living longer.
“It’s not the years in the life – it’s the life in the years.”
How can any of this be true?
It’s well-established that a national, single-payer medical insurance plan is the reason for longer life expectancy. And for lower infant mortality. And for making all our children beautiful and above-average.
Now, get back to work.