Your personality type effectively determines your lifespan, with organised individuals showing a significantly lower risk of death than their anxious counterparts, according to a landmark analysis of nearly six million person-years of data.
Researchers at the University of Limerick (UL) found that the association between personality and mortality is as strong as that of established risk factors such as socioeconomic status. The study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, identified specific traits that directly influence the biological mechanisms underlying longevity.
“Our work shows that how we think, feel and behave is not only linked to life satisfaction and social relationships, but also to how long we live,” said Dr Máire McGeehan, Assistant Professor in UL’s Department of Psychology.
The team analysed data from 569,859 people across four continents, examining the “Big Five” personality traits: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness.
The results revealed a distinct “mortality gap” based on personality type:
- Conscientiousness: Individuals who are organised and self-disciplined experienced a 10 per cent reduction in mortality risk for each one-point increase in the trait.
- Neuroticism: Conversely, those prone to anxiety and emotional instability faced a three per cent higher risk of premature death for every point increase on the scale.
- Extraversion: A preference for social engagement was associated with a three per cent lower risk of death, though this benefit was confined mainly to North America and Australia.
The study provides new insights into why these traits save or shorten lives. The researchers found that biological markers largely mediated the protective effects of conscientiousness. When the team adjusted for health factors such as body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure, the survival advantage of conscientiousness disappeared, suggesting that organised people live longer specifically because they maintain better physiological health.
“Personality is a critical driver of health and longevity. It is important to emphasise that these effects are similar in size to those of commonly considered public health determinants, such as socio-economic status,” Dr McGeehan said.
The analysis also uncovered a critical age-related vulnerability. The link between neuroticism and premature death was significantly stronger in younger populations than in older adults, suggesting that emotional instability takes a heavier toll on the body earlier in life.
While traits such as openness initially appeared to confer protection, these effects disappeared after adjusting for data quality and bias. Agreeableness was not associated with mortality risk.
