Measurement Invariance of Big-Five Factors over the Life Span: ESEM Tests of Gender, Age, Plasticity, Maturity, and La Dolce Vita Effects

Autor/inn/en	Marsh, Herbert W.; Nagengast, Benjamin; Morin, Alexandre J. S.
Titel	Measurement Invariance of Big-Five Factors over the Life Span: ESEM Tests of Gender, Age, Plasticity, Maturity, and La Dolce Vita Effects
Quelle	In: Developmental Psychology, 49 (2013) 6, S.1194-1218 (25 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0012-1649
DOI	10.1037/a0026913
Schlagwörter	Structural Equation Models; Factor Analysis; Personality Measures; Gender Differences; Age Differences; Maturity (Individuals); Foreign Countries; British Household Panel Survey + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Faktorenanalyse; Geschlechterkonflikt; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Reifung; Ausland
Abstract	This substantive-methodological synergy applies evolving approaches to factor analysis to substantively important developmental issues of how five-factor-approach (FFA) personality measures vary with gender, age, and their interaction. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) conducted at the item level often do not support a priori FFA structures, due in part to the overly restrictive assumptions of CFA models. Here we demonstrate that exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), an integration of CFA and exploratory factor analysis, overcomes these problems with the 15-item Big Five Inventory administered as part of the nationally representative British Household Panel Study (N = 14,021; age: 15-99 years, M[subscript age] = 47.1). ESEM fitted the data substantially better and resulted in much more differentiated (less correlated) factors than did CFA. Methodologically, we extended ESEM (introducing ESEM-within-CFA models and a hybrid of multiple groups and multiple indicators multiple causes models), evaluating full measurement invariance and latent mean differences over age, gender, and their interaction. Substantively the results showed that women had higher latent scores for all Big Five factors except for Openness and that these gender differences were consistent over the entire life span. Substantial nonlinear age effects led to the rejection of the plaster hypothesis and the maturity principle but did support a newly proposed la dolce vita effect in old age. In later years, individuals become happier (more agreeable and less neurotic), more self-content and self-centered (less extroverted and open), more laid back and satisfied with what they have (less conscientious, open, outgoing and extroverted), and less preoccupied with productivity. (Contains 8 tables, 1 figure and 1 footnote.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10