According to research by Roberts and colleagues, how can we best describe mean-level change in extraversion over the lifespan?

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The task presents a question about mean-level change in extraversion over the lifespan based on research by Roberts and colleagues, and an answer that reads: "D. Aspects of extraversion concerned with dominance increase over the life span." However, the provided data includes no answer options besides that single statement, which means we cannot evaluate multiple-choice reasoning as intended.

What we can do is outline how to approach evaluating such a claim and explain why, in many longitudinal personality findings, this kind statement should be scrutinized:

- Clarify the question being asked: Are we talking about mean-level change in extraversion as a whole, or facet-level change within extraversion (dominance is typically considered a facet of extraversion or a separate trait depending on the framework)? Understanding the scope is essential because mean-level trends can differ across facets.

- Consider the typical interpretation in Roberts et al. work: Roberts and colleagues often emphasize facet-specific patterns and the importance of longitudinal design for detecting mean-level changes. They commonly show that overall personality traits can be relatively stable across adulthood, with small mean-level shifts that vary by facet and cohort. The claim that a specific facet like dominance increases with age would need robust longitudinal evidence showing consistent, substantial mean-level increases across samples, not just cross-sectional snapshots.

- Evaluate the phrasing of the statement (potential misconception): Saying that "aspects of extraversion concerned with dominance increase over the life span" implies a uniform upward trajectory for that facet across individuals. This can overlook substantial individual differences, situational influences, and cohort effects. A nuanced view would specify the nature of the change (e.g., small, gradual, facet-specific) and the conditions under which it occurs.

- Distinguish mean-level change from rank-order stability: Even if a facet shows some mean-level change over time, individuals may remain relatively stable in their relative standing to others (i.e., rank-order stability). Both aspects can vary across facets and over time.

- Consider potential methodological limitations: Longitudinal studies must account for aging, selective attrition, and measurement invariance across waves. If a claim asserts a general increase in dominance with age, it should be supported by long-term data demonstrating measurement invariance and replication across different samples.

- If you had multiple options, you would compare each statement against Roberts et al.’s findings. A correct option would precisely reflect facet-specific patterns with caveats about variability and the longitudinal nature of the data, whereas incorrect options would misrepresent stability, direction, or the breadth of mean-level change.

- In the absence of complete options, acknowledge that the single stated option could be plausible only if robust longitudinal evidence consistently shows that particular facets (like dominance) rise across the lifespan, which would be a notable and specific pattern rather than a general characteristic of extraversion.

- Summarizing the reasoning without committing to the included option: A well-supported description would specify whether mean-level changes are small or modest, facet-specific, and contingent on age range and cohort, rather than asserting a broad, uniform increase for a dominance-related facet across all individuals.

If you can provide the full set of answer options (A, B, C, D, etc.), I can walk through each one in detail, applying the same evaluative approach to determine which aligns best with Roberts and colleagues’ findings and why the others do not.

PSYC20009_2025_SM2 Lecture 4 Quiz

According to research by Roberts and colleagues, how can we best describe mean-level change in extraversion over the lifespan?

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