Which Big Five trait tends to increase progressively over the lifespan?

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The question asks which Big Five trait tends to increase progressively over the lifespan.
Option A: Neuroticism. This trait is typically observed to decrease with age, not increase, as people often become more emotionally stable over time. Therefore this choice contradicts the general aging pattern of neuroticism.
Option B: Agreeableness. Many longitudinal studies show that agreeableness tends to rise across adulthood, reflecting greater warmth, cooperation, and prosocial behavior as people age. This aligns with the common developmental trend described in personality research.
Option C: Openness. Openness to experience often remains relatively stable or may decline modestly in older adulthood; it is not generally characterized by a progressive increase over the lifespan. Thus this choice is inconsistent with typical trajectories.
Option D: All of the Big Five tends to increase progressively over the lifespan. Given the divergent trajectories of the Big Five—neuroticism tends to decrease and openness may stay the same or decline—it's inaccurate to claim that all five increase. This makes this option incorrect.
In sum, the only option that matches the established longitudinal trend of increasing with age among the Big Five is agreeableness, while the other options either describe different, non-increasing, or universally increasing patterns that are not supported by typical personality development research.

PSYC20009_2025_SM2 Exam: Personality and Social Psychology (PSYC20009_2025_SM2)- Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

Which Big Five trait tends to increase progressively over the lifespan?

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