Stability and Plasticity: Colin DeYoung’s New Study Reinforces the Structural Foundations of Personality
Are the higher-order dimensions of personality real psychological constructs or statistical artifacts? A new study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology tackles these foundational questions.
In the article, “Are the Metatraits Fact or Artifact? Ruling Out Alternative Explanations for the Higher-Order Factors of the Big Five”, Colin DeYoung, faculty, along with collaborators Edward Chou, graduate student, Ming Him Tai, and Boris Mlačić investigated whether the widely discussed metatraits of Stability and Plasticity represent substantive psychological dimensions or whether they instead emerge from methodological bias. Using multi-method and multiple sample analyses, including self-report, peer-report, and cross-cultural data, the team tested competing explanations for why the Big Five personality traits often cluster into two higher-order factors. Across studies, the findings provided strong evidence that these metatraits are not mere statistical artifacts, but reflect meaningful structural organization within personality.
The work advances personality neuroscience and trait theory by clarifying how broad dimensions of human behavior are organized. By rigorously testing alternative explanations, the study strengthens theoretical models that link personality traits to neurobiological systems and psychological functioning.
Colin DeYoung, PhD, professor of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota; director of the DeYoung Personality Lab.
Edward Chou, PhD, doctoral student in the Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota; researcher associated with the DeYoung Personality Lab and NICE Lab.
Ming Him Tai, PhD, is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Psychology at Pennsylvania State University.
Boris Mlačić, PhD, is a professor at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb.
Composed by Nguyen Kiet Pham, communications assistant.
