Research about the structure of character has largely assessed purported universal attributes. However, character develops within specific social, cultural and institutional contexts. As part of the first wave of a longitudinal study (Project Arete) of character development among cadets at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point,…

The broader autism phenotype refers to sub-clinical autism spectrum disorder characteristics involving socially and emotionally aloof and rigid personality traits and social communication difficulties. Relatives of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, including parents, evidence an increased rate of broader autism phenotype. The goal of this…

Proactivity is important to individual success, particularly where individuals face significant obstacles and where formal support may be lacking or difficult to access. The study tracks mature students over a one-semester university preparation course designed for returners to learning. Measures of proactivity included proactive personality,…

How leadership is done in higher education is analysed through a longitudinal interview study among the heads of department at a Swedish university. The focus is directed towards the construction and reconstruction of leader identity from the time when the heads were novices up until four years later when they were more experienced. The main…

Education is generally seen as enhancing people's lives. However, previous research has reported an inverse relationship between education and happiness or satisfaction with life: as education level goes up, happiness goes down. Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), this report examines the relationship between…

Medical students' personality traits and state of functioning were assessed at six times, beginning at orientation and ending several weeks before the results of the residency match program were announced. (MLW)

A longitudinal study of personality traits of medical students was first administered to freshmen and then later to the same students during their junior year. The results suggest that over the two years a developmental shift away from motivations focusing on effort and control toward those focusing on self-gratification took place. Implications…

Because person-organization fit relates to important outcomes, and because fit is a time-dependent process, there exists a need to model longitudinal data related to fit. In a multi-university sample (N=1174), we tested hypotheses concerning person-organization fit and various behavioral and attitudinal outcomes; correlations between changes in…

A study by Burstein in 1980 at the University of Texas Health Science Center found evidence that significant hedonistic personality changes occur between the freshman and the junior year of medical school. A study to answer questions of the generalizability of Burstein's study is described. (MLW)

The Myers Longitudinal Medical Study is a five-stage investigation of the application of C.G. Jung's theory of psychological types to the understanding of medical student selection, achievement, and choices of specialty, professional employment and location of practice. Part I of this report describes the design and variables of the study, the…

Described stability and change in the developing teacher's personality from college entrance to established professional status. Freshmen (N=32) who took the Omnibus Personality Inventory were tested 10 years later. Changes were reported on 8 of the 14 OPI scales, indicating improved emotional maturity, psychological adjustment, and self-esteem.…

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was administered to five classes of students (n=161) at the beginning and end of their dental education to evaluate changes in personality type. The study showed 75.8 percent of students change type during their dental education using one standard, and 11.2 percent showed changes in personality using another…

This study identified changes in prospective teachers' (N=153) concerns about teaching as they progressed through teacher training, and investigated the relationship between these changes and the prospective teachers' Myers-Briggs personality preferences, Rotter's locus of control orientation, and selected personal attributes. It was found that…

This monograph reviews the impact of the freshman year and the four years of undergraduate study on a central dimension of personal development: the formation of character and its progression from late adolescence to young adulthood. A foreword by Nevitt Sanford places the discussion in the context of a general loss by American universities of…

Investigated students who committed suicide at Kyoto University in Japan since 1956. Total trends of the suicide rate were reexamined in comparison with a control group, and the recent trends after the student strife (1970) were confirmed in comparison with the 15-year period before the strife. (Author/BL)