(Medical Xpress)—Researchers report that changes in social well-
being are closely tied to one's personality, with positive
changes in one corresponding to similar changes in the other.
Their study reveals potential new mechanisms that can help
individuals thrive as they age. Their findings appear in Social
Psychological and Personality Science. Psychologists often use
the "big five" traits – extroversion, openness to experience,
conscientiousness, agreeableness and neuroticism – to describe
personality. A person who scores high in extroversion, for
example, is highly outgoing, friendly and active. Those who
score high in conscientiousness are organized, responsible and
hardworking. Although previous studies have shown that these
traits tend to stabilize over time, evidence also has shown that
they can change as a person ages. Social well-being is related
to an individual's connectedness to the larger community and the
belief that he or she can contribute to society's growth. It is
a good predictor of general