Personality-relationship transaction in young adulthood

Personality and social relationships were assessed twice across a 4-year pe riod in a general population sample of 489 German young adults. Two kinds o f personality-relationship transaction were observed. First, mean-level cha nge in personality toward maturity (e.g., increase in Conscientiousness and decrease in Neuroticism) was moderated by the transition to partnership bu t was independent of other developmental transitions. Second, individual di fferences in personality traits predicted social relationships much better than vice versa. Specifically, once initial correlations were controlled fo r, Extraversion, Shyness, Neuroticism, self-esteem, and Agreeableness predi cted change in various qualities of relationships (especially with friends and colleagues), whereas only quality of relationships with preschool child ren predicted later Extraversion and Neuroticism. Consequences for the tran sactional view of personality in young adulthood are discussed.