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Social Investment Theory

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Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences

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Introduction

Social investment theory proposes that personality developments in emerging adulthood occur as a consequence of the adoption of new social roles. These novel adult roles, including spouse, parent, and career person, require different social tools in order to maintain them. Accordingly, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability all increase as adaptations to these social roles. The theory does not specifically suggest changes in the other Big Five traits of extraversion or openness to experience.

Definition

Social investment theory proposes that personality developments in emerging adulthood occur as a consequence of the adoption of new social roles.

Evidence

Although it is a relatively new theoretical perspective, there is considerable evidence supportive of social investment theory. These proposed personality changes have been demonstrated in emerging adulthood in a number of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies and across a number of cultures.

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References

  • Helson, R., Kwan, V. Y., John, O. P., & Jones, C. (2002). The growing evidence for personality change in adulthood: Findings from research with personality inventories. Journal Of Research In Personality, 36(4), 287–306. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0092-6566(02)00010-7

  • Roberts, B. W., Wood, D., & Smith, J. L. (2005). Evaluating Five Factor Theory and social investment perspectives on personality trait development. Journal Of Research In Personality, 39(1), 166–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2004.08.002

  • Roberts, B. W., & Wood, D. (2006). Personality Development in the Context of the Neo-Socioanalytic Model of Personality. In D. K. Mroczek, T. D. Little, D. K. Mroczek, T. D. Little (Eds.), Handbook of personality development (pp. 11–39). Mahwah, NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. New College of Florida, Sarasota, FL, USA

    Anne V. Magee & Steven M. Graham

Authors
  1. Anne V. Magee
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  2. Steven M. Graham
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Steven M. Graham .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oakland University, Rochester, USA

    Virgil Zeigler-Hill

  2. Oakland University, Rochester, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. Division of Social Sciences, New College of Florida, Sarasota, FL, USA

    Catherine Cottrell

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© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

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Magee, A.V., Graham, S.M. (2018). Social Investment Theory. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1839-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1839-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28099-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28099-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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