Authors

• Pulkkinen, Lea (University of Jyväskylä. Department of Psychology)
• Kinnunen, Ulla (University of Jyväskylä. Department of Psychology)
• Kokko, Katja (University of Jyväskylä. Department of Psychology)

Keywords

personal identity, personality development, personality traits, psychological tests, social behaviour

Abstract

This Finnish study has continued to follow the same individuals for over 30 years. At this research wave the subjects were 42 years old. Data were collected using an interview, a number of questionnaires based on different tests and methods, a medical examination, and laboratory tests. This dataset contains three personality tests which were given to the participants in connection with the interview to be completed at home.

The first personality test, the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), contains 135 questions, and measures impulsiveness, anxiety, aggressiveness and social adaptation. The respondents' habits, opinions and feelings connected to different situations are tested.

The second test, the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI), contains 67 of the original 181 questions and measures extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience.

The third test is the Adult Temperament Questionnaire (ATQ). The test includes 77 items and measures temperament factors labelled effortful control, negative affect, extraversion, affiliativeness, and orienting sensitivity.

Background variable used: the respondent's gender.