Adulthood Relocation: Implications for Personality, Future Orientation, and Social Partner Choices

Author： Koenig Cynthia S. Cunningham Walter R.

ISSN： 1096-4657

Source： Experimental Aging Research, Vol.27, Iss.2, 2001-04, pp. : 197-213

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to learn the reasons why individuals relocate and whether relocaters differ from nonrelocaters on demographic, social, and personality factors. One hundred participants from three age groups, 34 to 46 (young/middle-aged), 54 to 66 (young-old), and 69 to 93 (older) years, were designated as relocaters or residents as a function of months of residence. Relocaters did not differ from residents in age, income, health, or marital status. Reasons provided for relocating revealed the following differences: young/middle-aged moved for employ ment reasons, young-old moved for reasons of retirement, and older adults relocated to be closer to family members. No differences in network size occurred and older relocaters selected more cards in a social partner selection task. Most interesting was the finding that relocaters scored higher on Openness to Experience and future orientation. These data suggest personality may be an important trait that explains why some individuals are more likely to relocate.