A study has found that the pandemic has changed personalities, possibly forever. It has been clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on almost everyone’s life. Whether it was due to the loss of a loved one to the virus, loss of a job due to lockdowns, or the loss of school time, everyone’s life has been touched in some way.
It is easy to parents to look at their children and see the changes that have happened. Whether they had younger children, or teenagers, their children’s lives were turned upside down and halted, and this is bound to shape who they become.
According to Study Finds, a new study has found that the pandemic may have changed everyone’s personality forever. This study was done by Florida State University College of Medicine, and it can be read in full here.
It is important to note that everyone’s personality changes over time, and it is already noted that one’s personality changes after about 10 years. However, what this study is finding that the pandemic may have accelerated that change and made it happen in the 2.5 years the pandemic has been going on.
There have been previous studies that have found that there is no link between stressful events and personality changes, but the pandemic was different. It was something that impacted the entire world, unlike natural disasters and other events.
The researchers found that the pandemic has made younger adults more “neurotic,” more prone to stress and less cooperative. They stated that this age group has been the one that has been impacted the most. To complete this study, they completed surveys, and they looked at personality traits and how they differed between pre-pandemic times, and post.
The research did find that older adults had their personality changes as well, not just the young, and this meant that parents had their personalities changed. They found that older adults were less open, less agreeable and less conscientiousness due to the pandemic.
It is important for all to be aware of how the pandemic has impacted the lives of everyone, because the world may look different when the pandemic is named over, and many are going to need to learn how to navigate this new world. This includes children and their parents.
Sources: Study Finds, Eureka Alert