In a large sample followed for almost five decades, we found that high levels of Activity (a facet of Extraversion), Emotional stability (or low Neuroticism), and Conscientiousness were associated with longer life. These effects are substantially independent from those of two major health risk factors, cigarette smoking and obesity. Among the deceased, a weaker association with longevity was also found for Personal Relations, a trait related to low Neuroticism and Trust (a facet of Agreeableness; see also 48). Among women, higher scores on Ascendance were associated with lower risk of death. These results contribute to the literature because of the large sample size, as well as the large number of deaths, the long duration of the study, and the high data quality. However, the conclusions from this study are limited by the use of a personality questionnaire that does not assess all five major personality factors and by the use of a non-representative sample. The BLSA participants are particularly educated and healthy, with life expectancies longer than the general population (see Figure 1), a feature that is common to other
