Conscientious individuals have a 15% lower risk of mortality compared to negligent ones, according to a study conducted on 22,000 participants.
Researchers from the University of Limerick analyzed five essential personality traits and monitored the mortality of participants between 6 and 28 years.
The results, published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research, show that organized individuals have a 14% lower mortality risk, responsible ones 12% lower, and diligent and meticulous ones 15% lower.
"Being organized can help people stick to routines that improve health, but it can also reflect psychological resilience or social habits that contribute to a longer life," explained Páraic O'Súilleabháin, co-author of the study.
The trait most strongly associated with longevity turned out to be "active spirit" - energy, vigor, and engagement in life - which reduces the risk of mortality by 27%.
On the other hand, individuals with neurotic traits, prone to worry and capricious behaviors, have a higher risk of death, likely due to a higher incidence of diseases, high BMI, and increased smoking risk.
The study suggests that personality could play "a secondary, underestimated role in medicine and public health."