OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test the association of the 
personality traits of neuroticism and extraversion with risk of death in old 
age.
METHODS: A census was taken of a geographically defined urban community in 
Chicago, and those aged 65 years or older were invited to participate in an 
in-home interview; 6158 (79% of those eligible) did so. The interview included 
brief measures of neuroticism and extraversion, medical history, and questions 
about current participation in cognitive, social, and physical activities. Vital 
status was subsequently monitored. The association of each trait with risk of 
death was examined in a series of accelerated failure-time models that 
controlled for age, sex, race, and education.
RESULTS: During a mean of more than 6 years of observation, 2430 persons (39.5%) 
died. A high level of neuroticism (score = 27; 90th percentile) was associated 
with a 33% increase in risk of death compared with a low level of neuroticism 
(score = 9; 10th percentile). A high level of extraversion (score = 33; 90th 
percentile) was associated with a 21% decrease in risk of death compared with a 
low level (score = 18; 10th percentile). Adjustment for medical conditions and 
health-related variables did not substantially affect results, but adjusting for 
baseline levels of cognitive, social, and physical activity reduced the 
association of both traits with mortality.
CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that higher extraversion and lower neuroticism 
are associated with reduced risk of mortality in old age and that these 
associations are mediated in part by personality-related patterns of cognitive, 
social, and physical activity.