CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The COVID-19 pandemic changed the lives of so many people around the world. So much so that scientists now believe it even changed our personalities.
So how can a pandemic change how people behave? Let's connect the dots.
Major life event
There's no denying the pandemic was a major life event for almost everyone, whether you got COVID-19 or not. Researchers collected data from more than 7,000 people, looking at their responses before, during and after the pandemic.
They looked at everything from neuroticism to openness and agreeableness.
Researchers found that over the course of the pandemic, neuroticism increased. At the same time, agreeableness, openness and extraversion all decreased.
More noticeable in young adults
The changes were most noticeable in young adults, but researchers aren't sure why. While it sounds like pretty bad news for the future, experts say they're not sure.
Why? Researchers said the real takeaway should be that our personalities aren't set in stone.
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