Cognition and beyond: Intersections of personality traits and language

In this comprehensive review, we examine the multifaceted relationship between personality traits and language, including language use, language acquisition, and language processing mechanisms. We begin by outlining the landscape of the current field and the rationale for linking the variability exhibited in language behaviors and that captured by personality traits under the Five-Factor Model. We then delve into the five basic personality domains—Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness—and their implications for language, with an emphasis on the cognitive interactions between personality traits and language processing. Using the link between Openness and categorical semantic processing as a key example, we highlight that the individual variation captured by personality traits shapes language processing in a manner that cannot be reduced to the scope and sum of cognitive measurements in traditional tasks. Furthermore, we demonstrate how personality traits influence language processing through more complex implications and pathways in the context of age-related changes. We focus on personality profiles more prone to perceived loneliness, which is correlated with declines in semantic processing and other cognitive abilities, affecting language comprehension and communication; in turn, these differences in comprehension and communication can worsen cognitive decline and aggravate loneliness. Our conclusion advocates for the integration of personality traits into psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics research. We also argue for a more comprehensive understanding that encompasses both cognitive abilities and individual personality dispositions, with special consideration given to the implications for aging trajectories and the psychological well-beings of older adults. © 2024 Published by Elsevier Inc.