College of Medicine

Research, published in PLOS ONE, by a team at the Florida State University College of Medicine, led by Angelica Sutin, Ph.D., found personality changes caused by COVID-19. Young adults exhibited moodier, more stressful, less cooperating, and trusting behavior. This study indicates that environmental pressures can affect personality in ways of global stress rather than natural phenomena. In the longitudinal study data measured for the later pandemic compared to pre-pandemic data showed the equivalence of one decade of standard personality change. FSU co-authors were Martina Luchetti, assistant professor; Damaris Aschwanden, post-doctoral researcher; Amanda A. Sesker, post-doctoral scholar; and Antonio Terracciano, professor. There were two other co-authors, researchers from the University of Michigan and Montpelier.