Personality, Risk Perceptions, and Health Behaviors: A Two-Wave Study on Reciprocal Relations in Adults

2022

The aim of the study was to examine reciprocal associations between risk perceptions for cardiovascular disease and health behaviors (i.e., physical activity, fruit/vegetable consumption), while accounting for key personality characteristics in middle-aged adults. Participants (N = 297; M (SD) age = 51 (6.95); 72.4% female) completed online questionnaires assessing risk perceptions, physical activity, fruit/vegetable consumption, and personality (conscientiousness and neuroticism) on two occasions, one week apart. Physical activity did not have a statistically significant effect on risk perception over time (b = −0.00, p = 0.227). However, fruit and vegetable consumption (b = −0…