Conscientiousness Versus Executive Function as Predictors of Health Behaviors and Health Trajectories

Excerpt

We welcome the paper by Bogg and Roberts [1] describing the potential role of conscientiousness in explaining health-related outcomes. However, we think that this discussion could be more focused by examining conceptually similar constructs that have documented patterns of connection with these same outcomes. Executive function (EF), for example, is a set of cognitive processes—subsuming behavioral inhibition, working memory, and set shifting—that assist in goal-directed behavior, temporal organization of responses, and future-oriented actions in general [2]. Prior studies have found that individual differences in EF predict medication adherence, health behavioral trajectories, and longevity [3‐5]. In a recent study utilizing an age-stratified community sample collected from an urban region in western Canada (N = 208; age range 19–89), we assessed EF and frequency of fatty food consumption and found that stronger EF (whether measured by Stroop performance or Go–No Go performance) predicted less frequent consumption of such foods, an effect that was independent of demographics, IQ, and BMI [6]. …