Scientists tested the truthfulness of a well-known proverb

Scientific confirmation of folk wisdom: environment really shapes personality, Swiss scientists have proven. A study by the University of Zurich confirmed the truth of the proverb "Tell me who your friend is, and I'll tell you who you are". The results of the work were published in the authoritative journal Review of Economics and Statistics.

The large-scale experiment covered more than 1200 students from Swiss higher education institutions. Researchers analyzed participants' personality characteristics using the famous "Big Five" model, which includes openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, and also measured the level of competitiveness of each student.

The research methodology involved randomly assigning students to groups of four people who interacted closely throughout an entire semester. To identify long-term effects, scientists continued observations and surveys for four years after the formation of the groups.

The data obtained convincingly demonstrate: young people do indeed adopt character traits from their peers. This was especially noticeable in groups dominated by open, conscientious, and goal-oriented students – these qualities actively developed in all members of the collective. Interestingly, characteristics such as extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism proved much less susceptible to environmental influence.

Researchers found that the presence of conscientious peers significantly reduced stress levels in groups and positively affected academic activity. Notably, students were most willing to adopt precisely those qualities that contribute to success in an academic environment, which confirms the theory of motivated personality transformation.

The most long-lasting effect was observed in changes in conscientiousness and competitiveness – these acquired traits persisted for up to four years. The influence of the environment on openness weakened over time. These discoveries are particularly valuable for teachers and organizers of educational programs responsible for forming educational collectives.