The research used data from a study begun in 1960 that recorded teacher personality ratings of 2400 grade school age kids. Forty years later, those same former students did video taped interviews. When the researchers compared the initial personality ratings with the video interviews, they found the subjects’ personalities had remained remarkably stable. For example, kids who were highly talkative tended to be verbally fluent and intellectually curious as adults. Kids who were quiet turned out to be shy and awkward as adults. Keep in mind that we’re talking about trends, not cold hard facts. Not every shy kid will remain so throughout life. And some outgoing, highly verbal kids may become less confident and outgoing later on. But by and large, according to the data, we’re born with a personality already in place. And it stays with us.