Final answer:
Gender differences in interpersonal behavior generally decrease as individuals age, influenced by changes in personality traits and social roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
As people mature to middle age and beyond, gender differences in interpersonal behavior decrease in magnitude. This is evident in the way individuals express themselves through the Big Five personality factors: conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, extraversion, and openness. Studies have shown that as we age, conscientiousness and agreeableness tend to increase, peaking between the ages of 50 and 70. In contrast, neuroticism and extraversion often slightly decline with age.
Additionally, as adults enter into new social roles, such as those of partner, parent, or senior professional, social expectations foster a convergence of gender roles, further diminishing the extent of gender differences in behavior.