WHAT IS THE BIG FIVE MODEL OF PERSONALITY?
The "Big Five Model of Personality" is an explanation of how various characteristics impact a person's overall level of happiness. The traits included in this model are extraversion, neurotiscism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. Each of these traits have more facets that culminate into one general aspect of personality (See Figure 1). Each of the facets contribute to whether a person is high or low in one of the Big Five traits. The traits are stable across a person's lifetime, and are also found to be true in various cultures (Baumgardner et al. 2009).
This model was proposed by several personality researchers, who were able to find "five relatively independent factors [that] describe the essential features of individual personality" (p. 180). The researchers also devised a personality test for people to understand their own personality.
Genetics is a considerable factor in these personality traits. Approximately 50% of character traits are directly inherited from genetic parents This is important because being able to determine happiness using genetics could have significant impact on happier and healthier generations in the future.
(Baumgardner et al.).
The Big Five include:
Extraversion
This is a measure of sociability. People high in extraversion are "sociable, outgoing, and actively engaged with the world" according to Baumgardner and Crothers (2009 p. 180). People low in levels of extraversion are introverts, and can be described as "relatively detached from others, withdrawn, unassertive, contemplative and reserved in their emotional expression" (p. 180). People are happier when experiencing higher levels of extraversion.
Neuroticism
This trait is a measure of "emotional stability" (p. 180). This means that people high in neurotiscism are more "tense, anxious, moody, and more emotionally reactive to events than most people" (p. 180). Depression, impulsiveness, and vulnerability are also associated with the highly neurotic.
Agreeableness
Agreeableness is a measure of a how a successful a person is at getting along with other people. This also includes compromising skills. People that are high in levels of agreeableness tend to be "trusting, straightforward, helpful, compliant, modest, and tender-minded" (p. 180). People that are low in levels of agreeableness are "[suspicious, distrusting], conniving, selfish, non-compliant, hard-hearted, and cynical... toward others" (p. 180).
Conscientiousness
This trait measures a person's "level of discipline, self-control, and organization" (p. 180). This means that people high in conscientiousness will be more "organized, competent, self-disciplined, deliberative, persistent, and dutiful" compared to their lower level counterparts (p. 180). Lower levels of conscientiousness often is characterized by "less competence, lack of achievement orientation, disorganization, impulsivity, carelessness, and neglectfulness" (p. 180).
Openness to Experience
Openness to experience is a measure of imagination and creativity versus traditional practices. This characteristic "includes specific traits related to fantasy, preference for variety and novelty, aesthetics... and independence" (p. 180). Conversely, people who are not open to experience can be characterized by their "practical mindedness, preference for routine over variety, preference for the straightforward over the complex, and greater conformity" (p. 180).
This model was proposed by several personality researchers, who were able to find "five relatively independent factors [that] describe the essential features of individual personality" (p. 180). The researchers also devised a personality test for people to understand their own personality.
Genetics is a considerable factor in these personality traits. Approximately 50% of character traits are directly inherited from genetic parents This is important because being able to determine happiness using genetics could have significant impact on happier and healthier generations in the future.
(Baumgardner et al.).
The Big Five include:
Extraversion
This is a measure of sociability. People high in extraversion are "sociable, outgoing, and actively engaged with the world" according to Baumgardner and Crothers (2009 p. 180). People low in levels of extraversion are introverts, and can be described as "relatively detached from others, withdrawn, unassertive, contemplative and reserved in their emotional expression" (p. 180). People are happier when experiencing higher levels of extraversion.
Neuroticism
This trait is a measure of "emotional stability" (p. 180). This means that people high in neurotiscism are more "tense, anxious, moody, and more emotionally reactive to events than most people" (p. 180). Depression, impulsiveness, and vulnerability are also associated with the highly neurotic.
Agreeableness
Agreeableness is a measure of a how a successful a person is at getting along with other people. This also includes compromising skills. People that are high in levels of agreeableness tend to be "trusting, straightforward, helpful, compliant, modest, and tender-minded" (p. 180). People that are low in levels of agreeableness are "[suspicious, distrusting], conniving, selfish, non-compliant, hard-hearted, and cynical... toward others" (p. 180).
Conscientiousness
This trait measures a person's "level of discipline, self-control, and organization" (p. 180). This means that people high in conscientiousness will be more "organized, competent, self-disciplined, deliberative, persistent, and dutiful" compared to their lower level counterparts (p. 180). Lower levels of conscientiousness often is characterized by "less competence, lack of achievement orientation, disorganization, impulsivity, carelessness, and neglectfulness" (p. 180).
Openness to Experience
Openness to experience is a measure of imagination and creativity versus traditional practices. This characteristic "includes specific traits related to fantasy, preference for variety and novelty, aesthetics... and independence" (p. 180). Conversely, people who are not open to experience can be characterized by their "practical mindedness, preference for routine over variety, preference for the straightforward over the complex, and greater conformity" (p. 180).
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Video 1: The video on the LEFT gives a wonderful, but brief, overview of the Big Five Model of Personality.
Video 2: The video on the RIGHT is an interesting look that shows how the Big Five personality traits vary by geographical location.
Video 2: The video on the RIGHT is an interesting look that shows how the Big Five personality traits vary by geographical location.
Figure 1: The above graphic is a creative way to show different specific characteristics present in people with high or low levels of each of the Big Five personality traits. Graphic from Trull, T., & Widiger, T. (2013).