The Big Five Personality Traits and You

Personality. It’s what makes us who we are. Some people love looking at personality traits lists and learning more about themselves. Others would prefer not to psychoanalyze themselves. After all, you’re an individual, and qualifying your character traits might seem like pigeonholing you.

But, exploring the aspects of your personality can be incredibly useful. It can give you the tools to understand yourself and the people around, allowing you to improve your personal habits and relationships.

One of the most commonly used psychological frameworks for understanding personality is known as the Five Factor Model (FFM), or the Big Five Personality Test. It uses questionnaires to rate you in five areas:

 

1. Openness to experience
2. Conscientiousness
3. Extraversion
4. Agreeableness
5. Neuroticism

Psychologists sometimes use the abbreviations OCEAN or CANOE to refer to this personality traits list.

So, why are these examples of personality traits so important? Well, they’re simply a comprehensive approach to explaining the core aspects of personality. Each trait can be broken down into two aspects, which we’ll discuss in a moment.

The big five personality traits can be thought of as operating on a continuum. It’s not that you’re completely agreeable or completely disagreeable. Rather, the questionnaires that rate your personality traits can help you understand whether you’re high or low in each area. Are you high in neuroticism and low in openness to experience? Are you high in agreeableness and low in extroversion?

“A personality trait is a characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, or behaving that tends to be consistent over time and across relevant situations.” (Research Gate)

So, when you’re using this framework for examples of personality traits, keep in mind that this list can help you get to know yourself and others better, but it’s not a black-and-white way to put people in a box.

Big Five Personality Traits

Let’s talk about each of the big five personality traits in a little more detail.

1. Openness to experience

The two aspects of openness to experience are openness/creativity and intellect.

What is openness to experience? For psychologists, this term describes a person’s level of comfort with being uncomfortable, as well as their innate intelligence.

According to Psychology Today, “People with high levels of openness are more likely to seek out new experiences, be comfortable with the unfamiliar, and engage in introspection than those who are lower on the trait. Those with low levels of openness can be perceived as closed-minded, and prefer familiar routines, people, and ideas.”

In other words, if you have a high level of openness, you can tolerate the unfamiliar, and you’re more likely to intellectually engage in big-picture thinking. You probably tend to be introspective. Both the intellectual and the creative aspects are important elements of comfort with the unfamiliar; some experts call this trait “creative openness.”

2. Conscientiousness

The two aspects of conscientiousness are orderliness and industriousness.

This personality trait, out of all five, is most highly correlated with personal success. A person high in conscientiousness is orderly – they have systems, routines, and habits that they do not regularly stray from – habits that keep their life running smoothly and keep them on track with their responsibilities.

Industriousness refers to being hardworking. Industrious people complete their tasks reliably and do not tend to procrastinate.

Anyone who is high in conscientiousness has successfully mastered the art of delayed gratification. Exercise now to be fit later. Go to bed early to wake up early and be productive. Practice portion control. Don’t buy a big-ticket item; put the money in retirement instead.

In spite of its link to life success, experts have noted some negative tendencies associated with this characteristic: perfectionism, stubbornness, and a lack of flexibility. Someone who is high in conscientiousness is dependable and thorough, yet they will probably need to cultivate resilience since they may have trouble adapting to stressful situations.

3. Extroversion

The two aspects of extroversion are enthusiasm and assertiveness.

Introverts have gotten a lot of (uncharacteristic) attention over the past several years. Extroverted people are talkative, easily excited, and social. They “recharge” by being around other people. They tend to be positive and outgoing.

Psychologists remind us that extroversion isn’t a black-or-white character trait; it’s more like a sliding scale. This is a trait that tends to remain stable over time.

Introverts sometimes find extroverts’ enthusiasm exhausting, but on the other hand, extroverts and introverts are often drawn to each other in friendships or romantic relationships, since their different personalities balance each other out.

4. Agreeableness

The two aspects of agreeableness are politeness and compassion.

If you think of your circle of friends, family, and acquaintances, you can probably think of people who are high in agreeableness. They’re people who are kind, polite, and easy to get along with. They would take care of you if you were sick.

They put a high priority on having good relationships with others. “People high in this prosocial trait are particularly empathetic, showing great concern for the welfare of others, and being the first to help out those in need” (Psychology Today).

What about someone who is low in agreeableness? Being low in agreeableness doesn’t necessarily mean a person is inherently “bad” or has a personality disorder. But, “research using the Big Five has found that the most consistent feature shared by all members of the dark triad is low agreeableness, indicating a common core of selfish disregard for others” (Psychology Today). The “dark triad” includes narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism.

However, men, in general, tend to be lower in agreeableness than women, indicating that some personalities are naturally less cooperative and altruistic than others, but may be stronger in other areas that balance this trait.

5. Neuroticism

The two aspects of neuroticism are volatility and withdrawal.

What does it mean to be neurotic? Neuroticism is “the degree to which a person experiences the world as distressing, threatening, and unsafe. Each individual can be positioned somewhere on this personality dimension between extreme poles: perfect emotional stability versus complete emotional chaos. Individuals who are low in neuroticism tend to be content, confident, and stable. The latter report fewer physical and psychological problems and less stress than do highly neurotic individuals.”

A neurotic person tends to be anxious, depressed, and negative. They will struggle to be optimistic and may tend to catastrophize their life circumstances. Like the other personality traits of the big five, neuroticism exists on a spectrum. It’s a tendency that’s stronger or weaker in different people.

What about the two aspects of neuroticism? Withdrawal, in this case, indicates a tendency to ruminate and be self-conscious and easily overwhelmed, while volatility means that your emotions tend to be unstable and moody.

Personality Traits and You

How do people get this way? How are the big five personality traits developed over time?

Research suggests that the development of core personality traits is balanced about 50-50 between nature and nurture, or between environment and innate personality. The environment you grew up in significantly influences your personality as an adult, but your innate characteristics as an individual, developed since you were born, also play a significant role on their own.

Can personality traits change over time?

Sometimes we tend to see the big five personality traits as being fairly constant throughout one’s life, but research shows that it is possible for them to be fluid and possible to change over time. It’s also possible to use your knowledge of personality traits to identify your personal strengths and weaknesses and seek to cultivate growth in the areas where you need it.

Are there gender distinctions among the traits?

Yes. Women tend to be higher in both neuroticism and agreeableness. Of the ten aspects of the Big Five in particular, according to the BBC, women are usually more compassionate, enthusiastic, polite, open, orderly, tending to withdraw, and volatile. Men, on the other hand, have the highest rates of assertiveness, industriousness, and intellect.

Getting to know these personality trait examples can give you a window of understanding into your life, relationships, and the people around you. A Christian counselor can help you understand your levels in each of the big five personality traits and discover how you can use this knowledge to grow as a person.