Agreeableness Personality: Definition And Examples

Agreeableness Definition In Psychology

It’s difficult to define agreeableness in a sentence because it encompasses many other sub traits. Agreeableness is the quality of being mindful of others’ needs and prioritizing them above one’s own. People with an agreeableness personality tend to be empathetic, considerate and kind—they’re the first ones to lend a hand to someone in need. High agreeableness manifests in a person’s ability to cooperate and get along well with others. Generous, humble and sincere, agreeable people love to be around others and are excellent at socializing and building positive relationships with people around them.

By contrast, a person with low agreeableness is often competitive, aggressive and impatient. They have little to no regard for emotions and feelings, and, therefore, struggle to connect with others on a deeper level. Low agreeableness also makes a person likely to engage in manipulative behavior and exploit others to fulfill their own needs. Such people prefer to work on their own instead of in a team and are blunt to a fault.

Agreeableness Personality Traits

Caring about others and showing concern for their problems is second nature to agreeable people. Now that we know how to define agreeableness, let’s look at a few agreeableness personality traits:

Altruistic

We can’t define agreeableness without mentioning altruism. People weighing high on the agreeableness scale are extremely altruistic, selfless and thoughtful, always prioritizing the well-being of others. These are the people who would actively engage in charity, volunteer for community service and make every effort to uplift the lives of others around them. Helping others gives them a sense of purpose and fulfillment. They wouldn’t hesitate to pass on their favorite snack to a needy person even if it means going hungry themselves. Someone who’s low on agreeableness, however, doesn’t care about the needs of others. (naijanews.com)

Modest

Being modest and unassuming is another significant agreeableness personality trait. Such a person is rarely heard bragging about their own accomplishments. They don’t let praise go to their head and never consider themselves to be better than or superior to others. Humility defines their attitude. Extreme levels of modesty can, however, result in low self-esteem. By contrast, a person with a low agreeableness personality trait is egotistical and likes to play up their achievements and abilities.

Trusting

A person with a high agreeableness personality trait is trusting. They don’t question the motives or intentions of people around them, assuming that others mean well and have their best interests at heart. A low agreeableness personality trait, however, can make a person mistrust others and doubt their intentions. They’re quick to pass judgments on other people and may regard them as potential threats to their well-being.

Agreeableness in the workplace shows itself in a person’s inclination toward group settings, their collaborative nature and their tendency to accommodate others’ needs. Professions that center on helping others are best suited for people with a high agreeableness trait. Social work, teaching, counseling, nursing and human resources are some of the best fields for agreeable people to work in.

Agreeableness Examples

The definition of agreeableness in psychology talks about a person’s emotional intelligence and ability to harmonize with others. Agreeable people are some of the most humble and down-to-earth individuals, who are honest in their words and actions and harbor a positive view of human nature. Here are a few examples of agreeableness:

Wanting to please others is one of the most common examples of agreeableness. People with an agreeableness personality don’t hesitate to compromise on their own needs to keep others happy, which may sometimes make way for self-destructive behavior

The tendency to avoid conflict and discord is among the other significant examples of agreeableness. People with high agreeableness try to avoid arguments and stay away from confrontations as much as possible, even to the detriment of their own interests

Being patient and tolerant of mistakes is one of the most prominent examples of agreeableness. The agreeableness personality trait in a person allows them to keep their cool and remain level-headed in high-pressure situations

The above-mentioned agreeableness personality trait examples are only some of the many. The agreeableness trait in a person makes them warm, compassionate and supportive. Such people are usually well-liked and popular and make great friends.

Expand Your Network

Research shows a person tends to become more agreeable as they grow older. Because it comes with strong interpersonal and cooperative skills, agreeableness can be a vital tool to expand your professional network. Harappa’s Expanding Networks course is just what you need to channel agreeableness in the workplace to build authentic, diverse and mutually-beneficial professional relationships. You’ll pick up key business networking skills that will help you to not only enhance interpersonal relationship management but also sustain your professional network over the years.

This online professional networking course will also teach you to proactively collaborate with professionals working in diverse workplaces with different needs and work styles. With frameworks such as The Trust Equation, Key Networkers and Elevator Pitch, you’ll be able to build and maintain trustworthiness, identify the four types of networkers found in every network and deliver an impactful introduction to yourself. Let your networking and collaboration skills do the talking and become an ambitious and growth-driven professional. Sign up today for Harappa’s Expanding Networks course.