Big 5 Personality Traits
Amit and Ajay are identical twins. While they’re exactly alike in terms of physical appearance, their personalities are worlds apart….
November 23, 2021 | 7 mins read
Amit and Ajay are identical twins. While they’re exactly alike in terms of physical appearance, their personalities are worlds apart. Amit is confident and outgoing, always on the lookout for excitement and adventure. Ajay is reserved and withdrawn and functions at his best in a peaceful environment. Amit procrastinates and pushes off tasks to the last moment, but Ajay likes to complete his assignments weeks in advance.
Why the disparity? If Amit and Ajay’s appearances match, why don’t their personalities? The Big Five personality theory might just have the answers.
The Big Five model of personality, also known as the five-factor model of personality, is a personality theory that says there are five core traits that determine an individual’s personality and, consequently, their behavior. The five primary traits are openness to experience (O), conscientiousness (C), extraversion (E), agreeableness (A) and neuroticism (N), often abbreviated as OCEAN. These five factors are known as the Big 5 personality traits. Each trait is measured on a scale, with individuals ranking anywhere between the highest and the lowest ends. Where a person falls in the range of each trait is what accounts for the differences in their personalities.
Tracing the roots of the Big Five model of personality takes us back many years into history. In the late 1930s, psychologists Gordon Allport and Henry Odbert developed a list of 4,500 words related to personality traits. In the 1940s, psychologist Raymond Cattell used technology and analysis to trim down that same list of 4,500 words into 16 factors of personality. As the years passed, Cattell’s theory was considered too complex, with many psychologists advocating for a five-factor model of personality. Lewis Goldberg was the most prominent among them, using the term ‘Big 5’ and identifying the five primary personality traits that are considered a part of the five-factor model of personality. His model was later validated by personality researchers Paul Costa and Robert McCrae and has seen widespread use since then.
Organizations often use the five-factor model of personality to gain an insight into the personalities of their employees. This information helps them gauge the skills of their staff members and assign the right tasks to the right people. Now that we know the meaning of the Big Five model of personality, let’s explore each of the Big Five personality traits in detail:
Among the Big 5 personality traits, openness to experience refers to an individual’s ability to open their minds to the world around them. Needless to say, people who weigh high on the openness to experience scale are open-minded and curious—they want to explore new things and indulge in novel experiences. These creative individuals have a wide range of interests and hobbies and rarely step back from trying out a new cuisine, traveling to an exotic location or even indulging in adventure sports.
Here are a few characteristics of people weighing high on openness to experience:
People who are on the lower end of the openness to experience spectrum are close-minded, conventional and hesitant to indulge in new experiences. A low score on openness to experience in the Big Five personality theory implies an individual is resistant to change and struggles to embrace new ideas and abstract concepts. They aren’t very creative or imaginative but make excellent analysts and thrive in careers that allow them to stick to conventions and routines.
In the Big Five personality theory, conscientiousness is the ability of an individual to carry out their responsibilities with diligence and care. People weighing high on conscientiousness are excellent planners who live by routines, schedules and to-do lists. Self-disciplined, punctual and focused, they excel at keeping distractions at bay, setting goals and working hard to accomplish them.
Here are a few prominent characteristics of people with a high degree of conscientiousness:
Someone who’s low on conscientiousness is impulsive, unpredictable and easy-going. They don’t put much thought into their actions and decisions and are more likely to engage in risky behavior. They also tend to procrastinate and might fail to turn in projects on time—factors that make them appear irresponsible and unreliable in the workplace.
The next trait in the Big 5 model of personality, extraversion measures the degree to which an individual seeks interaction with the outside environment. An extrovert, or someone weighing high on extraversion, derives energy from social situations. Outgoing, sociable and full of life, such individuals are often viewed as ‘people persons’ who enjoy meeting people and making new friends. They carry a positive outlook on life and seek excitement in their endeavors.
Here are a few common characteristics of a person weighing high on extraversion:
A person low on extraversion is known as an introvert. Too many social interactions can be draining for introverts who tend to withdraw into their inner world to unwind and regain their energy. Such individuals spend a lot of time observing scenarios, thinking about situations and introspecting. Unlike their extraverted counterparts who usually have a wide circle of friends, introverts have a small, close-knit group of people they trust. They thrive in quiet and peaceful settings and prefer listening to talking.
Next in the Big 5 model of personality comes agreeableness, or the quality of caring about others and placing their needs above one’s own. Among all the Big Five personality traits, a person weighing high on agreeableness is altruistic, kind and empathetic—ever ready to lend a hand to a person in need. They’re also extremely trusting and don’t question the motives of people around them.
Here are a few defining characteristics of people ranking high on agreeableness:
A person low on agreeableness isn’t interested in others’ problems and is often viewed as self-centered and uncooperative. They’re not above manipulating others to get their way and like to brag about their accomplishments. Sarcastic and candid, they have little patience for others and can often be seen making disparaging comments.
The last trait of the Big 5 model of personality is neuroticism. While psychologists aren’t united on their definition of this trait, neuroticism generally indicates a person’s tendency to experience negative emotions such as depression, anger and guilt. Someone who weighs high on neuroticism is more likely to have mood swings and may appear withdrawn to others. They struggle in the face of setbacks and often give in to doubt and worry.
Here are a few significant characteristics of a person weighing high on neuroticism:
A person low on neuroticism is emotionally stable and resilient. They’re able to remain calm and composed in high-pressure situations and, therefore, experience much lower levels of stress. Such individuals are also more confident and lead happier lives.
Varying degrees of each of the Big 5 personality traits together determine an individual’s personality. Research says as people age, the levels of each of the five personality traits may change. For instance, a person is likely to become less open to experience as they grow older.
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Explore Harappa Diaries to learn more about topics such as What is an Introvert Personality and Extrovert Personality, Signs of Ambivert Personality and Steps for Building Relationships In The Workplace to build strong professional networks.