Module 1 BIG FIVE FACTOR

BIG FIVE FACTOR
In psychology, the Big Five personality traits are five broad domains or dimensions of
personality that are used to describe human personality. The theory based on the Big Five
factors is called the Five Factor Model (FFM).
The Big Five framework of personality traits from Costa & McCrae, 1992 emerged as a
robust model for understanding the relationship between personality and various academic
behaviors. The Big Five factors are:
 Openness (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious)

 Conscientiousness (efficient/organized vs. easy-going/careless)
 Extraversion (outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserved)
 Agreeableness (friendly/compassionate vs. cold/unkind)
 Neuroticism (sensitive/nervous vs. secure/confident)
Acronyms commonly used to refer to the five traits collectively are OCEAN,
The factors of the Big Five and their constituent traits can be summarized as:
 Openness to experience – (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious). Appreciation

for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, curiosity, and variety of experience.
Openness reflects the degree of intellectual curiosity, creativity and a preference for
novelty and variety. Some disagreement remains about how to interpret the openness
factor, which is sometimes called "intellect" rather than openness to experience.
 Conscientiousness – (efficient/organized vs. easy-going/careless). A tendency to
show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement; planned rather than
spontaneous behavior; organized, and dependable.
 Extraversion – (outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserved). Energy, positive emotions,
surgency, assertiveness, sociability and the tendency to seek stimulation in the
company of others, and talkativeness.
 Agreeableness – (friendly/compassionate vs. cold/unkind). A tendency to be
compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others.
 Neuroticism – (sensitive/nervous vs. secure/confident). The tendency to experience
unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety, depression, or vulnerability.
Neuroticism also refers to the degree of emotional stability and impulse control, and is
sometimes referred by its low pole – "emotional stability".
The initial model was advanced by Ernest Tupes and Raymond Christal in 1961, [6] but failed
to reach an academic audience until the 1980s. In 1990, J.M. Digman advanced his five factor
model of personality, which Goldberg extended to the highest level of organization.[7] These
five overarching domains have been found to contain and subsume most known personality
traits and are assumed to represent the basic structure behind all personality traits. [8] These
five factors provide a rich conceptual framework for integrating all the research findings and
theory in personality psychology. The Big Five traits are also referred to as the "Five Factor
Model" or FFM, and as the Global Factors of personality.
Description of five factors:-
Openness to experience
Openness is a general appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, imagination,
curiosity, and variety of experience. People who are open to experience are intellectually
curious, appreciative of art, and sensitive to beauty. They tend to be, when compared to
closed people, more creative and more aware of their feelings. They are more likely to hold
unconventional beliefs. Another characteristic of the open cognitive style is a facility for
thinking in symbols and abstractions far removed from concrete experience. People with low
scores on openness tend to have more conventional, traditional interests. They prefer the
plain, straightforward, and obvious over the complex, ambiguous, and subtle. They may
regard the arts and sciences with suspicion or view these endeavors as uninteresting. Closed
people prefer familiarity over novelty; they are conservative and resistant to change.
Sample openness items
 I have a rich vocabulary.

 I have a vivid imagination.
 I have excellent ideas.
 I am quick to understand things.
 I use difficult words.
 I spend time reflecting on things.
 I am full of ideas.
 I am not interested in abstractions. (reversed)
 I do not have a good imagination. (reversed)
 I have difficulty understanding abstract ideas. (reversed)
Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness is a tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for

achievement against measures or outside expectations. The trait shows a preference for
planned rather than spontaneous behavior. It influences the way in which we control,
regulate, and direct our impulses. According to a study conducted at Michigan State
University, it was found by R.E. Lucas and his colleagues that the average level of
conscientiousness augmented among young adults and then declined among older adults.
Sample conscientiousness items

 I am always prepared.
 I pay attention to details.
 I get chores done right away.
 I like order.
 I follow a schedule.
 I am exacting in my work.
 I leave my belongings around. (reversed)
 I make a mess of things. (reversed)
 I often forget to put things back in their proper place. (reversed)
 I shirk my duties. (reversed)
Extraversion
Extraversion is characterized by positive emotions, surgency, and the tendency to seek out
stimulation and the company of others. The trait is marked by pronounced engagement with
the external world. Extraverts enjoy being with people, and are often perceived as full of
energy. They tend to be enthusiastic, action-oriented individuals who are likely to say "Yes!"
or "Let's go!" to opportunities for excitement. In groups they like to talk, assert themselves,
and draw attention to themselves.
Introverts have lower social engagement and activity levels than extraverts. They tend to
seem quiet, low-key, deliberate, and less involved in the social world. Their lack of social
involvement should not be interpreted as shyness or depression. Introverts simply need less
stimulation than extraverts and more time alone. They may be very active and energetic,
simply not socially.
Sample extraversion items
 I am the life of the party.

 I don't mind being the center of attention.
 I feel comfortable around people.
 I start conversations.
 I talk to a lot of different people at parties.
 I don't talk a lot. (reversed)
 I keep in the background. (reversed)
 I have little to say. (reversed)
 I don't like to draw attention to myself. (reversed)
 I am quiet around strangers. (reversed)
Agreeableness
Agreeableness is a tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and

antagonistic towards others. The trait reflects individual differences in general concern for
social harmony. Agreeable individuals value getting along with others. They are generally
considerate, friendly, generous, helpful, and willing to compromise their interests with others.
Agreeable people also have an optimistic view of human nature.
Although agreeableness is positively correlated with good team work skills, it is negatively
correlated with leadership skills. Those who voice out their opinion in a team environment
tend to move up the corporate rankings, whereas the ones that don't remain in the same
position, usually labelled as the followers of the team.
Disagreeable individuals place self-interest above getting along with others. They are
generally unconcerned with others’ well-being, and are less likely to extend themselves for
other people. Sometimes their skepticism about others’ motives causes them to be suspicious,
unfriendly, and uncooperative.
Sample agreeableness items
 I am interested in people.
 I sympathize with others' feelings.
 I have a soft heart.
 I take time out for others.
 I feel others' emotions.
 I make people feel at ease.
 I am not really interested in others. (reversed)
 I insult people. (reversed)
 I am not interested in other people's problems. (reversed)
 I feel little concern for others. (reversed)
Neuroticism
Neuroticism is the tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anger, anxiety, or

depression. It is sometimes called emotional instability, or is reversed and referred to as
emotional stability. According to Eysenck’s (1967) theory of personality, neuroticism is
interlinked with low tolerance for stress or aversive stimuli. [38] Those who score high in
neuroticism are emotionally reactive and vulnerable to stress. They are more likely to
interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult.
Their negative emotional reactions tend to persist for unusually long periods of time, which
means they are often in a bad mood. These problems in emotional regulation can diminish the
ability of a person scoring high on neuroticism to think clearly, make decisions, and cope
effectively with stress. Lacking contentment in one's life achievements can correlate to high
Neuroticism scores and increase a person's likelihood of falling into clinical depression.
At the other end of the scale, individuals who score low in neuroticism are less easily upset
and are less emotionally reactive. They tend to be calm, emotionally stable, and free from
persistent negative feelings. Freedom from negative feelings does not mean that low scorers
experience a lot of positive feelings.
Research suggests extraversion and neuroticism are negatively correlated.
Sample neuroticism items
 I am easily disturbed.
 I change my mood a lot.
 I get irritated easily.
 I get stressed out easily.
 I get upset easily.
 I have frequent mood swings.
 I often feel blue.
 I worry about things.
 I am relaxed most of the time. (reversed)
 I seldom feel blue. (reversed)

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BIG FIVE FACTOR

 Openness (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious)

 Openness to experience – (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious). Appreciation

Description of five factors:-

Sample openness items

 I have a rich vocabulary.

Conscientiousness is a tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for

Sample conscientiousness items

Sample extraversion items

 I am the life of the party.

Agreeableness is a tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and

Sample agreeableness items

Neuroticism is the tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anger, anxiety, or

Research suggests extraversion and neuroticism are negatively correlated.

Sample neuroticism items

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