The Big Five Personality Traits
The Big Five personality traits are broad domains/dimensions of personality and include the following traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism (under the acronym, OCEAN). The Five Factor Model, which is the theory that underpins the five traits, is popular among personality researchers and theorists (it is generally not popular among practitioners), and has gained substantial empirical support. Researchers have conducted scores of studies using the Big Five traits and have examined them in relation to academic achievement, learning styles, cultural differences, gender differences, personality disorders, heritability, brain structures, and work success, to name a few areas.
There are a number of assessment instruments researchers use to measures these five traits. The most popular is the NEO-PI, a personality inventory, an assessment tool that has undergone several revisions over the years and is considered one of the most accurate tools available for understanding human personality traits.
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What Are the Big Five Personality Traits?
The Big Five traits—Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism—make up the Five Factor Model of personality. This model has been widely studied and validated in relation to everything from academic achievement and mental health to workplace success and cultural trends.
The Big Five personality traits are discussed and referenced many times in the Character Strengths and Virtues text (Peterson & Seligman, 2004). One of the charts in the text shows the correspondence between Big Five traits and character traits. It is reprinted below with minor updates in language (from Table 3.7, p. 69).
Table: Big Five and VIA character strengths
(Peterson & Seligman, 2004, all rights reserved)
| Big Five Trait | Representative examples | Approximate corresponding character strengths |
|---|---|---|
| Neuroticism | Worried, nervous, emotional | None |
| Extroversion | Sociable, fun-loving, active | Zest, humor, playfulness |
| Openness | Imaginative, creative, artistic | Curiosity, creativity, appreciation of beauty |
| Agreeableness | Good-natured, softhearted, sympathetic | Kindness, gratitude |
| Conscientiousness | Reliable, hardworking, punctual | Self-regulation, perseverance, prudence |
This table shows some examples of character-strengths likely to be highly correlated with each Big Five personality trait. Arguments could be made for meaningful correlations for additional character strengths for each. Additional research is needed to study this correspondence. This indicates that there is not only overlap among these constructs being measured but also substantial distinctiveness between the two.
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Research Perspective
Drs. Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman (2004) observed the following in regard to the Big Five tradition:
The Big Five tradition strikes us as largely a theoretical (not a problem in our view of things) and largely non-psychological (a big problem to us) in that classification per se seems to be the goal, not an understanding of the causes or consequences of the classification’s entries. When a new measure of individual differences is reported in the literature, one or another lexical research group invariably conducts a study lining the new measure to existing Big Five test inventories. There is invariably convergence, but rarely is it so striking that one would conclude that the new measures are superfluous, probably because the Big Five traits are very broad and unlikely to capture the meaning of a more nuanced individual difference. (pp. 68-69).
VIA is undergoing a new study led by personality researcher, Dr. Robert McGrath, that involves examining the VIA Survey and Big 5 measures. McGrath and others are examining the incremental validity of the VIA Survey to be useful in explaining core personality traits over and above what is explained by the Big 5 traits. This important study will examine incremental validity across 6 behavioral measures. Results are very promising and may offer new insights into how these assessments impact development, decision-making, and other areas of life.
People report how they feel about certain items on the personality test, indicating whether they agree or disagree with specific statements used to generate answers. These answers become the basis for understanding an individual's personality and informing real-world decisions, whether for career planning, relationships, or personal growth.
Why This Matters for You
Individuals who are interested in self-discovery may find these tools valuable in identifying not just high or moderate traits, but also low levels of particular personality traits, which can sometimes be just as informative. Understanding the 24 character strengths can provide additional insights into a person’s unique qualities and behaviors. Many have found that such insights help guide choices based on a clearer understanding of the self.
- What's the difference between personality traits and character strengths?
Personality traits describe consistent behaviors and tendencies. Character strengths focus on your best qualities and how you express them in action. Together, they create a fuller personality profile.
- Can your Big Five traits change over time?
Research suggests core traits are relatively stable, but life experiences, goals, and deliberate effort can influence how traits are expressed.
- Are Big Five traits genetic?
There is a strong heritable component, but environment, culture, and personal choices all play important roles.
- Which VIA strengths relate to high openness or conscientiousness?
Creativity and curiosity often link with openness; self-regulation and prudence with conscientiousness. Explore your full profile to find your unique combination.