The Big Five: What Qualities Really Define Our Character

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

One of the few psychological concepts you can trust in personality tests.

What is the essence of the "Big Five"

The Big Five is a model for assessing individual differences in a human personality based on five indicators. These include extraversion, openness, benevolence, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. These characteristics, to varying degrees, may or may not be inherent in any personality, and they can also be measured. At the same time, they do not affect each other and are not interrelated in any way.

The first such classifications were developed in ancient times - for example, the theory of temperament of Hippocrates. Later, the Carl Jung model, socionics and the Myers-Briggs typology (MBTI) appeared.

These concepts have always been very popular, as with their help scientists sought to explain why people behave differently and how it affects their lives. They tried to answer the questions of what qualities a leader should have, what makes some people psychologically more stable, or how temperament affects physical health.

However, today the five-factor model, or "Big Five", is still considered the most fully and accurately describing the human character.

It was created by two groups of American psychologists in the 1970s. They interviewed thousands of people and came to the conclusion that it is possible to determine a person's temperament using the indicators listed above.

To understand how these qualities are developed in each individual person, psychologists have developed special tests. There are no right and wrong answers in them. The participant is asked to compare his character with the descriptions of the personality or to answer how close the presented statements are to him.

Based on this, it becomes clear how strongly each of the qualities of the Big Five is developed in a person. You can take these tests too - here are the short and long questionnaires.

What is included in the "Big Five"

1. Extraversion

In fact, extraversion is not only about sociability. This figure reflects J. V. Fayard. How to (Accurately) Measure Your Personality / Psychology Today, how communicative, cheerful, proactive, independent a person is. Is he able to bring what he started to the end and is he ready for adventure. In general, this characteristic indicates how much an individual lives an active life.

People with low extraversion tend to be withdrawn and more inclined to obey authority. They may also have problems with abstract thinking. Those who get high scores are sociable, assertive and more often aspire to become leaders.

At the same time, there are practically no extroverts and introverts in their pure form. The indices of the absolute majority of people in the test will be located somewhere in the middle between these extremes - this is commonly called ambivert.

2. Openness

This characteristic shows how open a person is to new experience, and it can also serve as a measure of creativity. People with a low level of openness are usually more committed to traditions, clearly distinguish between "right" and "wrong", they can tolerate routine more easily or even prefer it. Those who are very open, on the contrary, do not accept monotony, are more curious, and they like to invent new ways to solve problems.

3. Benevolence

This sign shows how we relate to other people, how much we trust them, how often we show sensitivity and warmth - a kind of measure of good nature. The most benevolent people are more likely to adhere to religious beliefs. They try to avoid conflict and help others. Those who are shy, suspicious, or self-centered tend to score low in this category.

4. Integrity

This parameter helps to understand how organized a person is. A high level of conscientiousness is observed in those who are motivated, disciplined, productive, and responsible. These people love order in everything. They usually plan ahead and take care not to break a promise. Therefore, they are more likely to be trusted. Low scores in this category are given to irresponsible and easily distracted individuals.

Also, a study by Finnish psychologists showed that people with low rates in this category have a 14% higher mortality rate. As scientists say, this is due to the inability to control oneself and general irresponsibility. They push a person onto the path of self-destruction.

5. Neuroticism

This indicator measures a person's emotional stability. A high level of neuroticism is observed in anxious, inhibited, capricious or insecure people. They react more strongly to setbacks and shocks in life, and often suffer from low self-esteem. Those who score low in this category are calm, satisfied with life and confident in themselves.

What are the advantages of the Big Five

Reliability and accuracy

The main advantage of the Big Five is that it is best formulated from a methodological point of view of all personality typologies. And also confirmed experimentally.

The researchers emphasize that the characteristics of the "Big Five" are formulated most accurately and clearly, and they can be recorded when the tests are repeated. Such reliability of results, for example, cannot be achieved using the well-known Myers-Briggs typology (MBTI).

Versatility

The Big Five demonstrates that trying to create some sort of classification of human characters or personality types is most likely futile. Especially if in them any trait of temperament can take only one of two positions.

In addition, the behavior of each individual person may differ within the framework of one of the characteristics. For example, he can be outgoing, but not very assertive, although both of these qualities are related to extraversion. Some questionnaires take into account J. V. Fayard. How to (Accurately) Measure Your Personality / Psychology Today breaks down the characteristics into smaller components.

You also need to understand that sometimes we can consciously and not really change our behavior depending on the circumstances or environment - for example, in different ways to communicate in different companies.

Practical benefits

The Big Five can be useful both for ordinary people and for researchers of the human psyche. For the first, it helps to better understand yourself and characterize your personality. The latter are interested in how our temperament can be associated with physical health, financial well-being, social and professional success.

So, psychologists argue that there is a strong connection between what results a person gets on a five-factor scale, and his sense of self.

For example, we can already say with great confidence that people with high extraversion feel more prosperous. And those who are emotionally less stable are also less efficient. True, all these data only show a statistical pattern.

The other side of research in the framework of the "Big Five" considers the question of what factors influence the formation of personality. For example, Canadian scientists analyzed the test data of several hundred pairs of twins and came to the conclusion that our character is equally shaped by heredity and the environment.

And also work 1.

2. with indicators of the "Big Five" helped to understand how the character of people changes over time. So, with age, we generally become less sociable, less often we want to change something. But at the same time, we become kinder and more stable emotionally.

Despite its popularity, the Big Five is not the only measure of character. For example, there is a six-factor personality model, also known as HEXACO. In it, the parameter of honesty - modesty is added to the five traits: how much a person is ready to promote his selfish goals.

Some psychologists criticize the Big Five for underdevelopment of theory and blind adherence to data. There is also evidence 1.

2. that outside the industrialized Western countries, the Big Five questionnaires are less reliable.

Nevertheless, this concept remains dominant and has been shown to be effective in 56 different cultures. Therefore, the Big Five is a reliable and effective tool for understanding our minds.