Understanding the Big 5 Personality Traits

As varied as personalities are, there are common similarities among them. Researchers have come to believe there are five basic personality categories. These different groups are often referred to as the “Big 5 personality traits.”

Registered psychotherapist Natacha Duke, MA, RP, breaks down these five focus areas and what makes each personality type unique.

What are the Big 5 personality traits?

The Big 5 personality traits are core personalities involving:

1. Openness — how you respond to new situations and ideas
2. Conscientiousness — how thoughtful or thorough you are
3. Extraversion — where you get your energy and what fulfills you
4. Agreeableness — how you care for others vs. caring for yourself
5. Neuroticism — how you respond or react to feelings, stress and anxiety

Also known as the “five-factor model of personality,” this psychological framework is the latest in a long line of research that stems back to the 1970s. The acronym OCEAN is often used as an easy way to remember these Big 5 personality traits. Some people also know it as CANOE.

Studies have shown that elements of these personalities have been passed on for generations. And according to psychologists Will Reader and Lance Workman, 50% of our personalities are shaped by our lived experiences and the way we are raised as children.

Duke explains each Big 5 personality and what it means to be high or low in every category.

Openness

Openness is about being receptive to new experiences, ideas and perspectives. People who are highly open tend to be more creative and adventurous. People low in this trait tend not to like change and rely on routine and tradition.

“Someone high in openness likely wouldn’t do well in predictable jobs like administrative work. They might find they’re more suited to creative professions like graphic design instead,” illustrates Duke.

“Someone who has low openness might struggle listening to different perspectives without getting upset. Or they might find it hard to step outside of their routines.”

Conscientiousness

Conscientiousness revolves around being thoughtful and thorough. It’s defined by high levels of discipline, dependability and organization. Highly conscientious people tend to be goal-driven. Low conscientious people tend to have difficulty completing tasks or sticking to a routine.

Extraversion

“Extroversion is thought of as not only enjoying being around other people, but also having a certain amount of assertiveness. They’re active and energetic,” explains Duke. “Introverts, at the extreme, prefer to get their energy from spending time alone. They tend to be more shy, reserved or quiet.”

That doesn’t mean introverts don’t value friendships or social interactions. They might have fewer friends, but those friendships are incredibly strong, intimate and meaningful.

“Someone who’s introverted might like to exercise alone instead of taking a Pilates class,” she continues. “Someone who’s more extroverted might like to sit in the lunchroom and be surrounded by high social activity.”

Agreeableness

Agreeableness exists on a spectrum of care for other people versus caring for yourself. The goal is to often try and find a balanced approach to interpersonal relationships. Being highly agreeable can lead to people-pleasing behaviors and self-sacrifice at the extreme. Low agreeability involves self-centeredness and difficulty working with other people.

“I like to think of agreeableness as someone who values harmony,” says Duke. “High agreeability leads to really caring about other people’s needs and feelings. Low agreeability involves putting your needs above the needs of others.”

Neuroticism

Neuroticism involves emotional sensitivity, and people perceive and react in different ways to stress and anxiety. People who are highly neurotic tend to be very self-conscious about their feelings. They’re also reactive to high levels of anxiety. People who are low in neuroticism are less sensitive to stress and more even-tempered.

“With the example of a stranded ship on an island, the person who’s high in neuroticism is the person who’s screaming because they’re caught up in catastrophic thinking that this is the end of the world,” illustrates Duke. “Someone with low neuroticism might be unfazed or seem unaffected.”

Measuring the Big 5 personalities

“If you’re really wanting to use this five-factor model effectively, I’d suggest going through an assessment with someone like a psychologist or behavioral health specialist who’s trained,” advises Duke.

“Online personality tests can help you confirm what you know about yourself, but it can be more helpful to have a conversation with a trusted professional to figure out what areas of your life you want to work on.”

Can your personality traits change?

People tend to remain stable in their core personalities throughout their lives. Occasionally, they’ll move up and down the spectrum of each of the Big 5 personalities as they experience different things.

There are many combined traits across the Big 5 categories, too. For example, high neuroticism is often associated with high extroversion. This can result in someone who’s very expressive about the anxiety they feel.

Similarly, introversion is often associated with low neuroticism. In that case, someone might have a tendency to bottle up or internalize their emotions.

If there are behaviors or traits you want to work on, a therapist can help, so your overall health and well-being can improve.

“Someone who’s very neurotic probably isn’t going to be a calm person. But they can learn skills to better manage their anxiety and stress,” notes Duke.

To work on improvement, you have to first identify problem areas that are personal to you. Personality traits themselves aren’t inherently negative. But maybe there’s something you want to improve that will benefit your needs and personal values.

“Some people are shy, and they don’t have a problem with that. They keep to themselves and reach out to other people for social interactions when they feel comfortable,” says Duke.

“But some people wish they could be more extroverted, and they feel their social anxiety is holding them back. In those cases, we can coach them on how to cope with their emotions and figure out what they need so they feel supported in social situations.”

The key to measuring the Big 5 personalities and how they apply to your life involves deep self-reflection and a willingness to learn. At the end of the day, the more you know yourself, the more you can come to accept and appreciate every part of your identity.

“When we talk about mental health and mental well-being, the best place to be is balanced,” encourages Duke. “If you have really strong intensity for one side of the spectrum for any of these personality traits, that’s going to come with challenges on either side.”