Understanding The Universal 5 Personality Traits

Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism

Have you ever wished you could understand someone’s tendencies better? Or why you struggle in certain areas when others flourish? Most modern psychologists agree these Big 5 are not only universal but consistent into adulthood. These traits should be viewed as a range (“high in Conscientiousness, low in Openness”, for example). Most people are somewhere in the middle of each (maybe high/low for 1-2.) See graphic for the range on each trait.

An interesting way to think about the Big 5 is to consider what kind of goal, relationship, or life situation you are trying to accomplish (or what kind of skills your child needs.) Then consider where you fall in the 5 categories and work within them to design your goals.

In other words, tell me the behavior or situation you’re struggling with and we can likely point to a Big 5 trait to help you understand and solve some of it.

Example: Using One Of The Big 5 (Extraversion) To Understand Depression 

Using the Big 5 as a therapist is useful to promote a client’s self-awareness and assist with behavioral change.

For example, if someone is depressed, and also Low in “Extraversion”, they would need a different kind of approach than someone who is High in Extraversion. They would likely experience their depression differently, too! They may prefer solitude and need to find ways to re-engage with meaningful activities that are different from socializing. This could also be balanced with learning skills to make friends more easily because social support usually alleviates depression. Or it could be helpful to use cognitive behavioral therapy to really develop self-compassion for their personality and know that not everyone has an alpha personality which could improve their depression through self-advocacy.

Example: How One Of The Big 5 (Conscientiousness) Can Be Helpful And Harmful: Eating Disorders and Addiction

Many people who have eating disorders are able to maintain their disorders due to being High in “Conscientiousness” (good impulse control, enjoys schedules, reliable) and so helping them involves working with body image as well as managing their desire to control.

However, on the flip side — think about someone who has addictive qualities. They may be High in “Openness” (loves new experiences and trying what others do) and we would want to help those clients increase their Conscientiousness to counter social drinking or peer pressure. 

What about someone who wants to make different lifestyle choices for health or personal reasons? It would be helpful for them to have lower “Openness” for awhile in order to stick to their plan, avoid seeking novelty in food, and develop higher Conscientiousness.

The world needs all types but pop culture prefers one type

The world (and social media) love people High in Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness. These are the fearless, sociable, cooperative and confident types. Nobody loves Neuroticism, and whether Conscientiousness is valued, in my opinion, depends on your age and friend group. While we are fairly consistent throughout our lifetime on these spectrums, more young people tend to be low in Conscientiousness (prefer spontaneity, don’t mind unfinished business or messes etc). As we age, we come to value the reliability and follow-through of higher Conscientiousness types.

The “negative” trait that can be our superpower (Neuroticism)

And what about the fifth trait that seems so unlikeable, neuroticism? Not so fast! Neuroticism is how we often connect and bond with each other. We share worries, insecurities, and stress during our anxious moments. We bond by seeking some reassurance and experience community through support. We love neurotic characters in books and movies, we find company in idiosyncrasies and relief in knowing that we are not alone. 

Furthermore, it is our response to our own and others neuroses that can define some of our triumphs. Our resilience, relationships, and successes often come from figuring out these stressful periods of time in our lives. Think back: are you more likely to remember the person who was there for you during a personal crisis, or the one who patted you on the back after a promotion? We need both of these kinds of people in our lives, but experiencing moments High in Neuroticism can also define positive pillars in our lives.

Some more details about each trait are here: